Pastel Portraits - 2 days - MELBOURNE - OCTOBER 2024 with Lyn Diefenbach

Join Australia's most successful pastel artist for 2 days of pastel portraits in Melbourne.  Lyn will share her extensive knowledge of colour as well as provide you with the technical know-how to create the illusion of reality with pastels. You can be a complete beginner or someone wanting to take their pastel art to the next level.

Please do not be intimidated by Lyn's incredibly realistic skills with the pastel. Lyn is an extremely experienced teacher very used to transforming the most novice beginner! You can be a complete beginner to pastel or experienced - Lyn can work with all levels and will share her extensive knowledge of colour as well as provide you with the technical know-how to create the illusion of reality with pastels.

One of our most popular tutors who is renowned for bringing out the best in every student, you can expect daily demonstrations and individualized tutoring to help you to move through and gain confidence in this amazing medium. The building blocks of line, tone, colour and edge will be discussed extensively to lead you to a better understanding of these important areas. Focus will be given to the mixing of the palette and the skill of colour recognition. 

You will use your own reference materials so you can choose your own degree of difficulty.

You will also need to get set up with your own pastels for this workshop, but once Lyn shows you how to use them properly you will see what a wise investment you have made to this medium and be hooked for life! The pastel community is very welcoming and has lots of opportunities for involvement.

MATERIALS LIST - PORTRAITS

NB: Do not come with your composition drawn up as drawing the portrait is a large part of the process.

Paper - 1 x full sheet (50x70 cm) of Pastelmat. This can be cut in half with one 1/2 put beneath the one to be worked on. The colours that are useful are :- sand, light grey, dark grey, sienna, light green, brown, beige.

Pastels - Bring what you have. Girault and Rembrandt have got some particularly good portrait colours.

Backing Board - have at least 4 sheets of other pastel paper to pad the board.

¼” Angle Shader Brush NEEF 995 - this is to brush away unwanted pastel.

Willow Charcoal

Bulldog Clips

Tissues

Paper towels

Kneadable eraser

Reference Photos - make sure these are large, clear images preferably with a good play of light and dark. If you are doing your own printing from a computer, make sure that you use photo quality paper NOT plain paper.

Note: We provide table easels for you to use however if you prefer a standing easel, you are welcome to bring your own.

LOCATION

Art Lovers Melbourne, 300 Wellington St, Collingwood.  

NOTES:  

There are 2 flights of stairs and NO LIFT.  Please have this in mind if you have mobility issues.  

BOOKING CONDITIONS

Please note that Artable does not provide refunds for workshops under any circumstances. If you provide more than 7 days notice, you can apply for a credit to another workshop. Check our refunds page for further details and COVID-19 related policies.

Please note that if a workshop is sold out a sold out sign will appear on the listing and you will be unable to book in. If a workshop does not have the number or spots that you require, a note will pop up saying 'out of stock'.

LUNCH

There are cafes within walking distance and a fridge and microwave on site if you'd prefer to bring your own.

PARKING

Park in the surrounding streets and there is a drop off zone at the front entrance of the gallery.  Be aware that the parking inspectors can be ruthless so please check parking time restrictions.

Location:

Art Lovers Melbourne, 300 Wellington St, Collingwood

Book online

$465 per person

Meet the Teach

Lyn Diefenbach

The pursuit of masterly quality and technique is a high priority for Lyn Diefenbach whose work is imbued with a celebration of her faith and of life. Her paintings in pastel and oil cover a myriad of subject matter with her bold florals and portraits consistently receiving accolades nationally and internationally. Her ability to communicate her ideas has entrenched her as a respected and sought-after tutor, with teaching engagements internationally and across Australia.

Lyn was accepted into the International Guild of Realism in 2008, and holds Master Pastellist status with the Pastel Society of Australia. Lyn was awarded Eminent Pastellist status in the International Association of Pastel Societies in 2019, having achieved master Circle status with that group in 2014. Lyn was accepted into the Pastel Society of America as a Signature Member in 2016. She has been featured numerous times in the International Artist, Pastel Journal and Australian Artist magazines.

A word from Lyn:

I have been a professional artist for 25 years and a teacher of the craft of painting across Australia and the world for some 20 years. For quite some time I wasted a lot of energy worrying about whether being an artist was something worthwhile. It seemed to be a fairly useless occupation- not noble like a doctor or a teacher. But then I read Pope John Paul 2’s letter to all artists and this had a profound influence on me. In his letter John Paul exhorted : “Artists of the world, may our many different paths all lead to that infinite ocean of beauty where wonder becomes awe, exhilaration, unspeakable joy……… May your art help to affirm true beauty, which as a glimmer of the Spirit of God, will transfigured matter, opening the soul to the sense of the eternal.”

With this new insight I set off on an incredible journey of discovery both of myself and the craft of painting. I discovered that my chosen field, as with life, was one of continual learning. It’s like the “carrot and stick” routine – you never quite “arrive” but you have to keep on trying.

There is always more to learn both through experience and sheer determination. In amongst all of my travels I have met some of the worlds leading artists – ones whom I consider have “arrived” and guess what, they all say the same thing – “there’s more to learn, the next painting is going to be the masterpiece.”

Learning can happen by watching and listening to those who have trod the path and it can happen in solitude. Some of my greatest insights into understanding colour have come simply by experimentation and often by accident. From the very beginning of time we see this again and again – caveman, storm, lightning strike, fire.

I’m often asked for advice on how to progress with an art career and my answer would be to never stop learning. Even someone who is well and truly “up there” needs to move forward not stagnate in their processes. To leap into the unknown every so often is good for the soul, all be it sometimes terrifying and confronting.

Whenever you go into a new learning environment, go with your mind open and your receptors on high alert. Go with a sense of eager anticipation and expectation, not with fear and dread. Nervousness is okay, but harness it as a positive energy not a negative one. Rise to the challenge of stepping outside of your comfort zone and go on a voyage of discovery, even if the end result is the discovery that it is not the direction in which you want to go. You have allowed yourself to put in place one more stepping stone of your life’s journey. Always remember that a perceived failure is simply paving the way to success and a deeper understanding of yourself.

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