Level
Shared
occupancy cost
Days
FM O 24 - 26 Apr Fri - Sun £254 £230 £179
Centre
Date
Sole occupancy Non-Residential
cost
cost
Perfect Pastels: Painting with Soft Pastels
The location of many of John
Constable’s paintings, Flatford Mill
runs over 120 Natural History and
Arts courses in a unique and
tranquil learning environment.
Course Overview
Soft pastels and pastel pencils are a vibrant and responsive medium, which can be used
to exciting effect when capturing the various changes of light and mood found in the
landscape, or for the subtle and sensitive techniques required in portraiture. This course
is designed for both beginners, who are completely new to pastel, and improvers who
wish to extend their skills.
Course Description
Carole's enthusiastic and informative demonstrations will guide you through a range of
exercises, showing lots of different painting techniques, on various types of pastel papers
and boards. Tuition throughout the weekend will be both on a group and individual
basis.
This weekend course will cover both landscape and portrait painting with pastels and/or
pastel pencils.
On Friday evening after supper Carole will discuss the materials – types of pastels, pastel
papers and boards, blenders etc and give a short practical demonstration, using
examples of her work to highlight a range of techniques.
Saturday
The emphasis on Saturday will be on landscape painting. We start with a range of stepby-step exercises which will explore many ways of approaching this expressive medium,
including colour mixing for landscapes, lightening and darkening colours, mark making
Tel: 01206 297110 E-mail: enquiries.fm@field-studies-council.org
Fax: 01206 298892
and blending techniques. Students will be able to create a still life, or produce a
landscape/s working from their own reference, or Carole’s
Sunday
Carole will start by demonstrating facial proportions of an adult and a child, and then
show you simple ways to capture a likeness, as well as giving tips on colour mixing for
flesh tones. Working from your own reference, or Carole’s, and with her helpful
guidance, you will be able to paint a portrait. Alternatively, if you prefer not to do
portraits, you can work on a subject of your choice.
There will be a group appraisal at 3.30pm
About the Tutor
Carole Massey has been a professional artist for many years and has tutored courses at the
FSC for over 10 years in addition to painting holidays in Europe. She has appeared on
many regional TV arts programmes and has written six teaching art books as well as
articles for various art magazines. “Drawing Masterclass – Portraits” is her latest book,
published by Search Press. Carole is a Professional Associate of the SAA demonstrates
widely to Art Societies. She works in a variety of media and her own work includes
portraiture, still life and landscapes. She lives in Brittany, France.
What to Bring
Please note that the Centre shop does not stock art materials.
 A good range of pastel pencils (minimum18, but the more the better!) E.g.
Derwent, Faber Castell, Sennellier etc.
 A good range of soft pastels
 Pastel paper in a range of colours suitable for your subject matter, either in single
sheets or a pad with a selection of colours. e.g. buff, pale green, or grey for
landscapes; cream, beige, light grey, blue/grey, pink/grey for portrait work, or
brown, green, dark grey for animals etc.
 Fine sand textured card (optional) can also be used with pastel pencils. Please
bring colours to suit your subject matter
 A torchon, stump or colour shapers for blending.
 A putty rubber or blue tack for erasing/lifting the pastel
 A pastel pencil sharpener or craft knife.
 A sand paper block or sand paper for sharpening
 Photographs or sketchbooks for reference
 Optional – Fixative; latex gloves, an apron
 Paper to cover your finished work
Please also bring handwipes, an old shirt or apron and newspaper or tissue paper to
cover your finished work.
Tel: 01206 297110 E-mail: enquiries.fm@field-studies-council.org
Fax: 01206 298892
If you would like to discuss the course content or materials further, you may contact
Carole Massey on the following email address carole.massey@wanadoo.fr or phone 0033
296 30 37 41. You may also like to visit her website at www.carolemassey.com
Start and Finish times
Afternoon tea is available from 1600 on Friday, but the first formal activity is dinner at
1900 (with the bar open from 1845!).
Residents: Please aim to arrive between 1600 and 1800 on Friday to allow us sufficient
time to show you to your accommodation and around the communal areas.
Non-residents: You do not need to arrive quite so early but please can you be here by
1800 as we need to show you the communal areas as well.
The course will end at 1600 on Sunday.
Perfect Pastels: Painting with Soft Pastels
The Centre provides drawing boards. We also have small sketching stools and easels for
hire at a small charge if required.
What the fee includes
Residential course fee includes:
 Full board accommodation including cooked breakfast, picnic lunch, homemade
cakes and an evening meal. Vegetarian and other dietary option available.
 Up to 8 hours teaching time a day, plus relaxing breaks for meals and
refreshments.
 Tea and coffee making facilities available throughout the day.
 Use of resources including library, workrooms, studios and the Centre grounds.
 Transport during the courses.
 Insurance to cover cancellation, personal belongings, personal accident, legal
liability and medical emergency.
If you choose to be a non-resident on a residential course, the fee will include all the
above except accommodation and breakfast.
How to book
Bookings can be made by telephoning the Centre; we are open 0930 – 1700 weekdays
and most weekends. Alternatively, bookings can be made via our website: www.fieldstudies-council.org.
Tel: 01206 297110 E-mail: enquiries.fm@field-studies-council.org
Fax: 01206 298892