Recently I taught a one-day workshop to 15 artists from the Salt Spring Island Painters Guild. As always when I teach, I had a marvellous time. It seemed the same was true for most of the participants going by the feedback on the evaluation forms. Having said that however, I want to talk about about the trouble with workshops.
First, a little background info. My workshops are generally geared towards beginners and in fact, it turned out that half the class had never used pastels before. As I’m often frustrated (and then so are the students!) by the low quality of the pastels brought by participants, I insisted the students come with a few GOOD pastels, which included some light, middle, and dark values, rather than many cheap and useless ‘soft’ pastels. Following a review of the materials involved in pastelling, the focus of the workshop (called Making The Most With a Small Selection of Good Pastels) was on how to make the most of a few of these colourful jewels – by working with values and by exploring the possibilities of strokes and layering.
The trouble with workshops is the over-expectations that come with both the instructor and the student.
First let’s look at it from my aspect. My wish and expectation (which is met if I do a good job) is that students have an enjoyable workshop experience and that they leave with a new understanding of how to use pastels. I had a LOT to teach and since the workshop was only one-day long (I prefer a minimum of three days and ideally, four- or five-day workshops), it was tricky to know exactly what to cover to get new pastellists going with a limited palette. My expectation was that students would come to the workshop curious and with an openness to learn as well as with an understanding that one day is a short time to accomplish a whole lot – we would barely graze the surface. I also had an expectation of giving each student some one-on-one time during the workshop and that each student would speak up if they required my help. I also wanted to more than touch on the value of doing thumbnails.
The main thing I needed to teach was mark-making and layering, showing that how you apply pastel and the way you layer can make huge differences in your work. And so I presented them with many exercises to give them an opportunity to explore the possibilities.
These squares of varying colour remind me of Paul Klee’s series of paintings called “Magic Squares” and so that’s what I call them. They are exercises in strokes, pressure, and layering.
Here are a few examples from the workshop. I think they are yummy! Look at all the beautiful variations achieved.
Now let’s look at the expectations that students bring to a workshop. They want to learn what they can about this new medium that for some reason has attracted them. They’ve seen the description of the workshop (that’s why they’re here) and know what to expect. They want to delve into the technique that will allow them to make the most of the expensive pastels they have just purchased specifically for this class. They don’t want to be disappointed in either the class or the medium.
Sometimes, however, expectations won’t be met. From the instructor’s aspect, this often comes with trying to fit too much in for the time allowed. This also happens when the class is large in relation to the time and so it’s impossible to see everyone more than a couple of times. This in turn leaves a few students with a feeling of being left out.
From the students’ aspect, perhaps they expect to be able to create a full-blown successful relationship with pastels after only an initial handshake. This relationship takes time. And practice! There are often a few students who don’t see the value of the exercises and rather than viewing them like scales necessary to learning the piano, instead they see them as an activity of mere frustration. Happily, I think most participants in this workshop knew the value of doing these mark-making studies even if they’d rather not do them! Some appreciated the discussion about materials at the beginning of the day, some found it unnecessarily long. Each student brings different expectations and somehow the instructor has to find a balance between meeting them all and sticking with the general game plan.
After the exercises we got into doing thumbnails. I demoed and then students went off to create at least two thumbnails of a still life set up. Following that, I had them choose one thumbnail which they sketched up on sanded paper. They then were instructed to take three pastels, one in each value of dark, middle, and light, and apply it to the three value areas. Once that was done, they were to take another set of three pastels in three values and apply them over the first layer. I demoed this as you can see in the two photos below.
It was then time for the students to get back to work!
After they were done this step, I demoed again, pushing the piece as far as I could in a short time to show students how to move the piece from the two layers/three values to a richer painting using their limited palette of colours.
At this time, some students reverted to their comfort zone, creating work that didn’t include the layering we had practised in the magic squares. I think this returning to what’s familiar comes from both fear of messing up and also an attachment to the outcome, hoping to have a painting that looks nice. Many though, painted interesting and exciting pieces, so delightfully spiced up by the layers of colour.
The students all worked hard and it was a long, intense day for them. Most came with what I call the workshop mindset: a willingness to let loose, to forget all you know and begin from scratch, to experiment, to be curious and open to discovery, to absorb and soak up what’s being taught. It means being unafraid to be uncomfortable, to make a mess, to look incompetent, to be out of control, to try things out. It means to trust that, in the end, you will have learnt something that has contributed to your artistic growth no matter how disgusted/angry/frustrated you are with yourself in the workshop.
Using a limited palette is a challenge, no doubt about that. And the participants in this workshop gave their full attention to learning how to make the best use of it. It was a fun day and I was appreciative of their efforts. I was also very happy to have been invited as I love teaching and passing on the passion of pastels!!
Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment about the most striking thing you learnt in a pastel workshop.
Thanks for reading and being here on the journey.
Until next time,
~ Gail
26 thoughts on “The Trouble With Workshops”
I loved reading this as I’ve taught many classes, including pastel and can so relate to all you shared!
The most striking thing I learned was in your recent class I took on plein air painting… It was about layering and the importance of a light touch. I actually learned so much in that class, just watching and hearing about your process!
Becky you are so sweet!!! Thank you. And also, I’m glad that as a teacher you can relate to what I wrote 🙂
I wish I could attend one of your workshops. If you’re ever in VT let me know! 😄
Thanks for the vote of confidence Marnie! Perhaps there’s a group in VT that might invite me to teach a workshop… Just sayin’! 😀
There is so much about painting in pastels that is technique driven. After years of painting in pastels I know how the specific brand of pastel is going to behave when I use it over another brand. Specifically as to softness or hardness of the pastel and to the intensity of the pigment. Then we have to consider the paper, sanded or not…degrees of roughness as to how many layers the paper will take. What paper to use for a specific subject for example a portrait versus a landscape or still life. Finally, even how to hold the stick, when to press harder or to just glaze, even as to what part of the stick to use. Taking all this in to consideration while planning your composition as all artists do no matter the medium.
Workshops for beginners should be to learn all those techniques and principles unique to pastels befor ever attempting a final painting. It’s a real learning curve but so rewarding and such a tactile medium.
Wow thanks Sandi. This is is such a great reminder of what it’s like to be at the very beginning.
Hi Gail,
Thank you so much for your very enjoyable articles. I too, teach pastels and was very interested in your article on Workshops. I have also encountered folk who bring, not only sub-standard equipment, but when asked to bring a sketch or photograph that they have done themselves they turn up with either, a very difficult photo from a book, or a painting that they have done in the past and they want to copy it. Grrrr. The other bugbear, between you and me, is the inclusion in every class of someone who hogs the show for your time. When there are 15 people in the workshop that is to last a mere 2 & 1/2 hours I feel exhausted just covering every one. Of course they all want a demo as well.
Kind Regards,
Glenda
Glenda, I hear where you are coming from!! In most of my classes, I ask them to work from life – simple still life (unless of course the workshop is plein air or specifically about working from photos) to avoid the example you gave re photos. And yes, those time hoggers are so tricky to deal with. And the thing is, I think they are generally oblivious of what they are doing. I’ve only recently started including a fullish demo as part of a short class. I know it helps to see how an artist works but I’d much rather students were trying out things themselves 🙂
This sounds like a great workshop for beginners. And even though I’m past the beginner stage, learning to use thumbnails is something I’ve yet to succeed at.
After struggling traveling with way too many pastels so that I would have just the right shade when I wanted it, I have finally learned the delight of traveling with a much more limited pallet. I splurged on the small Dakota Travel Box and when painting in France this summer I discovered that I had more than enough pastels to take on whatever painting I was working on. I think the biggest lesson I had to learn was that it’s not necessary when painting plein air to capture the color in front of me as long as the values and colors I use work together. This is something you’ve talked about in previous posts and it’s finally sinking in:)
As always, thanks for this wonderful blog.
Thanks Jean. That’s wonderful to hear about your move to a limited palette when travelling. And yes, it’s all about values and making the colours work from that. Having a thumbnail sketch to work from is invaluable. Speaking of thumbnails, I am thinking of putting together a mini-course on them!
Ah the Dakota Travel Box – lucky you! I am kicking myself for not immediately purchasing the Box when I was at the IAPS Convention in June. I had borrowed it and their easel to demo and liked it enormously. When I went to buy, they were sold out. Argh.
Dear Gail
I follow your post and I find them very interesting as learning is about process..I have a question as I am a beginner..If i understand well your lesson, any color can be dark and light in fact. We can use any color as a value of dark or light depends if for example the violet is dark or light or yellow or even grey?All colors can be used as shadow or there are some rules..??
I am a bit confused with that and need some theory…
Many thanks
Yael France!
Yael, thank you for writing. I’m glad you are finding my blogs useful to your learning.
The question of value is a challenging topic (and I’m planning on making an online course all about it!). To answer your question, any colour can stand in for a specific value. Having said that, all the other colours around that colour need to relate in value to that colour. The trick is to know where each colour is on a value scale of light (white being the lightest) to dark (black being the darkest). If you use a specific colour for your darks then all the other colours must be lighter in value. And it’s tricky to figure out where colours sit on the value scale as we are usually distracted by their colour and brightness and saturation. It’s a matter of seeing the world (and your pastels) in black and white and shades of grey. In every scene, be it a brightly lit scene or a dark night scene, there will be a range of light to dark. In the brightly lit scene, most of the values will be in the light range of the value scale with maybe a few dark punctuations. In the night scene, the opposite will happen with most of the colours sitting in the dark part of the value range with a few mid to light values in areas of light (windows, the moon, car or streetlights for example). It’s all about the relationship of the colours/values to each other.
Go to my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/GailSibley) and watch the video on sorting your pastels into values (https://youtu.be/a8jxqv5ocz8). Also watch the videos on high key and low key painting (https://youtu.be/MU5o4PUOVFs and https://youtu.be/s2EzoFhL8v8) as they may be useful too.
Hope that helps!!
Part of me would love to go to a workshop and part of me baulks at the thought. I am a really slow learner when it comes to art and I would feel so much out of my depth amongst those who were able to grasp the concepts easily and then put those concepts into practice. I am the sort of person that would need one-to-one tuition in order to get the most out of what was being taught.
Kerry, I would say don’t let your fear prevent you from taking a workshop. Taking a workshop from an artist you admire and who is known for their great teaching style can be an incredible experience, one that can shift your art in ways you may not have imagined. You can also make friendships with other participants. Be selective, do the research, and go for it!
Everyone in workshops are at different stages in their artistic development and everyone processes learning differently and at a different pace. When I take a workshop, I try to think of it as an opportunity to try out new techniques or ideas. It should also be a safe place for making a total balls-up! Don’t worry about what others are doing. Just pay attention to what’s being offered, take notes, experiment, laugh, and then go home and incorporate. It’s so easy (don’t I know!) to get caught up in comparing oneself to others and what they are doing. Think of the workshop as just for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – there is no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to learning. Let me know when you take the leap!
This is a great post Gail, especially hearing about both sides of the experience! As a beginner student I can relate to a lot of your observations ‘of beginners’ the ‘over-expectations’ just wanting to produce ‘art’ without exploring the prelimary studies and then becoming frustrated. So your post has become a lesson in itself for me with great advice and reminders about taking time and practice, usually I just dive in without thinking about strokes, pressure, colours and then the disappointment happens. But you have given me a starting point from which to dive – the Magic Squares, thank you very much for this wonderful post.
Thanks Kerry! I’m so glad this post was helpful.
I find that workshops are where I can afford and am eager to give the time over to doing exercises. I always say once home that I’m going to create a workshop day where I can continue to experiment through various exercises…..but I rarely do. And yet it’s sooooooo useful. So good on you if you can create that time to experiment with Magic Squares. You will be amazed and delighted by what you discover!!
Good blog post!
I can relate from both standpoints, that of a student and that of a teacher.
I love going to workshops and honestly would attend many more if I could. I’ve been to some excellent ones and some not so much.
One thing I would say is this, I expect the instructor to remain in control of the workshop. I went to one where there was an absolute beginner who demanded way too much of the teachers time. instead of making sure everyone had quality one on one time, the newbie got most of the attention. Frustrating indeed! Also, it seems there is always a “teachers pet” so to speak. Turns out, it’s usually someone who attends the teachers workshops repeatedly and who also purchases the demo paintings. I wish the teacher would be more considerate of all who invested their time and money to attend.
From a teachers perspective, I can relate to students wanting to know everything you know in 10 minutes, 🙄 Without wanting to put in the practice or take time for thumbnails and planning. I tell them that when I was studying design in school, we were required to do 100 thumbnails before deciding which composition to use. This is a great way to get past the ordinary, expected and boring compositions! I now try to do at least 5 variations since I’m much more experienced now.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject.
Great additions Brenda! Yes, there can be those who take up more teacher time – I call them the squeaky wheels. And it’s very difficult to not give the extra time they demand yet as an instructor, you have to find a way to do so – as you say, the instructor should remain in control. I always say at the beginning of the class that I am going to circulate in a logical and even way and if something is really urgent, to come to me where I am with another student. I find if I go to the person, I am lost!! Anyway, easier said than done sometimes!
And yes, I love what you say about what one is required to do in school. Doing the exercises and practice is how you learn and then become more proficient. That goes with everything! I don’t know why in the visual arts we (and I’m including myself!) think it should be any different.
Thanks Brenda!
I wish I could FIND a pastel workshop! I bought a set of nice pastels and I’ve dabbled, but I know NO techniques and I can’t find a single person in my area of eastern NC to show me!! I wouldn’t mind traveling a few hours if I had to. The pastel society in my state’s capital has a workshop or two that I’ve seen listed, but they are all for advanced artists. I am so frustrated by the lack of pastel artists in my area, yet so willing to learn!!!!
Oh Meredith, I feel for you. Just keep on the look out.
Your comment has motivated me to speed up the process of creating my online course for beginners!! Please feel free to email me with a list of things you’d like to see covered as a beginner!! It will help me create a course that’s valuable. Thanks for commenting 🙂
I’ve been doing pastels for years, and have finally decided to try teaching a workshop at the end of April! I am beginning with a small group of 6 friends who all have some experience with pastels. Just today, I have been working on some paperwork to get my curriculum figured out. It will be a 2 day class.
I appreciated your thoughts about what you and the students might get frustrated with, and hope I can use your suggestions to make my workshop worthwhile! Any other suggestions would be appreciated!
Hi Nancy,
Glad you enjoyed the blog and found it helpful in light of your upcoming teaching.
I think the main thing is to really know what you want them to come away with – the core message if you will. Two days will give students more opportunity to work and for you to give feedback. In a one-day workshop there was no time to do a group critique at the end (everyone left early!) but in a two-day one, I’d make sure to leave the time near the end for one. It’s great to see all the work spread out and I think everyone learns from an instructors feedback. The other thing is, at the beginning of the class, I would stress what a workshop is about and what they should be trying to achieve (ie not a finished polished painting unles of course that IS the expected outcome of the course!).)
If you have any specific questions, just let me know!
Haven’t posted a comment for ages, but there’s hardly a week when I don’t visit your blog. On top of your invaluable tips, videos and funny asides (now I know where “Bob’s my uncle” comes from!), what pleasure it is to discover artists I’d never heard of -Sally Strand for one. And your demos! Watching the process of pastelling is magic (mm…that reminds me I must practise with these magic squares you showed us). I ‘d SO MUCH love to be in one of your workshops! I’m starting to save…
Dom. , French fan
Dominique thanks for your lovely comments about my blog. Glad I could introduce you to the wonderful work by Sally Strand, a master for sure. I’d LOVE to have you in one of my workshops. There’s Croatia in September and Spain next May (as I’m sure you know). And you don’t have too far to travel which is a bonus. Thanks again for commenting!! Look forward to hearing how the Magic Squares go!
Hi Gail,
Any plans for you to do a workshop in New Zealand
or Tasmania.I could give you the name of a art company that does all the organization and accommodation.Regards Jenny
Hi Jenny, I would LOVE to come back to your part of the world!! I had such an amazing time teaching in New Zealand, and then with Artable in Australia – Gold Coast, Melbourne, and Tasmania. I keep telling anyone interested in my teaching to let Gillian at Artable know! (Do you know of another organization?)
In New Zealand, I have a friend who is working towards a workshop in 2027!