Soft pastels are not chalk, they are pigment, the same pigments found in oil, acrylic and watercolor paints, combined with a binder (gum arabic, gum tragacanth, or methyl cellulose) and formed into sticks. Often times a preservative and/or a fungicide is also added to the mix.

Pastels vary by brands in size, thickness and length of sticks, shape, either round or square, and degree of hardness and softness. They are one of the purest of forms of pigment, and have been around since man drew on cave walls. Pastel paintings have stood the test of time, are light-fast and archival.

The word pastel comes from the Italian word pastello, which means paste.

Pastels can be blended or used on end, on its side, or any other way you can hold it to create a variety of strokes. By using different drawing mark-making techniques, the artist can create a plethora of textures.

I like the expressiveness and the rich depth of color I can achieve, and the immediacy of the results with soft pastel. The disadvantages of soft pastel that stick out in my mind are foremost, the framing issues and secondly the fragility of the sticks. Pastels cannot be mixed to create new colors, although they can be blended and layered, so the beginning pastelist will need to acquire a large number of sticks to have a satisfactory variety of colors.

Kinds of Pastels

The softness or hardness of a pastel is determined by the amount of binder used, the hardness of the pigment, and the pressure applied in making the stick.

Hard pastels contain more gum binder and are usually used to begin a painting. They can also be used as a drawing tool. Sharpen them with sandpaper or a knife to create a fine point. Hard pastel doesn't fill up the tooth of the paper as readily as the softer sticks. Pastels can be easily erased with a rag or an old hog bristle brush. They can also be wet and fixed on certain papers for underpaintings, with water or turpenoid spirits.

Soft pastels are buttery and creamy and create lush passages of color. Softer pastels have less binder and more pigment than hard pastels, and are used to create a painterly style. They can be blended more easily and cover large areas very quickly. Soft pastels get used up more rapidly. The softer the pastel, the more expensive and fragile it is.

Pastel pencils are hard pastels encased in wood, and are ideal for intricate work requiring fine lines. They are excellent for scribling, cross-hatching and feathering.

Pastel Surfaces

When choosing a pastel surface, keep the following things in mind:

The Tooth of the paper - Pastel sits on top of the paper. A smooth surfaces won't hold the pigment. Choose archival and acid free papers whenever possible. A sturdy paper with a heavier body similar to the weight of 140lb watercolor paper is very good. Fine toothed and textured papers hold fewer layers of pastel, but they are easily blended on. The opposite is also true. A heavily textured or toothed paper can hold 10-20 layers of color, and can take scrubbing and abuse! My suggestion is to experiment and try several different types of papers before you settle on one. I prefer Kitty Wallace Museum grade sanded pastel paper.

The Tone of the paper is white or a color depending. Artists tone their paper with watercolor or watery acrylic to change the color and value of a paper. Middle-toned papers are most popular. I usually tone my paper with cadmium red light or cadmium orange. Occasionally I'll use a dark grey or black or work on the white surface, untoned. It all depends on my subject. Many of my pet portraits begin on yellow ochre toned paper. Sometimes I want a vibrant under color and sometimes I want something more neutral.

Pastel papers include: Canson Mi-Teintes, cold pressed or rough watercolor papers, and an array of sanded and velour papers. Sanded surfaces also come on pastel boards.

You can make your own pastel surface on 140 lb watercolor paper by coating it with 2 layers of the following mix: White Gesso and fine pumice gel or marble dust by Golden. I use the finest pumice gel mixed 75% pumice to 25% gesso. Experiment with different amounts of each and make notes on your surface so you will know which you prefer to work on. Be sure to mix enough to coat your paper twice. Work one layer horizontally, let it dry and apply another layer vertically. This mix can be tinted with color, as well.

Drawing Techniques in Pastel

Blending

Blending can be done with your fingers or a tortillion (a tightly rolled paper usually ending in a point). Take precaution when blending with your fingers on sanded papers as the grit of the paper will eventually make your fingers bleed. You can achieve subtle gradations of shape and color very quickly using blending techniques. I sometimes blend in my first layer and allow pastel stick strokes to show in subsequent layers.

Mark-making

Experiment with your pastels by drawing with the edges and sides of a pastel for broad strokes, thin lines and sgraffito (scrubbing layer over layer) techniques. Use the point of the pastel to produce lines in various degrees of thickness. Vary the amount of pressure when practicing with your pastels. Experiment with pastels on different types of paper and with various homemade supports to become used to the way in which pastel adheres to each surface. You will develop your own process with a particular combination. Try hatching (fine lines close together in the same direction), cross-hatching (crossing layers of hatches), scribbling, pointillism and optical color mixing, and other mark-making techniques.

Layering

Layering means that you add a layer of color over a previous layer. Start with harder soft pastels. Pastel work achieves depth and a rich vibrant color quality from the application of layers of pastel pigment over each other. Sometimes the layer that is being covered has to be "fixed" or sprayed with some form of fixative so that the next layer will not disturb this first layer. Keep in mind fixing darkens the pastel pigment. Always test the spray before going directly to your painting. Use fixatives sparingly. Don’t fix your pastel too often as the painting will get gummy and darken. I prefer not to use fixatives and work exclusively on sanded papers.

Study and copy the art of the great pastel masters, for example Degas and Cassatt. Doug Dawson, Albert Handell, Richard McDaniel, Richard McKinley, Harley Brown and Elizabeth Mowry are a few of our current day masters with books available on technique, as well. You will notice many different ways to approach a pastel painting.