Soft Pastels 101: Skyscapes with Meadows and Skies

Learn the basics of working with soft pastels while creating a colorful skyscape. CLASS DESCRIPTION: Learn the basics of working with soft pastels while creating a colorful skyscape. In this beginner-friendly class, we'll cover simple color theory, color mixing, blending techniques, and how different papers and surfaces affect your artwork. Attendees will practice creating smooth gradients, soft clouds, and glowing skies, and leave with a finished piece along with the skills to continue exploring soft pastels on your own. This workshop is beginner friendly, no experience necessary! Just come ready to learn something new and dive into the world of soft pastels. All materials provided. ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Ilgi Toprak is a native of Istanbul living in Washington, DC. She is trained as an architect, with intensive art and sketching coursework. She views being creative as more than a pursuit but a way of life. That is why, in 2020, she created a piece of art every day and started the Instagram account Meadows & Skies. She finds joy in translating the everyday beauty of nature using oil pastels. Through her artwork on Meadows & Skies, she focuses on capturing fleeting moments like sunsets and sunrises. One of her sunrise drawings is featured in SHE:DC in 2024. Ilgi is a design educator with ten years of university-level design teaching experience in Turkey and the Netherlands. She specializes in teaching architectural design studio and basic design courses that involve practical demonstrations of design techniques and concepts, hands-on experience and guidance in studio setting. She holds a Ph.D. in architecture and is currently a researcher in urban studies.