Working with pastels is more like painting than drawing. This comes as something of a surprise to newcomers. So does the idea that pastels are about energetic, lifelike colors-- not the softie blends that provide marketers of facial tissues with calming hues of white.

Pastels provide an immediacy that isn't available with any other medium. The color becomes an extension of the artist's fingers, with pigments rich and dense. It's unlike painting with wet media because little preparation of the materials is required. And it's unlike drawing because colors are laid down thickly, or in layers (sure, it is possible to use drawing materials like pencils in a somewhat similar fashion).

Moving from watercolors or oils into pastels can be a rather confusing process because so many of the rules are different. With watercolors, it's all about mixing colors. With pastels, artists simply buy the individual colors they need, and do far less mixing (which tends to muddy, unless done by very skillful hands). Brands also behave very differently; some are very much on the side of painting media, and others straddle the line between painting and drawing.

Most art supply stores sell pastels, typically in sets. Beginners quickly realize that there is a relationship between price and quality. Less costly sets usually contain less pigment, or more binder, which results in colors that are less than vivid.

Hard Pastels

There is a general exception to this rule, however, and that relates to so-called "hard" pastels. These are sold by Faber-Castell, NuPastel, and several other companies. They tend to be brittle, and they have a specific use: to lay color into the under-layer of a pastel painting. Of course, these pastels can also be used for sketching in their own right.

Many beginners drift away from the lowest-priced materials and toward either Rembrandt or, as a result of a new line of pastels, Winsor & Newton. Both are widely available in many art supply stores, and both are moderately priced (pastels in these sets average out to about $2 per stick). Half-sticks are also a popular way to start, and several manufacturers offer this option, nicely-packaged, for $1 or less per stick (on average, as part of a boxed set).

Soft Pastels

This is where you want to be spending your time and your money. Perhaps the two most popular pastels, at least speaking from a traditional perspective, are Sennelier (a long-time favorite from France) and Schmincke (whose watercolors and oil paints are very popular; they are a German company). The British boutique brand known as Unison has also established a very devoted following, and the U.S. brand Great American Art Works is gaining popularity as well. Both of these companies employ a somewhat divergent approach to their color range, and also offer phyically thicker pastels that lay down color well. And you can find details on all of these brands, and others, by poking around in this website.

Other Brands

There are other quality brands, but their distribution is not as widespread. Daler-Rowney is a very well-respected British company whose thinner sticks are ideal for detail work, and whose color rendition is quite excellent. Diane Townsend is a NYC-based boutique brand with a hand-made appearance and absolutely lovely color rendition. Italy's Maimeri brand shows up from time to time, as does France's Girault. Both are respected brands, but neither has the widespread appeal of, say, Sennelier, Schmincke, or Unison. These seem to be the three leaders, perhaps with good reason.

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