2025 Karen Margulis Workshop
Cooking with Color: Breaking Free From Boring Color
May 19 & 20, 2025
9 AM to 4 PM
Would you like to break free from using boring local color in your paintings without creating color chaos?
In this workshop we will explore techniques that will lead to more expressive paintings with an exploration of new and exciting ways to use color effectively in a painting. Karen will share her tips and techniques to achieve vibrant and successful color in your paintings. There will be demos, handouts and plenty of individual help at the easel during the workshop.
Location:
Woodmen Valley Chapel
Rockrimmon Campus
290 East Woodmen Road
Colorado Springs CO 80919
Workshop Fees: PPPS Member: $325
Workshop Materials List
Welcome! I am excited to have you join my workshop. I am sharing a list of suggested supplies. These are only suggestions. I will be using these supplies in my demos . I will be using my set of Floral Landscape Terry Ludwig pastels. There is no need to purchase anything for the workshop. Feel free to use what you have. I will be available by email to answer your supply questions.
karenmargulis@gmail.com.
- Selection of your favorite pastels. Be sure you have a variety of values including colorful darks and lights. You also need some grayed colors along with the pure intense colors. Don’t worry if you don’t have a large pastel collection! Remember the cavemen painted with charcoal and dirt! If you are new to pastels and have a limited collection consider supplementing your pastels with a set of hard pastels such as Nupastels. These inexpensive pastel sticks will help expand your collection.
- Black pastel or some type of black painting medium for underpainting. I will be using black Art Graf pigment squares but any black medium will work.
- Paper. Have available several pieces of your preferred paper in a variety of sizes from 5×7 up to 11×14. Plan on using at least 2-5 pieces of paper each day. UArt or Luxarchival paper is my preferred paper and works well for wet underpainting. LaCarte paper will not work for some of the techniques I will share. I’d rather you have more paper available than not enough!
- Backing board and tape: Foamcore works fine. I get mine at the Dollar Tree. I attach my paper to the board using artist tape using tape hinges. Avoid using colorful painter’s tape as it adds a new color to your palette!
- Rubbing alcohol 70% and cup
- Inexpensive watercolor set and brush
- Inexpensive brush for wet underpaintings
- Pencil for initial drawings
- Blending tool. Anything to spread the pastel around. I use pipe insulation foam. Viva paper towels work well.
- Grayscale markers for value thumbnails. I use three… a dark gray a middle value gray and a light gray. You can also use a pencil, charcoal pencil or pen.
- Index cards for thumbnails. I use the 3×5 inch size.
- Optional: Workable Fixative. I use rubbing alcohol in a continuous spray bottle.
REFERENCE PHOTOS: I prefer that you use your own reference photos for the workshop. I will be doing landscape demos. Gather some possible landscape photos for your painting exercises.
Final Payment
If you’ve made a partial payment, your Final Payment is due by April 30th.
WORKSHOP CANCELLATION POLICY:
Refunds of the registration fee minus a $75 administrative fee will be allowed until April 22, 2025. After April 22, 2025, refunds will not be provided unless we can find someone to replace your spot.
We always feel sad when a personal emergency arises, however we must strictly adhere to this cancellation policy regardless of circumstance. Therefore, refunds will not be issued due to illness or personal emergencies. No-shows will not receive a refund, regardless of the circumstances. If you drop out of a class once it has started, you will not receive a refund.
By registering for this workshop, the participant accepts the intent of the workshop description, and also accepts reasonable adjustments to logistics and content due to unforeseen circumstances. We reserve the right to cancel any workshop, in which case we will make a full refund. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.
Karen Margulis, PSA-MP IAPS-EP
Karen Margulis is a full time artist and art educator. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband Michael. Karen received her BA in Education from the University of Florida. She currently teaches painting workshops around the world. Karen is a contemporary landscape painter. She works in most painting media but has achieved recognition for her pastel paintings. She has exhibited her award winning work around the world and has been reviewed by Pastel Journal for her wildflower paintings. She is a Master Pastelist member of the Pastel Society of America and has achieved Eminent Pastelist status with the International Association of Pastel Societies. She has been a faculty member at the prestigious IAPS Convention, the Plein Air Convention and the online Pastel Live conference. Karen has a passion for travel and painting while on location. She enjoys the opportunity to share her techniques and approach to making art in her workshops. She is known for her ability to make art simple, accessible to all and fun. Karen is also an avid Daily Painter and online instructor. She paints everyday and shares her work, art tips and inspiration in her daily posts in her Patreon group ‘Pastels Made Simple’ and on her YouTube channel.
Instagram: @karenmargulis