About the Workshop

Skill level: Experienced Beginners and Up

Materials used: Pastels only

The high desert landscape of New Mexico is the perfect inspiration to explore these two essential elements of landscape painting. The sky is the most emotional aspect of any landscape painting. It sets the mood, time of day 
and the attitude of your painting. Water makes up 70% of the earth’s surface, and is a frequent 
subject of landscape painting. In this four-day workshop we will investigate sky and water’s individual characteristics and how to render them. On Days One and Two we will work on techniques for clear skies and creating believable clouds. On Day Three we use underpainting to explore the layers of transparency in water, and Day Four we work on whitewater. 

There will be daily demonstrations along with plenty of one-on-one instruction at your easel.

Liz Haywood-Sullivan, IAPS/EP, PSA-MP, has been dedicated to working exclusively in the pastel medium since 1996. Her attraction to the medium is pastel's unique ability to capture light and atmosphere in the landscape. She is a sought-after instructor and judge for pastel societies and arts organizations around the world. Liz authored the popular book Painting Brilliant Skies and Water in Pastel (Northlight, 2013). Her award-winning pastel paintings have been featured in numerous books and magazine articles, and have appeared in national, international and museum exhibitions worldwide. Liz is a President Emerita of the International Association of Pastel Societies (2013-2017) and past president of North River Arts Society (2021-2025). Her online instruction can be found at

www.epiphanyfineart.com. 

www.lizhaywoodsullivan.com

What’s Included

This workshop includes a mix of complimentary food and beverages. Included are the following:

• Complimentary continental breakfast: Yogurt, fruit, coffee, teas, juices, hard-boiled eggs, and pastries

• Coffee, hot and/or iced tea, lemonade, soft drinks, sparkling waters, and fruit-infused still water are available all day

• Catered lunch brought into the studio or painting location for $20 (optional)

Supplies

2026 RECOMMENDED MATERIALS LIST - Liz Haywood-Sullivan Workshops

Finding the materials that work best for you is a process of experimentation, and is individual to each artist. Taking a workshop is the perfect time to try something new. Use this list as a guide, not exact requirements, for your material selections. 
Questions? Contact me: liz@haywood-sullivan.com

PASTELS 

Review the workshop topic description and be sure to have relevant colors in your palette. Neutral grays and neutralized colors will be important for distance, sky and water scenes.
• Bring your pastels of choice- a minimum of 150 pastels with a good range of colors and values. 

• Please clean pastels and remove wrappings so you can see colors, and easily use your pastels.
• If you break them in half you can double the colors you bring. Most pastels will break cleanly.

•  Bring a range of soft, medium and harder pastels. At least hard and soft. Soft alone isn’t good.

• I highly recommend a single pastel box to contain your pastels, versus bringing them in several different containers. I recommend the Heilman Box www.heilmandesigns.com. This makes for better portability.

• If you do not have a good selection of neutrals then I suggest one of the following: Liz Haywood-Sullivan Girault Neutrals 50 piece set, or Unison Grays 1-18

PAPER and BACKING BOARD

• Paper should be cut between approx 8x10 to 12x16.

• Bring light colored sanded paper (white or beige ) so it can be underpainted. I recommend UART, Lux Archival, Art Spectrum, or Canson Touch for their ability to handle an alcohol underpainting.

• If your paper is not mounted to a board then bring a backing board to support your paper..

Additional Supplies

• Portable easel

• Please bring a good sketchbook and drawing utensils*. This is important!

• isopropyl alcohol **

• Tape - no colored painters tape. Black, beige or white only. 

• Glassine - to protect your paintings during transport when finished.

• Towel - to place under your easel, softens the blow of dropped pastels and keeps floor clean

• Sealed container to hold underpainting alcohol
• Viewfinder

• Brushes  - for underpainting,  synthetic brushes, no natural bristle (flats in 1/2”, 3/4”, 1”sizes  recommended)

• camera, phone or tablet for taking pictures (don’t forget charging cords)

*Note: Rochester Art Supply has produced a kit for me with all the materials I recommend (and personally use.) $84 ($128 value) Go to: https://www.fineartstore.com/p-13769-liz-haywood-sullivan-sketching-kit.aspx