2 Day Pastel Workshop with Judy Drew
3 & 4 May 2025
Overview
Dates:
Sat 3 May, 10 - 4
Sun 4 May, 10 - 4
I am delighted to host one of Australia’s finest pastel artists, Judy Drew, for her tenth masterclass series in Sydney.
Details for each days workshop are below.
Sat only (Still Life) : $290
Sun only (Life Model) : $310
Both days : $550 (save $50)
Lunch & refreshments included
About Judy
After studying graphic art in Melbourne, Judy Drew moved to Bougainville Island for nine years. Her oil paintings, pastels and watercolours of the local people established her reputation as a fine artist. Upon returning to Australia and for the past thirty years she has produced both figurative and still life works.
Influence of Japanese art on the post impressionists has lead to a gradual change in her style; using simplified colour and shape to create a more contemporary edge. Judy’s work glows with an intensity of colour rarely seen in pastels. Represented by Melbourne Fine Art Gallery her work is in high demand by investors, galleries and private collections worldwide.
Venue
Royal Art Society of NSW
25 - 27 Walker St,
North Sydney
Free all day parking at the venue and on street.
Saturday 10 - 3
Still Life Workshop
Judy will begin with a brief demonstration and discussion on how to a create a strong composition through simplifying shapes and perhaps a more spare use of colour. Concentrating on shape and form is often best shown through simplifying the colour choice.
Sometimes choosing what to put into your still life can lead to an overly contrived artwork. Uncomplicated shapes, objects and patterns can be beautiful, especially when treated tonally.
We will look at paring back and aim to create works that show strength through a powerful composition and choice of simple elements.
What to bring
Black Mei Tiente or Art Spectrum (sandpaper type) paper (1-2 sheets)
A small range of soft pastels
Small held mirror
A Torchon (aka paper stump or blender)
Black / grey / white conté crayons for laying down the foundation drawing
Support for your paper & bulldog clips or masking tape
Soft rag/cotton wool
Wet ones or damp cloth
Optional: table easel
Fixative
Sunday 10 - 3
Pastel Portrait / Life Model Workshop
Planning an overall figurative composition in colour and capturing a likeness is only part of the success. Bold, spontaneous and vigorous line work will add real emotion to the work. Rather than concentrating on just the portrait, in this workshop we will be looking at the whole figure. We will discuss placement of colour and areas of light and shade when creating a preparatory sketch for a completed work.
These sketches can help you determine the composition and assists in a greater understanding of the dominant highlights and shadows within that composition. We will be working with a clothed figure and so will consider how to best indicate patterns and folds in the fabric.
What to bring
Textured black mi-teinte TEX paper or paper of your choice. (2 sheets if you hope to create more than one portrait)
Soft pastels (listed below) for the face
Conté hard pastels (see pic below) for the face + Ivory Black & Lemon Yellow soft pastel
A range of coloured soft pastels for the clothed body
black/grey/white and a few flesh toned conté crayons for laying in the foundation drawing
Torchon (aka paper stump)
Support for your paper and bulldog clips or masking tape
Small hand mirror
Soft rag/cotton wool
Wet ones or damp cloth
Optional: table easel
Fixative
ART SPECTRUM :
TITANIUM WHITE P500 / SPECTRUM ORANGE X506
BURNT SIENNA U548 / BURNT SIENNA T548
BURNT SIENNA P548
