Pastels are sticks of pigment (dye powder glued together) and bonded with a different binder. Using pastels is called "painting," because of the effect that pastels create when rubbed on paper, painting with pastels requires a very specific technique that is quite different from traditional painting. Not all pastels have the same properties, so to learn how to paint with pastels, all you need to learn is to know the different qualities of each and the different types of paper to use with them.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Getting Equipment
Step 1. Decide what kind of pastel you want to use
There are several types of pastels, such as oil-based pastels, hard pastels, soft pastels, and pencil pastels, and each has its own unique characteristics.
Oil pastel (oil pastel) is a type of pastel that contains additional ingredients in the form of wax and inert oil (inert, not easy to react with other elements)
Step 2. Learn the types of paper you can use to paint with pastels
There are many types of pastel paper with different weights and textures, but are usually rougher than the paper used for painting with acrylics or watercolors. This is because pastels are difficult to stick to a really smooth/smooth surface.
- Pastel paper can also be found in various colors. Pastels are great for applying to colored paper, because of their density and color saturation.
- Sometimes pastel paper is produced with a "laid" effect, meaning that the surface on one side is made of closely spaced lines, and the reverse side has a slightly grainy surface. However, other types of pastel painting paper are very similar to carborundum (wet and dry)-an abrasive powder containing silicon carbide bonded to clay or other materials-or sandpaper. It's great if you can experiment with different types of paper.
Step 3. Purchase pastels and pastel paper at an art supply store
If you're not sure which type you want to use, try buying a few pieces for each type of pastel and paper, then by experimenting determine which ones you like and which don't.
Although in use they are not interchangeable, soft pastels, hard pastels, and pastel pencils can be combined with each other in one painting. On the other hand, oil pastels are difficult to combine with other types of pastels. Keep this in mind when buying pastels for your needs
Part 2 of 3: Experimenting with Different Types of Pastels
Step 1. Learn the quality of each type of pastel you have
Oil pastels, hard pastels, soft pastels, and pencil pastels all have different characteristics that you should investigate through experimentation.
- Place each type of pastel on a sheet of paper. Pay attention to the character of the line that is formed from each type of pastel.
- Take a pastel pencil and notice that it not only resembles a traditional graphite pencil, but the resulting strokes are as detailed as a traditional pencil.
- Hold the soft pastel and feel the softer consistency. When scribbling on a piece of paper note that the amount of pastel pigment that is transferred depends on the pressure you apply.
- Scratch hard pastels on a sheet of paper. Play by scribbling it on paper. Scrape the ends, then also the sides. Notice how the resulting lines are different. Press firmly then gently, and see how the resulting lines are also different.
Step 2. Experiment with how different types of pastels interact with each other
Try mixing/blending several colors at once, but also try to create clean, clear lines on top of the others.
This experiment will help you build the skills you need to create a painting
Step 3. Experiment with the paper you have obtained
Using loose paper, allows you to stick it (somewhere) with adhesive tape, so you don't have to hold it in place all the time.
- Examine the "tooth" of pastel paper. "Tooth" -surface roughness-indicates how much pastel pigment the paper is capable of holding. A rougher paper allows more of the pastel to adhere to the paper. Paper that is too smooth is difficult to work with if you plan to paint multiple layers on it.
- Learn how the color of the paper affects your mood when painting. Dark red paper adds a warm atmosphere, while paler paper gives a calmer, softer effect.
Part 3 of 3: Painting with Pastel
Step 1. Plan your painting by first making a light sketch on paper using a graphite pencil
For starters, paint a variety of common shapes, objects, and buildings. This is the time for you to determine where each major element should be in the image.
Step 2. Set the color to be the main part
Pay attention to your sketch and choose the main color, which will be the dominant part of your painting.
- Paint with light strokes as you sketch the outlines of various shapes and initial shapes. As soon as you are sure the position of the image is correct, use a more defined and defined line.
- To make certain areas lighter, apply pastel white first to cover the area before applying the color in question. If it still looks too dark, scrape it off with a scraper or you can paint it again.
Step 3. Create additional color layers
Fill it in with heavier, darker strokes as soon as you've finished sketching your drawing or design.
Step 4. Blend the colors
By layering some pastel colors, you'll get the effect you're looking for. Add color in small swirls, making sure to create the texture in the right direction, but can be arbitrary for painting strokes.
Mix/blend several colors and add texture thoroughly using pastel pencil strokes
Step 5. Finish blending using your fingers, a dampened color shaper, or a sharpened blender/stump/tortillon. It adds subtle detail to the final result, which will really make your painting look great.
- Add subtle color details by picking up a bit of pastel on the edge of the blender. Using finer tools allows you to add very small details, such as rays to the eye, more easily than even using pastel pencils.
- Make the edges softer by using a round white eraser (a kind of eraser pen) to blend. Just pull out the color in a gentle curve, making the lines fade from the paper.
- You can also mix colors by using unused peanut packing. Peanut/foam packing peanut is styrofoam the size of a pea, usually used as a cushion to prevent damage to fragile objects during shipping. Peanut packing allows you to keep the tips of your nails intact while you practice your skill of blending different pastel colors. Using packing pellets - a kind of peanut packing but in the form of grains - to combine pastel colors also prevents your nails from being eroded by the rough surface of the paper.
Step 6. Enhance your drawing with fixative
A fixative is a liquid that is sprayed onto a finished work of art to prevent stains or for preservation purposes. In contrast to traditional liquid paints, pastels tend to break and mix colors when touched. Therefore, fixative is used to anticipate it. Fixactives can be purchased at art supply stores.
Alternatively, you can place your pastel painting under a glass frame. This way your painting will be safe from accidental tampering
