When pastel meets paper something real happens. The color shows up away with no waiting time no pause. Every mark you make is there looking back at you and you have to do something about it. On days that feels really free. On days it feels like you are being questioned. Sometimes both things happen before lunch. Read more!

Most people go to a pastel class thinking it will be a hobby. A nice way to spend an evening. What really surprises them is how fast the class changes the way they see things. The shadow under a coffee cup becomes a color study. A grey morning is not dull anymore it is an arrangement of cool light. A structured class helps you see things in a way faster than almost any other way of learning.

That is important. Learning by yourself can be slow and confusing. The internet has a lot of techniques but it is hard to know which one to use and nobody is there to help when things go wrong. A real class gets rid of all that confusion. Gives you a clear path to follow.

When you start layering that is when most beginners get stuck. You have to build up the colors in a certain order. Start with darker colors then add lighter strokes and finally add the last touches. If you rush everything gets messy. A good teacher shows you how to do it so you do not make mistakes. That alone is worth the cost of the class.

There are many supplies to choose from. Soft pastels, oil pastels, special paper and more. Do not worry about all that. Just buy what the class tells you to and do not spend any money until the class is over. You get better at painting by practicing, not by buying more stuff.

You will have a time around week three. Your work might look clumsy and overdone even if it was good before. That is okay it just means you are getting better at seeing what is good and what is not. Every pastel artist goes through this. You just have to keep going.

The people in your class will help you more than you think. You will learn from what they say what they struggle with and how they solve problems. These small things will help you get faster.

One more thing to remember: pastel dust gets everywhere. It will be, on your clothes, your furniture and you will even find it in places.

Go to the class anyway. Make the paintings first. The good ones will come after that.