Description: Oil pastel is a fantastic medium for transitioning young artists from black and white to color, and this introductory class will teach them how to use the pastels to achieve the beautiful effects as in sample pictures below.  Lessons will use both oil pastel & pencil to cover fine arts concepts such as color, blending, light and shadow, perspective and dimension, and layering and composition. Class is fun and upbeat, and students apply everything they learn immediately into their work. The main goal is to help students become familiar with techniques of pastel & pencil use and color to the point where they can use these mediums to express their own ideas in painting & drawing. EVERY student will feel affirmed and encouraged, and will be amazed at what they're capable of even when art isn't really their strong suit!  

New projects each semester!!!!

Please note the class dates above.  They are not sequential. For a calendar of all Explore classes click here.

Tutor:  Sandy Adler attended Austin Community College to pursue an A.A. in Fine Arts, Minneapolis Technical College to pursue an A.A. in Graphic/Commercial Design, and Crown College for a B.A.  in Christian Education.  She is currently a practicing and accomplished artist in both fine arts and graphic design.  She is the Director of Marketing, Advertising and Promotion as well as Vice President of Heart of the City Ministries, a non-profit organization led by Sandy and her husband for the purpose of bringing racial and denominational unity to the Body of Christ in the Twin Cities area.  Her paintings in oil pastel have been featured in businesses in the Osseo area.  She has been teaching art for the past 17 years in area co-ops as well as after school enrichment programs in the local school districts, with over 160 students during the 20012-13 school year.  In 2006 Sandy won a grant through the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council to bring her pastels class into a select group of inner-city schools, in order to provide supplies and instruction to students living at or below poverty level.  An 11-year home school veteran herself, Sandy’s passion is to make art instruction engaging and inspiring for students of all levels, and to help them truly learn to “see” the beauty of God’s world around them as they learn art basics and secrets that hone their own skills and abilities as young artists.

Cost:  $44, $54 or $64 (depending on registration date)
Level: Grades 5-6
Prerequisite: none
Homework: none
Text: none
Supplies: The supplies listed below may either be purchased by students on their own, or ordered  through the tutor.   (The tutor is able to purchase supplies online for a radically reduced price at bulk rates, and it is also beneficial for students to be working with the same quality of materials).  Supplies are listed below and MUST BE BROUGHT FOR BY THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS, or paid for by that day if ordered through the tutor. Mrs. Adler will email a detailed supplies list to order from before classes begin, AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUPPLIES IS PAID DIRECTLY TO TUTOR SEPARATE FROM TUITION.

1. Blick Spiral Bound sketch pad 11 X 14, 70 sheets, 80 lb.paper - $8.50
2. Caron D'Ache oil pastels, 12 color professional set (a higher quality, blendable brand)* - $28.00
   (NOTE:  For young beginners you can choose a lower student quality set for $7.00 for a 24 pastel set, if you wish to first see if your student is interested enough in the medium before investing in the better brand.)
3. Drawing pencils, set of 6 soft B leads - $6.00
4. Kneadable eraser - $1.50 each
5. At least 2 pastel blending sticks - $1.00 each
6. At least 2 pastel blending tortillon for pencil - $.50 each
7. Set of 12 colored pencils - $1.50
8. Ruler and sharpener, regular eraser (bring from home)

Sample lessons in oil pastel and graphite pencil:

Sample of student work in oil pastels: