Pastels: A Vibrant and Immediate Medium

If you love to draw—or if you love pure colors, you will love working with pastels. They allow you to draw directly with color—they act almost like an extension of your fingers. It is a sensual experience; just look at what French impressionist Edgar Degas did with pastels!

These chalky pigments make it possible to get your images down on paper as fast as you can draw them. No brushes, canvases, or solvents to mess with, and no waiting for the paints to dry. They are immediate and fresh.

The lure was such that I chose them as my first working medium after I 'graduated' from formal drawing classes. To start with, I bought a full set Rembrandt soft pastel—more than 200 sticks. I gradually added to them until I ended up with more than 1000 sticks from various brands. I'm warning you: the colors are addictive!

Although I later set them aside to concentrated on oil painting for a time, the drawing skills I developed from the years of working with this medium gave me an edge when learning oils. If you are working in oil, give them a try. The transition is easy, because the application method is very similar. They will complement your oil paints well.

If you just want to paint and draw at the same time, and you don't want to spend a lot of money to get started, then they are a good choice because of their low cost and ease of set up.

For more on pastels, see these pages:

• Here are the basics of handling and caring. It's easy once you know what to expect.
• Next, a review of basic techniques. Learn how to create luscious textures.
• Important! The surface you paint on is an integral part of creating art with this medium.
• Many artists make their own pigment sticks. Find out how to make your own.
• Here are some other surfaces you can use for pastels
• Use a fixative? Or not? It has been debated endlessly among pastel artists. Get the scoop here.
• Steam fixing no chemicals required. Use it to hold the pigment on your finished pastel artwork.
• Demo: Portrait of a Boy. This step by step guide shows you how I go about painting a pastel portrait.
• Serious about using pastels as your primary medium? Perhaps it is time to think about using the right masks, and owning an effective air filter.
• Love Degas' bathers and ballet dancers in his pastel paintings? Learn his techniques from this demo and try your hands at it.