Studio Courses with Rebecca
2026 COURSES
There will be 8 days of courses throughout 2026;
March 7th and 8th
June 27th and 28th
October 24th and 25th
November 14th and 15th
All courses are at weekends, and you can do one or two days. And all courses follow the same format, at the same venue.
Each day Rebecca demonstrates an example or a series of examples, and shows her process and the thinking behind it. You then have the rest of the day to work at your own pace on a piece that you select.
Venue: Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High St, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
Tutor: Rebecca de Mendonca
Times: 10 to 4
Price: £90 per day
This includes materials, teas, coffee and biscuits but not lunch. There is a friendly community-run pub next to the hall, which provides hot and cold lunches, or you could bring your own packed lunch.
‘The art was most enjoyable and I feel that I have learnt a great deal, all credit to Rebecca for teaching me a totally new medium, and giving me the confidence to try new things.’ Angela of Cheam.
Please join my mailing list if you would like to hear about other courses. You can do that here.
Woodland Rivers
One-day pastel course
Saturday 7th March 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
Trees and water make a beautiful combination. This is a day to develop your pastel mark-making; painting trees in different seasons, still and rushing water, reflections, and shallow water.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities but NOT complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now fully booked but please email Rebecca if you would like to go on the waiting list rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
Animals in Pastels
One-day pastel course
Sunday 8th March 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
From dogs and cats, to horses and wild animals, please paint an animal that interests you! Pastels are the perfect medium for drawing and painting animals. They lend themselves to loose work, capturing textures and movement.
Rebecca will start the day with a demonstration of how she uses pastels for painting dogs, including lots of tips for drawing the structure, and finding the personality and mood. You will spend the rest of the day working on one or two pieces of your own choice of animal, with continued help and examples from Rebecca.
You can bring your own reference, or Rebecca will have a selection of reference available to use.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities but NOT complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, pastel pencils, Pan pastels, and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now fully booked but please email Rebecca if you would like to go on the waiting list rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
Down to the Sea
One-day pastel course
Saturday 27th June 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
Seascapes, rocky beaches, and calm estuaries.
From rough water and waves, to the still and calm of low tide.
Whatever the weather, atmosphere or light conditions, water is a great subject for pastel work.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities but NOT complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now full, but please email Rebecca to go on the waiting list. Places often become available nearer the time rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
Portraits in Pastel
One-day pastel course
Sunday 28th June 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
Portraits are such a joy to draw and paint, especially in pastels. They are complex but rewarding. It’s more than just drawing the features, there is a personality to discover within, and a mood to convey.
Rebecca will start the day with a demonstration of how she uses pastels for painting portraits, including lots of tips for drawing the structure, features, and finding the personality and mood. You will spend the rest of the day working on one or two pieces of your own, with continued help and examples from Rebecca.
NB; we will be working from photographs on this day
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities but NOT complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, pan pastels, pastel pencils and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now full, but please email Rebecca to go on the waiting list. Places often become available nearer the time rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
Atmospheric Landscapes
One-day pastel course
Saturday 24th October 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
How to capture light and weather conditions, and create depth in your landscapes. Mark making techniques for rocks, trees, grasses and water.
Soft pastels are a fantastic medium to capture light, atmosphere and tonal recession in the landscape. From bright sparkling summer days, to subtle winter light, and misty woodlands, this will be a day to really enjoy looking for the light and feeling the weather.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities apart from complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now fully booked but please email Rebecca if you would like to go on the waiting list rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
Atmospheric Street Scenes
One-day pastel course
Sunday 25th October 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
Creating a sense of space, capturing warm light, and how to simplify architecture. How putting figures in your street scenes can help create life, atmosphere and a sense of scale.
We will also look at how to simplify perspective, and how the ‘less is more’ approach really helps to bring street scenes to life.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities apart from complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, pastel pencils, pan pastels and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now full, but please email Rebecca to go on the waiting list. Places often become available nearer the time rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
The Coastal Path
One-day pastel course
Saturday 14th November 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
We have such a wonderful coastline, with so much to inspire us,
from the view up on the cliffs to the waves on the beach. On this course we will explore how to draw and paint the sea, cliffs, rocks or beaches. We will also look at composition and view-points.
Rebecca will start the day with a demonstration of how she uses pastels for seascape paintings and coastal paintings, and then you will spend the rest of the day working on one or two pieces of your own, with continued help and examples from Rebecca.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities apart from complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
This course is now fully booked but please email Rebecca if you would like to go on the waiting list rebeccademendonca@gmail.com
Animals in the Landscape
One-day pastel course
Sunday 15th November 2026
10am to 4pm
Stoke Canon Jubilee Hall, High Street, Stoke Canon, EX5 4AP
Painting horses, ponies, cows, sheep, or wild animals as part of the landscape.
The animals can be seen from close up or far away in the distance.
A great chance to combine the skills of creating depth in landscape painting with animal work.
This will be a course to suit all drawing abilities apart from complete beginners. Everyone can progress at a pace they are happy with.
Materials are included in the course fee. We will be using Unison Pastels, charcoal, and a variety of surfaces. You are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer to use them. We will have plenty of room to spread out in the hall.
Photographic reference Please bring your own reference photographs to work from, but don’t worry if you do not have any, as I have quite a lot to choose from!
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day , but lunch is not provided on this course.
Price £90, including materials.
One place available.
You can book your place on this course HERE
Tailor made days
If there are a group of up to 6 of you, you can arrange a day to suit yourselves, either with a specific theme, or for people to develop their skills with the subject matter to suit each one.
Price £390 per day for the group, including materials, if you supply the venue.
Please email or call Rebecca rebeccademendonca@gmail.com if you have any questions