Description

Class is limited to 20 participants

Dawn Emerson will be instructing via Zoom from her studio in Oregon. 

Next Session:
Saturday –  October 3, 2026
9:00 am – 4 :00 pm (PST)
There will be a 1-hour break between Noon – 1:00 pm (PST)

This workshop is open to artists ages 16 years – adult.

Join Dawn for this BRAND NEW workshop where you will dive into the fascinating and versatile media of oil pastel and its amazing potential when married with PanPastel.

Designed for Picasso by Mr. Sennelier, oil pastels haven’t received much in the way of media fame. Despite this, they are perfect for layering with mixed media or by themselves. They were designed to be used wet, molten or dry. They can be applied to pretty much ANY surface, and they are available in many colors.

This 6-hour class will include several short demonstrations followed by practice time and a short question and answer period.
This session will be recorded and available for reference to those enrolled for a select period of time after the workshop is completed.

For a successful class experience we ask that you have a strong internet connection and have access to a computer, tablet or smartphone (android or iOS) that is microphone and camera enabled.

Dawn Emerson is an award-winning pastel artist and instructor. She is the author of “Pastel Innovations” and several instructional videos. She brings an attitude of playfulness and experimentation to the pastel stage as she merges drawing, painting and the printmaking process to inspire story telling. 

“We each have our own unique stories to tell and all visual artists communicate with the same vocabulary of shape, color, texture, edges, space and value (dark to light). It is my joy as your instructor to introduce you to a new medium that is both a painting and a drawing medium that can help you express those stories. As a pastelist and author (Pastel Innovations), I hope to inspire you to express your ideas in your own unique way, and guide you to new ways to reclaim your creativity.”

~ Dawn Emerson, PSA

To learn more about Dawn and to view her work Click Here

Materials List
Minimum of 12 Oil Pastel sticks (Instructor will be using Holbein and Sennelier)
Available at Dick Blick or Jerry’s Artarama

Paper
1 pad of 11″ x14″ (15 sheets) Strathmore Mixed Media paper Series 400
3 sheets of any of the following (cut to approx. 12″x16″) : cellophane, freezer paper or wax paper

Chalk Pastels
5-10 PanPastels of various colors & SOFFT brand PanPastel applicator sponges
Available at Dakota Pastels
-or-
A few sticks of soft stick pastel. Egg-shaped or wedge-shaped cosmetic sponge, a piece of 120 grit sandpaper to grind up the soft stick pastel

Medium
Small amount of Gamsol or turpentine
Small glass cup with lid
1/2 inch brush

Acrylic Paint or Gouache
One or two colors (any brand)

Additional required/recommended materials

• Masking tape
• Paper towels
• Several razor blades
• Mark making tools (ex. scraping materials such as xacto knife, clay tools, plastic combs)
• Blending tool for rubbing
• Ear swabs
• Metal palette knife
• Hair drier
• Colored Pencils or Color Crayons (6-12 colors)
• Graphite pencil

Additional resource materials and Zoom meeting link will be emailed prior to the start of the first class session.
Reference images do not have to printed off but should be available to you during class time.