Although Cray-Pas, the first oil pastel, was introduced in the 1920s, it wasn’t until two decades later when Picasso asked Henri Sennelier to create professional oil pastels, that the world had a truly new art medium.
Sennelier oil pastels are richly pigmented and have a creamy consistency. They have little comparison with dry or soft pastels in look, feel, or technique. They adhere to paper, canvas, wood, metal, and glass. The experience simulates drawing with oils, and the colors are bright, highly saturated and long-lasting if maintained correctly. Oil pastels travel easily and are excellent for color sketching.
Get a grounding in the basics of this exciting medium in a course that will have you painting in vibrant new colors—and perhaps developing ideas for your other works. Group technique demonstrations and one-on-one instruction are part of the class, which welcomes both beginners and seasoned artists.
This class will be recorded. Please see our FAQ for recording terms and conditions.
Other Information
- The instructor is Chester Kasnowski.
- 6 sessions, 2 hours each
- This studio arts program is a Zoom Meeting to allow for patron and instructor interaction.
Patron Information
- If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
- Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
- Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
- Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
- View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.
