A Comprehensive Guide to Pastel Drawing:

Techniques, Materials, and Best Practices

Pastels, with their vibrant colors and velvety texture, offer a unique and rewarding artistic experience. This handbook provides a detailed exploration of pastel drawing techniques, the essential materials you'll need, and best practices to help you achieve stunning results. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist looking to expand your skills, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to master this beautiful medium.

I. Understanding Pastels: A World of Color and Texture

Before delving into techniques, it's crucial to understand the different types of pastels and how their characteristics influence your artwork.

• Soft Pastels: These are the most common type of pastel, known for their rich pigmentation, smooth application, and blendability. They contain a high proportion of pigment and very little binder.

  • Pros: Intense colors, easy to blend, create soft and atmospheric effects.

  • Cons: Dusty, prone to smudging, require careful layering and fixing.

  • Brands: Sennelier, Unison Colour, Schmincke, Rembrandt, Blick Artists' Soft Pastels.

• Hard Pastels: These pastels contain more binder, resulting in a firmer texture and sharper edges.

  • Pros: Ideal for detailed work, outlining, and underpainting. Less dusty than soft pastels.

  • Cons: Less intense color compared to soft pastels, harder to blend.

  • Brands: Nupastel, Faber-Castell Polychromos, Cretacolor Pastel Carre.

• Pastel Pencils: These offer the precision of a pencil with the characteristics of pastel. They are encased in wood, making them cleaner and easier to control for fine lines and details.

• Pros: Excellent for detail work, sketching, and controlled layering.

• Cons: Softer pastel pencils can break easily; harder pencils may lack intense pigmentation.

• Brands: Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils, Caran d'Ache Pastel Pencils, Derwent Pastel Pencils.

• Oil Pastels: Though technically not pastels in the strict sense, they share the format and are often used in mixed media. They utilize oil as a binder, creating a creamy, waxy texture.

  • Pros: Vibrant colors, waterproof (once dry), can be blended with solvents.

  • Cons: Do not blend like soft pastels, can be messy, require specialized techniques.

  • Brands: Sennelier Oil Pastels, Holbein Oil Pastels, Van Gogh Oil Pastels.

II. Essential Materials and Resources

Success in pastel drawing hinges on having the right tools. Here's a comprehensive list:

• Pastels: A selection of soft, hard, and pastel pencils is recommended to offer versatility. Start with a smaller set and expand as your skill grows.

• Pastel Paper: The surface you choose significantly impacts the look and feel of your artwork.

  • Textured Paper: (e.g., Pastelmat, Canson Mi-Teintes Touch, Wallis Sanded Paper) Ideal for layering and allowing more pastel to adhere to the surface. They have slightly rough texture.

  • Velour Paper: Offers a soft, velvety surface that grabs pastel particles easily.

  • Pastel Boards: Rigid surfaces that hold pastel well and are suitable for larger works (e.g., Ampersand Pastelbord).

  • Toned Paper: A variety of colors can enhance the vibrancy of your pastels. Experiment with different tones to find what suits your style.

• Blending Tools:

  • Fingers: The most common blending tool, but use sparingly to avoid muddying colors. Consider wearing finger cots.

  • Paper Stumps (Tortillons): For controlled blending of small areas.

  • Chamois Cloth: For lifting pastel and creating soft, hazy effects.

  • Blending Brushes: Soft brushes for gentle blending.

• Fixative: A spray used to protect pastel drawings from smudging. Use sparingly and in a well-ventilated area, as multiple layers can darken the colors.

• Erasers:

  • Kneaded Eraser: Ideal for lifting pastel without damaging the paper.

  • Plastic Eraser: For more precise erasing.

  • Eraser Pencil: For detailed corrections.

• Sharpener: A good quality sharpener is essential for pastel pencils.

• Work Surface: A clean, flat surface to protect your artwork and prevent smudging.

• Storage: A pastel box or container to keep your pastels organized and protected.

• Dust Mask: Protects you from inhaling pastel dust, especially when working with soft pastels.

• Reference Photos: High-quality reference photos are essential for creating realistic and accurate drawings.

• Tutorials and Books: Utilize online tutorials and books to learn new techniques and improve your skills. Seek out artists whose work you admire and study their methods. Consider workshops and online classes.

III. Pastel Drawing Techniques – The Artist's Arsenal

Here are a range of techniques that will allow you to create diverse effects and styles:

• Hatching and Cross-Hatching: This involved using parallel lines (hatching) or intersecting lines (cross-hatching) to build up value and texture. Use harder pastels or pastel pencils for sharper lines. Vary the spacing and thickness of the lines to create different tonal values.

• Layering: Applying multiple layers of pastel to build up color, value, and depth. Start with lighter colors and gradually add darker ones. Fixative can be used between layers to prevent over-saturation of the paper.

• Blending: Smoothing the pastel across the surface to create soft transitions and atmospheric effects. Use your fingers, paper stumps, or blending brushes. Be careful not to over-blend, as this can muddy the colors.

• Scumbling: Applying pastel in a loose, scribbled manner to create texture and visual interest. Use layers of contrasting colors to create depth.

• Feathering: Applying short, light strokes in a parallel direction to blend colors softly. Blend different colors together or layer similar colors on top of each other. This technique creates textures and softens edges

• Side Stroke: Lay the pastel on its side to apply broad areas of color quickly. This technique is useful for backgrounds and large areas of tone. Can create soft, atmospheric effects.

• Pointillism: Applying small dots of color next to each other to create a textured surface.

• Underpainting: Creating a base layer of color before applying the pastel. This can be done with hard pastels, pastel pencils, or even watercolor. The underpainting can help unify the composition and create a sense of depth.

• Lifting: Using a kneaded eraser or chamois cloth to lift pastel from the surface, creating highlights or correcting mistakes.

• Sgraffito: Scratching through layers of pastel to reveal the underlying colors, creating lines and textures.

• Dry Wash: Apply a thin layer of powdered pastel to the paper using a brush. This can create a soft, atmospheric effect or be used as an underpainting.

• Impasto: Applying thick layers of pastel to create a textured, three-dimensional effect. Use soft pastels and build up the layers gradually.

IV. Best Practices for Pastel Drawing

• Plan Your Composition: Before you start drawing, take the time to plan your composition. This will help you create a more balanced and visually appealing artwork.

• Warm-Up: Do some quick sketches or exercises to warm up your hand and eye before starting your main drawing.

• Start with a Light Sketch: Use a light-colored pastel pencil or charcoal to create a preliminary sketch of your subject.

• Work from Light to Dark: Build up the values gradually, starting with the lighter tones and working towards the darker ones. This will help you avoid overworking the drawing.

• Use Fixative Sparingly: Overuse of fixative can darken the colors and make it difficult to apply more pastel.

• Protect Your Work: When your drawing is finished, protect it with a sheet of glassine paper or fixative.

• Experiment and Explore: Don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques and materials. The best way to learn is to practice and explore.

• Keep Your Work Area Clean: Pastel dust can be messy. Keep your work area clean to prevent smudging and contamination of your pastels.

• Take Breaks: Stepping back from your work periodically allows you to see it with fresh eyes and identify areas that need improvement.

• Learn from Other Artists: Study the work of master pastel artists to learn new techniques and approaches.

• Practice Regularly: The more you practice, the better you will become at pastel drawing.

V. Troubleshooting Common Pastel Drawing Problems

• Colors Look Muddy: Avoid over-blending and mixing too many colors directly on the paper. Use layering to build up color gradually.

• Pastel Not Adhering to the Paper: Use a paper specifically designed for pastels, or apply a primer to the surface.

• Paper Becomes Over-Saturated: Use fixative between layers to prevent over-saturation. Consider using a heavier paper.

• Drawing Looks Flat: Create depth and dimension by using a full range of values and layering colors.

• Pastel Dust is Everywhere: Use a dust mask and a drop cloth to protect yourself and your work area.

VI. Conclusion: The Endless Possibilities of Pastel

Pastel drawing is a journey of discovery, offering endless possibilities for artistic expression. By understanding the materials, mastering the techniques, and practicing regularly, you can unlock the full potential of this vibrant and versatile medium. Embrace the process, experiment fearlessly, and enjoy the unique beauty of pastel art. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and let your creativity flow! Good luck on your artistic journey!

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