Carroll County Arts Council

Create a beautiful, luminous beach landscape while learning the fundamentals of pastel painting. Students will explore composition, value, color temperature, layering, and expressive mark-making to capture the light, atmosphere, and movement of a coastal scene. Through step-by-step instruction, participants will complete a finished pastel painting while gaining techniques they can apply to future landscapes.

Karen Peck – August 29, 2026

Workshop Pastel Landscape Workshop-Beach Pathways

In this workshop students will learn how to build a luminous beach landscape step by step, beginning with theessential foundation of simplifying the scene into clear value shapes. We will use a black-and-white study tounderstand composition, contrast, and the placement of major masses before moving into color. Participant sexplore how warm and cool color families work together to create believable light—soft sands, cool water, and the subtle transitions of a coastal sky.  As the painting develops, students practice layering techniques, refining edges, and adding atmospheric depth. We will explore expressive mark-making to suggest movement and texture—especially in theforeground grasses, where directional strokes help anchor the scene and create a sense of place. The progression moves from broad shapes to subtle details, giving participants the confidence to build a cohesive,luminous coastal landscape. By the end of the session, each participant leaves with a finished beach landscape and a deeper understanding of how value and temperature create mood and harmony in pastel.

Materials: You may bring your own, or borrow CCAC supplies! 

• Hard and soft pastels in a range of values and colors (NOT oil pastels). 
• Pencil/ eraser
• Sanded pastel paper in a light color (cream or white)*There will be  9x12 sheets of U-Art paper for $4.00 each if you need one.
• *Cheap set of watercolors,
• water dish and
• old large brush (1 inch) for underpainting
• Backing board for paper, clips or tape to attach paper to board
• Old towel or washcloth for hands and wiping pastels clean
• Simple beach reference photo with sand and dune grasses (Karen will have some choices) Preferably black andwhite and a color copy if printed or on your phone so we can turn a color copy to black and white.