Let Me Be Your Guide on Your Soft Pastel Journey.
Ready to deepen your pastel practice and experience the joy of creating with clarity and confidence? The Pastel Insider Membership is your all-access pass to exclusive step-by-step lessons, original line art, and a supportive community designed to help you thrive.
Why Join the Pastel Insider Membership?
If you’ve been enjoying my YouTube livestreams or online classes and want to go deeper, this membership was made for you. As a member, you’ll get full access to thoughtfully guided lessons that walk you through each piece—plus the exact line art I use to simplify the process and help you focus on what matters most: color, light, and expression.
Whether you’re just beginning or ready to refine your skills, The Pastel Insider offers a growing library of lessons, structure to keep you motivated, and the creative support to help you grow.
Why These Classes/Lessons Are Different.
These aren’t just paint-alongs. Every lesson is intentionally designed to teach you core pastel techniques and artistic principles—so you’re not just following steps, you’re building real skills and creative confidence.
Unlock access to two new step-by-step soft pastel classes/lessons each month, plus original line art to guide your creative process. Each lesson is filmed with care to help you build confidence and grow your skills. Enjoy instant full access to a growing library of 70+ lessons — past, present, and future. Whether you’re just beginning or ready to go deeper, this membership supports your creative journey.
What You’ll Learn
Through this membership, I’ll share the tools, techniques, and insights you need to elevate your art and find your own creative voice:
Develop Core Techniques
Learn from my 7+ years of experience (in soft pastel) to save time and avoid common pitfalls, setting yourself up for success with this magical medium.
Understand the importance of materials and how to choose tools that enhance your pastel experience.
Bring Creativity to Life
Explore the process of deconstructing structure and infusing playful, abstract elements into your work.
Embrace whimsical mark-making techniques that grant you the freedom to explore and play while adding personality to your art.
Develop Strong Composition Skills
Learn how to use layers to compose a visually pleasing painting.
Gain confidence in core composition and design principles, helping you make decisions as you create.
See how to use resource images to give you a jump start on creating unique drawings to paint.
Deepen Your Knowledge of Pastels
Discover how PanPastel colors interact and how to use them effectively to create vibrant, harmonious artwork.
Learn the art of mixing colors to expand your palette and create stunning compositions.
Understand how PanPastel is structured so you can utilize the system fully.
Unlock the Secrets of Composition and Design
Core Composition Skills: Develop foundational composition techniques to guide your creative decisions and create balance in your work.
Layering Techniques: See how layering adds depth, richness, and a polished finish to your artwork.
Empower Your Artistic Journey
Discover how value can be your superpower, transforming your art with depth and dimension.
Watch as I share how I build my whimsical terrariums, offering unique insights into composition.
Most importantly, gain the skills and confidence to discover your own creative style and voice, making your art truly unique.
Why It Matters
This section is more than a list of skills—it’s an invitation to grow as an artist. You’ll gain the confidence to experiment, the tools to refine your techniques, and the freedom to explore your own creative style. Let this journey transform your art and inspire your creative soul.
What’s Included
What’s Included Each Month:
Two step-by-step soft pastel classes/lessons
As a Pastel Insider, you’ll receive two lessons/classes each month—released on the first and third Fridays—designed to help you build skills and confidence with PanPastel and pastel pencils. Each lesson offers a unique exploration through a variety of subjects, approaches, and techniques.You'll also have access to an archive of 70+ lessons/classes, including 51+ private lessons (growing each month), 23+ older hybrid lessons.
Original line art for each lesson
Skip the pressure of drawing and dive straight into the fun. I include the exact line art I use, so you can focus on layering, color, and creative expression.Full access to the entire class/lesson library
From the moment you join, you’ll unlock all past classes/lessons—more than 70 and growing! There’s always something new to explore, whether you’re just starting or ready to level up.Weekly livestreams on YouTube
Most Tuesdays, I go live to share real-time painting, tips, and inspiration. I typically take a break during my rest weeks, keeping things in flow with the monthly rhythm. These public livestreams give you a peek into my process and a chance to stay connected to your creative momentum.A supportive, welcoming community
Inside The Pastel Insider, you’re never creating alone. Connect with fellow artists, share your wins and works-in-progress, and find the encouragement to keep showing up.
When you join The Pastel Insider, you’ll get access to the exclusive Guide, designed to make navigating the membership effortless!
Inside this guide, you'll find:
✔ Step-by-step guidance to help you know exactly where to begin.
✔ Essential supply recommendations to get started with confidence.
✔ Class/Lesson roadmap so you can dive into your first painting with ease.
This guide is exclusively available to members of The Pastel Insider! Join today and start your creative journey with clarity and confidence!
Available Now!
Unlock instant access to a treasure trove of over 70+ lessons, complete with original line art, the moment you join! And that’s just the beginning—each week, your membership grows with fresh, exclusive content, giving you endless opportunities to learn, create, and expand your skills.
Newest class in the Membership!
In this class, we’re taking a playful journey into the sky — where clouds become our canvas for color, movement, and imagination. Using a reference photo as our starting point, we’ll step away from strict realism and instead let value guide us as we punch up the colors and give the clouds our own unique spin.
We’ll be working with a double complementary palette, exploring how opposites on the color wheel can bring energy and balance into the scene. Clouds are naturally fluid and ever-changing, which makes them the perfect subject to loosen up with and invite more creativity into your work.
Rather than copying the photo, we’ll use it as a jumping-off point — a way to anchor the composition while allowing room for play, interpretation, and personal choice. You’ll learn how to shift colors, exaggerate light, and lean into the expressive side of painting.
This lesson is designed to be fun and approachable — a chance to experiment, explore, and discover how vibrant and joyful painting clouds with PanPastel can be. It’s a beautiful reminder that sometimes the best art comes not from capturing reality, but from letting your imagination soar.
Curious what’s included in each class?
to explore the full Pastel Insider library
(full class descriptions for all classes and lessons)
What Members Are Saying
Louise Balland
“I cannot recommend Dawn enough as a teacher, the time she spends investing in our learning experience is incredible. Her lessons are so detailed and her weekly You Tube lives have introduced a wonderful supportive community that I love being a part of. The added bonus content as a Pastel Insider to use alongside the lives has been amazing. Dawn has been so supportive in my creative journey always offering support and feedback, I am super grateful to be in Dawn’s community, she has raised my confidence so much and I will be forever grateful.”
Sarah Williams
“I have to say I am absolutely loving Dawn's Pastel Insider and these weekly live demos are just awesome. Unlike most art instructors out there who, lets face it, are just arting while we watch, Dawn actually gives clear instruction and explains her method concisely. So thank you Dawn for taking the time to offer your insight and to cultivate a pan pastel community. Love it.”
Susan Thames
"I highly recommend The Pastel Insider! Dawn is an amazingly generous teacher. Regularly she posts a lesson using Panpastel in a variety of ways. Incorporating Pastel pencils and even teaching how to use gold panpastel in pastel paintings. She has years of experience and generously shares her knowledge with her students. She details in a pdf for exactly the colors needed for each project and even provides the line art. This membership is well worth the investment!."
Karen Marshall
"As a retired decorative art instructor, I was searching for something creative to fill my days when I discovered Dawn Vander Stoep’s work. Watching her create whimsical and abstract paintings using PanPastels and pastels was mesmerizing, and I knew immediately I’d found what I was looking for.
Dawn’s generosity and sincerity set her apart. She shares her talent through live YouTube sessions, fostering a vibrant, supportive community of artists from around the world. Being part of her ‘Pastel Insider’ group has brought me so much joy and inspiration, and her lessons are truly the highlight of my week."
Michelle Leslie
"Since finding that Dawn was on You Tube close to a year ago, I have been watching her create her art pieces with so much information about Pastels and how to layer them and what paper to use. I have managed to do my own original Pet Portraits using techniques I have learnt watching Dawn create. I have also learnt to create Bright Vibrant Animal portraits as well that have been sold or are hanging up in my home.
Since joining her Pastel Insider membership for pretty much the price of one coffee a week (Australian) My art pieces that I am creating have stepped up to a whole new level, I have learnt some valuable information, with the Line art supplied I can then concentrate on the lesson that is being shown and if I choose I can also then do my own design based on her line art (which I did do with a penguin in remembrance of my sister) without dawn's teachings this would not of been possible. The Pastel Insider has all framing information and even how to store your pieces of art. These lessons have to be the best value for money I have ever purchased. Dawn's easy-going mannerism and chilled vibes gives you the feeling that you are doing a class with a best friend. Highly recommend joining her Pastel Insider"
Suzanne Hamilton
"Dawn and Panpastels are a beautiful pairing! Her enthusiasm for the medium is contagious and her extraordinary magical art is inspiring. Dawn’s love and skill for teaching shine through in all her lessons. I’d been interested in trying Panpastels so when I came across Dawn’s Youtube lessons, I decided it was time! I enrolled in Dawn’s Pastel Insider Membership and quickly learned the ins and outs of using this medium. Dawn’s generous and kind spirit, along with her Panpastel expertise, make the membership a beautifully fun place to be. If you’ve been thinking about it, just go for it, and enjoy the colorful world awaiting you!"
Francine Althoff
“Becoming a Pastel Insider has been a game changer in my creative journey. Dawn’s generous content-including lessons on color harmony and mixing, value, and composition- provides endless hours of instruction. Each tutorial encourages play and exploration that have helped me, not only in my work with pastels, but with gouache, watercolor and mixed media as well. I have taken dozens of classes over the years and paid for several Patreon subscriptions, and I can honestly say the Pastel Insider Membership, much like an artist’s favorite tool or technique, is one of my most valuable assets. Thank you, Dawn, for your instruction, inspiration, and encouragement.”
Unlock access to two new step-by-step soft pastel classes/lessons each month, plus original line art to guide your creative process. Each lesson is filmed with care to help you build confidence and grow your skills. Enjoy instant full access to a growing library of 70+ lessons — past, present, and future. Whether you’re just beginning or ready to go deeper, this membership supports your creative journey.
FAQs
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As a Pastel Insider, you’ll receive two lessons/classes each month—released on the first and third Fridays—designed to help you build skills and confidence with PanPastel and pastel pencils. Each lesson offers a unique exploration through a variety of subjects, approaches, and techniques.
You'll also have access to an archive of 70+ lessons/classes, including 51+ private lessons (growing each month), 23+ older hybrid lessons.
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As a Pastel Insider, you’ll receive two lessons/classes each month—released on the first and third Fridays.
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Absolutely! This membership is designed to be approachable and encouraging for all levels — especially beginners. When you join, you’ll get access to my downloadable Getting Started Guide, which includes everything you need to feel prepared: suggested beginner friendly lessons, supply lists, tips for setting up your workspace, and a clear roadmap to help you navigate the membership with confidence.
Each lesson includes step-by-step video guidance and downloadable line art, so you can jump right in and start creating — no drawing experience required.
Curious about the kinds of supplies we use? Take a peek at a sample class and supply list HERE. (scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see a supply list for that class to get an idea) -
Once you join, you’ll receive access to a members-only area on my website where you can find all the videos, downloadable line art, and online classes. Everything is easy to navigate and available on-demand.
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Yes! You can cancel your membership at any time with no long-term commitment. You’ll retain access until the end of your current billing cycle.
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No, The Pastel Insider is a membership subscription, not individual class purchases. As long as you're an active member, you'll have full access to all lessons. Once your membership ends, access to all content ends—just like a service such as Netflix. Please note that refunds or reinstatements cannot be offered due to inactivity or non-participation.