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Discovering Soft Pastel
for beginners

Create your very first soft pastel painting today, with no art experience necessary!

Are you ready to feel the thrill and excitement that comes with painting your very own beautiful landscape?

Start Here

Discovering Soft Pastel
for beginners

Create your very first soft pastel painting today, with no art experience necessary!

Are you ready to feel the thrill and excitement that comes with painting your very own beautiful landscape?

Start Here

Discovering Soft Pastel
for beginners

Create your very first soft pastel painting today, with no art experience necessary!

Are you ready to feel the thrill and excitement that comes with painting your very own beautiful landscape?

When you discover the pure pigments of soft pastel,
it feels like falling in love.

It is the most intimate and tactile medium – nothing is separating your hands from the pigments, allowing you to paint nature with the earth itself. Dust! Colorful, velvety dust.

When you discover the pure pigments of soft pastel,
it feels like falling in love.

It is the most intimate and tactile medium – nothing is separating your hands from the pigments, allowing you to paint nature with the earth itself. Dust! Colorful, velvety dust.

When you discover the pure pigments of soft pastel,
it feels like falling in love.

It is the most intimate and tactile medium – nothing is separating your hands from the pigments, allowing you to paint nature with the earth itself. Dust! Colorful, velvety dust.

What is Discovering Soft Pastel for beginners?

Discovering Soft Pastel is a 2-hour workshop experience that will provide you with the foundations of painting landscapes in soft pastel and catapult your joy, peace, and self-confidence as a creative and artist!

If you’ve been wanting to dip your toe in the water as a painter, but have been feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, or scared to begin – this is for you. You’re not alone and I’m here to help you get started. 

In this workshop, you’ll learn about all types of pastels and pastel papers, and I will show you step-by-step how to apply and work with them to create lovely worlds of your own! You will be able to translate the techniques covered in this workshop to your paintings moving forward.

What is Discovering Soft Pastel for beginners?

Discovering Soft Pastel is a 2-hour workshop experience that will provide you with the foundations of painting landscapes in soft pastel and catapult your joy, peace, and self-confidence as a creative and artist!

If you’ve been wanting to dip your toe in the water as a painter, but have been feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, or scared to begin – this is for you. You’re not alone and I’m here to help you get started. 

In this workshop, you’ll learn about all types of pastels and pastel papers, and I will show you step-by-step how to apply and work with them to create lovely worlds of your own! You will be able to translate the techniques covered in this workshop to your paintings moving forward.

What is Discovering Soft Pastel for beginners?

Discovering Soft Pastel is a 2-hour workshop experience that will provide you with the foundations of painting landscapes in soft pastel and catapult your joy, peace, and self-confidence as a creative and artist!

If you’ve been wanting to dip your toe in the water as a painter, but have been feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, or scared to begin – this is for you. You’re not alone and I’m here to help you get started. 

In this workshop, you’ll learn about all types of pastels and pastel papers, and I will show you step-by-step how to apply and work with them to create lovely worlds of your own! You will be able to translate the techniques covered in this workshop to your paintings moving forward.

How does Discovering Soft Pastel For Beginners work?

The workshop is designed to draw you into the world of painting, values, light, and soft pastel in an immersive experience. You won’t just learn how to paint, you’ll also gain insight into your artist’s mindset so that you can enjoy the process along the way.
You’ll get:

How does Discovering Soft Pastel For Beginners work?

The workshop is designed to draw you into the world of painting, values, light, and soft pastel in an immersive experience. You won’t just learn how to paint, you’ll also gain insight into your artist’s mindset so that you can enjoy the process along the way.
You’ll get:

How does Discovering Soft Pastel For Beginners work?

The workshop is designed to draw you into the world of painting, values, light, and soft pastel in an immersive experience. You won’t just learn how to paint, you’ll also gain insight into your artist’s mindset so that you can enjoy the process along the way.
You’ll get:

Once you've discovered soft pastel, you'll:

Finally feel like an artist

It is my passion to help you bring your own beauty to this world—even if you’ve never really believed you could.

Understand colors and values

These foundational principles will translate to all art mediums and give you a wonderful base to play and explore from!

Gain confidence

Putting pigment to paper can be scary! This course will help you remove the intimidation and fear of the blank page so that you can enjoy the process and indulge your powerful creative heart with confidence.

Experience play & joy

The medium of soft pastel is like fancy crayons for adults! Rekindle your creative spark and crack open the play and joy you’ve been longing for.

Once you've discovered soft pastel, you'll:

Finally feel like an artist

It is my passion to help you bring your own beauty to this world—even if you’ve never really believed you could.

Understand colors and values

These foundational principles will translate to all art mediums and give you a wonderful base to play and explore from!

Gain confidence

Putting pigment to paper can be scary! This course will help you remove the intimidation and fear of the blank page so that you can enjoy the process and indulge your powerful creative heart with confidence.

Experience play & joy

The medium of soft pastel is like fancy crayons for adults! Rekindle your creative spark and crack open the play and joy you’ve been longing for.

Soft Pastel Saved Me

It sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
 
When I started painting using the magical pigments of soft pastel, a whole new world opened up. I felt like I was seeing light, shapes, colors, nature, flowers, and trees for the first time! 

I felt pieces of my heart I didn’t even know were missing come back together. I rediscovered myself and discovered what I loved, as if I was remembering the words to a song I didn’t know I even knew.

Being able to express the beauty of the world around me onto paper was medicine. 

After years of creative burnout, struggles with perfectionism and fear, I came home to myself. 

Since then, it’s become my passion to share this medicine. It’s there for you too. 

I created this workshop for you to dip your toe in the water. Before you spend money on expensive supplies, or buying a course, spend a few hours with me discovering this incredible, magical medium.

Soft Pastel Saved Me

It sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
 
When I started painting using the magical pigments of soft pastel, a whole new world opened up. I felt like I was seeing light, shapes, colors, nature, flowers, and trees for the first time! 

I felt pieces of my heart I didn’t even know were missing come back together. I rediscovered myself and discovered what I loved, as if I was remembering the words to a song I didn’t know I even knew.

Being able to express the beauty of the world around me onto paper was medicine. 

After years of creative burnout, struggles with perfectionism and fear, I came home to myself. 

Since then, it’s become my passion to share this medicine. It’s there for you too. 

I created this workshop for you to dip your toe in the water. Before you spend money on expensive supplies, or buying a course, spend a few hours with me discovering this incredible, magical medium.

Soft Pastel Saved Me

It sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
 
When I started painting using the magical pigments of soft pastel, a whole new world opened up. I felt like I was seeing light, shapes, colors, nature, flowers, and trees for the first time! 

I felt pieces of my heart I didn’t even know were missing come back together. I rediscovered myself and discovered what I loved, as if I was remembering the words to a song I didn’t know I even knew.

Being able to express the beauty of the world around me onto paper was medicine. 

After years of creative burnout, struggles with perfectionism and fear, I came home to myself. 

Since then, it’s become my passion to share this medicine. It’s there for you too. 

I created this workshop for you to dip your toe in the water. Before you spend money on expensive supplies, or buying a course, spend a few hours with me discovering this incredible, magical medium.

Is Discovering Soft Pastel right for me?

Discovering Soft Pastel is for creatives looking for an outlet, even if you’ve never painted before. It’s for artists looking for a new medium, but are not sure if they want to make the jump and investment yet. And it’s for the soft-pastel curious who are feeling ready to go just a bit deeper and take the next step.

Bottom line

If you’re ready to paint for any reason, if you find soft pastel to be beautiful, and landscapes seem to be calling your name– This workshop is for you!

Is Discovering Soft Pastel right for me?

Discovering Soft Pastel is for creatives looking for an outlet, even if you’ve never painted before. It’s for artists looking for a new medium, but are not sure if they want to make the jump and investment yet. And it’s for the soft-pastel curious who are feeling ready to go just a bit deeper and take the next step.

Bottom line

If you’re ready to paint for any reason, if you find soft pastel to be beautiful, and landscapes seem to be calling your name– This workshop is for you!

Is Discovering Soft Pastel right for me?

Discovering Soft Pastel is for creatives looking for an outlet, even if you’ve never painted before. It’s for artists looking for a new medium, but are not sure if they want to make the jump and investment yet. And it’s for the soft-pastel curious who are feeling ready to go just a bit deeper and take the next step.

Bottom line

If you’re ready to paint for any reason, if you find soft pastel to be beautiful, and landscapes seem to be calling your name– This workshop is for you!

Who teaches Discovering Soft Pastel for beginners?

The workshop is taught by Valerie McKeehan, renowned artist, teacher, and host of The Peaceful Creative podcast.

In 2012 she founded the global brand, Lily & Val.

Throughout her art career, she worked commercially with clients like Starbucks, Anthropologie, TLC, Brit+Co, and The Food Network, and published a best-selling book with Workman Publishing about hand-lettering.

After the change that 2020 and two little ones created in her world, Valerie began making art for art’s sake again, exploring painting and pastels that led to commissioning her original art pieces and opening up her passion project: education for artists to unlock their creativity and heal their creative hearts.

She now offers 1:1 coaching and an artist membership to her community while she continues to create artwork that moves her soul.

Who teaches Discovering Soft Pastel for beginners?

The workshop is taught by Valerie McKeehan, renowned artist, teacher, and host of The Peaceful Creative podcast.

In 2012 she founded the global brand, Lily & Val.

Throughout her art career, she worked commercially with clients like Starbucks, Anthropologie, TLC, Brit+Co, and The Food Network, and published a best-selling book with Workman Publishing about hand-lettering.

After the change that 2020 and two little ones created in her world, Valerie began making art for art’s sake again, exploring painting and pastels that led to commissioning her original art pieces and opening up her passion project: education for artists to unlock their creativity and heal their creative hearts.

She now offers 1:1 coaching and an artist membership to her community while she continues to create artwork that moves her soul.

You May Have Seen Me On

You May Have Seen Me On

"Yes, Valerie! I'm ready to paint."

Enroll in the Discovering Soft Pastel Workshop right now, and be holding your first landscape tonight!

"Yes, Valerie! I'm ready to paint."

Enroll in the Discovering Soft Pastel Workshop right now, and be holding your first landscape tonight!

"Yes, Valerie!
I'm ready to paint."

Enroll in the Discovering Soft Pastel Workshop right now, and be holding your first landscape tonight!

A little something just for you..

Enter your email address for an exclusive, free painting tutorial.

This video will take you on a journey into the inspiration and process behind one of my favorite paintings, and allow you to witness exactly how the finished painting emerges—from the first mark to the final result.