Northlight Arts Centre and Old Mill Arts bring you inspiring workshops that explore the hidden profundity of hand making creative materials. Through practising and sharing these age old crafts, we hope to remember parts of ourselves eclipsed by mass production, and to celebrate the rich history of the handmade arts. 

Who doesn't love a tray of colourful pastels? 

There’s something deeply wonderful about seeing naturally derived colour in this form. In this workshop we will first learn how to process wild foraged pigments from Yorkshire and beyond before learning the ratio and types of binders needed to transform the pigments into soft pastels. There will also be a look at a blue indigo pigment from a type of plant which can also be turned into a pastel to further the spectrum of colour possibilities. 

Using these earth and plant pigments, students will learn the art of tinting their pastels to achieve a further range of shades and colours from one initial pigment. 

By the end of the workshop, students will have plenty of soft pastels to take home, as well as comprehensive notes to continue on with their pastel making journey.