Soft Pastel Raven Workshop

Service Description

Discover the expressive possibilities of soft pastel while creating a dramatic raven portrait inspired by Kat Greenwood’s original artwork. In this 3-hour adult workshop, Kat will guide you through building a soft, atmospheric background and developing the raven through layers of pastel, colour, texture, and mark-making. You will explore how unexpected colours such as blues, greens, violets, and pinks can bring depth and life to dark feathers rather than relying on black alone. You’ll learn how to layer and blend soft pastels while also allowing some areas to remain loose, textured, and expressive. Kat will demonstrate ways to create contrast, develop feather texture, and bring attention to details such as the raven’s eye and beak. Rather than aiming for perfect realism, the focus will be on atmosphere, movement, colour, and personality. A reference will be provided so you can concentrate on exploring the medium and developing your pastel techniques. This workshop is beginner-friendly and no previous pastel or drawing experience is required. Participants can work at their own pace while learning techniques they can continue using in future pastel projects. Skills explored: - Layering and blending soft pastels - Creating a soft atmospheric background - Using colour to create depth in dark feathers - Building contrast with lights and darks - Creating expressive eyes, beak details, and feather texture - Balancing loose marks with focused detail Good to know For: Adults 18+ Length: 3 hours Experience level: Beginner-friendly - no pastel experience required * Please Note: Soft pastels are wonderfully tactile, but they can also be dusty and a little messy. We recommend wearing clothing you don’t mind getting some pastel on.