Pastel Painting Nocturnes: from Dusk to Dark with Betsy Payne Cook, 2-Day Workshop

The Museum School at the Cape Cod Museum of Art presents:

Pastel Painting Nocturnes: from Dusk to Dark with Betsy Payne Cook

April 14 and 15, 2022

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Non-Members $250 / Members $225

There will be an additional materials fee of $5 to $12 to be paid to Betsy at the time of the workshop.

The changing atmosphere from dusk to night lends itself to scenes of mystery, quiet contemplation, and raucous drama. Nocturne paintings of the landscape, cityscape, or interior scenes force the artists to shift value and color choices. We will explore the changes that happen after daylight has disappeared and our view has limited natural and manmade lights giving us a chance to sprinkle in a bit of imagination. 

Through demonstration and exercises, Betsy will share key strategies and tips to paint scenes from dusk to dark. Preliminary work will focus on the partnership between value sketches and notan designs to enhance your composition for an end-of-day setting. Creative color options will infuse personality into the night scenes, and Betsy will introduce ways to heighten the emotive quality. This is a great time to use those brilliant colors in your palette!

Betsy will provide daily demonstrations and encourages opportunities for class interaction. She will provide plenty of individual easel time to meet the needs of the artists. Painting is about challenging yourself to try something new and experiment. There will be at least two group critiques. Handouts will be provided.

Day 1 & 2 Focus

Besides painting on traditional sanded papers, you will prepare your own pumice-coated boards. You can use the board in the workshop or save for later use. Group critique and individual feedback daily.

Day one, Demonstration on preliminary work and prepping pumice board. You will prepare textured pumice boards and dive into preliminary planning and sketches to include value, notan, and color studies, all designed to lead you towards setting a plan for painting on day two.  

Day two, Painting demonstration on using the textured pumice board, selecting and using a low key palette, setting in the underpainting, and other tips for nocturnes; followed by individual studio paint time using the prepared pumice surface or black/dark sanded pastel paper if you prefer. 

Materials fee

There will be a fee of $5 to $12 for the materials based on the size of the board you purchase from Betsy, fees cover the use of gesso, pumice ground, and acrylic ink. You will have a choice of gatorboard in rectangles and squares, ranging from 9 x 12 to 12 x 18. Pay by cash at the class.

Required supplies

• Night time photos: Dusk is a great time to take photos if you do not have a fancy camera capable of capturing good night images. Using an adjusted value scale we can adapt to make the photo appear slightly later in the evening. Collect images that rely on a strong value contrast often found with the glow of lights landing on objects- moonlight, light at dusk, houselights, car lights, neon lights, street lights, and reflections on wet surfaces. Especially intriguing are images disappearing into the shadows, print on photo quality paper to ensure good reproduction. *Photos will be available if you do not have your own.
• Pastel paper ideal for color studies: Canson Mi Tienes or any similar quality pastel surface. Light and dark selection. No larger than 9 x 12 at least four sheets
• Pastel sanded surfaces ideal for paintings: Art spectrum Colourfix, Pastelmat, UArt all sell black or dark surfaces. No smaller than 9 x 12, at least 3 sheets
• Pastels: Bring a selection of both hard and soft pastels with a range of temperatures (warm to cool) and some fun intense colors (maybe the ones you rarely use). A must is to have middle and dark value pastels. Betsy is happy to offer suggestions, contact her directly at betsy@betsypaynecook.com. 
• Brushes: a ½” and a 1” for the underpainting. 
• Backing board such as black or white foam core board so you can attach your pastel papers to a rigid surface
• Drawing tools: value scale, sketchpad, pencils, charcoal, ruler, kneaded eraser
• Optional supplies: grey-toned sketchpad or paper and black and white Sharpie china wax markers

COVID policy

Masks are encouraged, but not mandatory. For more information, visit www.CCMoA.org

Cancellation policy

CCMoA must be notified 1 week prior for refund.

Instructor bio

Betsy Payne Cook paints exclusively with pastels, and is honored to be elected as a Juried Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America and to have achieved signature membership status in the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod and the Connecticut Pastel Society. Betsy is also acknowledged as a Juried Master Artist at the Cape Cod Art Association. Betsy's paintings depict her impressions of the landscape and its abundance of colors. She paints both en plein air and in her studio; and conveys her love of the outdoors in each painting. Betsy publishes a newsletter and a blog both titled "Painting In and Out", sharing her thoughts on her life as an artist. In January 2021, she began a weekly Open Studio Visit via Zoom to connect with artists and followers. To receive information about upcoming studio visits please subscribe to her newsletter and you will receive invitations.

Betsy's work can be viewed at various local venues and at Woodruff's Art Gallery in Mashpee Commons where she is one of the gallery artists.

betsypaynecook.com

Betsy's Youtube channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Z5ZJF-NkzSY3z18Av5DwQ