Drawing with pastels is a timeless artistic technique whose roots date back at least to the Renaissance era. It gained enormous popularity in the 18th century, when artists like Rosalba Carriera showcased the delicacy and expressiveness of pastels in their portraits. Even today, drawing with pastels continues to captivate artists of all levels, thanks to its intense colors and soft shading effects that can be achieved.
The basic tools for drawing with pastels
To start drawing with pastels, you’ll need a few essential tools:
- Pastels: available in hard, soft, oil, or wax varieties.
- Specific Paper: ideal for best pigment retention and achieving smooth gradients.
- Blending Stumps and Soft Brushes: useful for blending colors, especially in delicate tonal transitions.
- Fixative (optional): essential for protecting your drawing, though it may slightly alter the brightness of the color.
I’ve especially tried these materials to explore the technique, as you can see in my Patreon video:
- Winsor & Newton soft pastels
- Stabilo CarbOthello pastel pencils
- PastelMat pastel paper in assorted colors
- Test paper bought from Tiger
- Conté à Paris spray fixative
- Hairspray
- Paper blending stumps
- Various stationery (pencils, cutter, kneaded eraser, etc.)
How to choose the ideal paper for drawing with pastels
Choosing the right paper is fundamental for highlighting the strengths of pastel drawing. Medium- or rough-grain surfaces help retain the pigment, while “PastelMat” paper has a slightly abrasive finish that promotes better color adhesion. This way, even those new to the dustiness of pastels will feel more comfortable.
Types of pastels: hard, soft, oil, and wax
- Hard Pastels: produce less dust and allow you to draw more defined lines.
- Soft Pastels: ideal for gentle shading and tonal transitions; they’re dustier and more fragile, but offer intense, velvety colors.
- Oil Pastels: have a waxy consistency and don’t produce dust. Perfect for those who want a more “textured” painterly effect.
- Wax Pastels: sturdy, versatile, and often associated with school use. They can also be great for experimental techniques like sgraffito.
Tips for managing dust when drawing with pastels
One of the main challenges when you start drawing with pastels is dealing with the dust. Here are a few tips:
- Work on an inclined surface to let dust fall away from your drawing.
- Use paper blending stumps or soft brushes to blend colors instead of just your fingers.
- Keep a cloth or anti-static fabric handy to frequently clean your hands and tools.
From sketch to fixative: the key steps for drawing with pastels
- Initial Sketch: lightly outline the subject with a hard pastel or a soft pencil, without pressing too hard on the paper.
- Base Colors: work on the larger areas to define volumes and highlight light and shadow zones.
- Blending: use blending stumps or brushes to smoothly merge the colors into gradual, uniform transitions.
- Detailing: use harder pastels or the edges of your soft pastels to emphasize contours and contrasts.
- Fixative (optional): apply a spray fixative specifically for pastels, keeping in mind that it can slightly reduce color vibrancy.
Advantages and potential of drawing with pastels
- Intense Colors: thanks to a high pigment concentration, pastels offer exceptional color vibrancy.
- Ease of Use: there’s no need for mediums or chemicals, making this a straightforward, low-impact technique.
- Versatility: with some practice, it’s possible to create both very delicate drawings and pieces with strong contrasts.
- Soft Effect: pastel drawing stands out for its silky blending and the ability to recreate textures and volumes in a realistic way.
Learn more on Patreon: tutorials and tips for drawing with pastels
If you want to discover every detail about drawing with pastels — from the basics to more advanced techniques — I’ve put together a series of content on Patreon, complete with video tutorials and practical tips. Here, you’ll find everything you need to approach this technique with greater confidence: the right materials to choose, blending methods, tricks for preserving your drawings, and much more.
Visit www.patreon.com/c/ElisaCreate now and join those who want to experiment and grow in pastel drawing. I’ll be waiting with suggestions and inspiration to bring artwork to life with amazing colors, following in the footsteps of great artists like Rosalba Carriera!
