Learning objectives
- What are soft pastels
- How to choose your colours?
- Techniques to try
Soft pastels, which embrace a variance of composition from very soft to firm, provide the artist with a quick and direct way of working. They are made from Artists’ quality pigment, the same as used for watercolour, oils and acrylics, but the difference is in the binding of the pastel that holds the pigments together. By mixing the pigment with a weak solution of gum tragacanth and water, the pastel is bound then formed into the desired shape. It is the proportions of gum and water that determine the softness or firmness of the final product.
There are many manufacturers of soft pastels, each one: coveting the desired firmness for you, the artist. The joy of using pastels is the variable ways of working to give you the desired effect. Experimentation allows for selection of the brands and quality suitable to you.
