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From the lens Pastels - Resources for Artists.

I'm always happy to hear any suggestions for how toimprove this site - particularly from experienced pastel artists or those just starting out with pastels

ANYBODY can comment however they take a little time to appear as all comments moderated before publication, all html is stripped out of comments and spam is not published.

  • plrang Apr 24, 2012 @ 5:01 pm | delete
    Just started recently using soft and hard pastels, and I love it. Great resource article, thanks :)
  • JoyfulReviewer Apr 23, 2012 @ 5:59 pm | delete
    Thanks for this extensive resource and helpful info. I'd like to try using pastels someday when I have more time to spare. Blessed.
  • nightcats Apr 14, 2012 @ 2:03 pm | delete
    Someone gave me a box of soft pastels and I have not known how to use them. Thanks to this great lens, I have a better idea now of how to start.
  • Winter52 Apr 14, 2012 @ 9:09 am | delete
    I loved working with pastels when I was a kid. I think that it's time to give it another go. I have everything I need right here on your lens for a quick refresher. Thanks for all the work you put into it!
  • MyraReid Apr 12, 2012 @ 5:36 am | delete
    WOW, Thanks for taking the time to write such an detailed inclusive review about pastels. I really enjoyed it.
  • NinaLouder Apr 11, 2012 @ 5:25 am | delete
    Very informative lens.
  • Steve_Kaye Apr 11, 2012 @ 12:22 am | delete
    This is an incredible resource. It unfolds like the definitive work on pastels. I'd recommend this as essential reading for art students everywhere.
  • castlequeen51 Apr 10, 2012 @ 3:47 pm | delete
    Enough info here to make this page a go-to spot :)
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 7:39 pm | delete
    That's the general idea! :)
  • ohcaroline Apr 10, 2012 @ 10:30 am | delete
    Thank you for such a complete tutorial on pastels. You have motivated me to get some and work at them again.
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 7:39 pm | delete
    How wonderful! Glad to have been of help - it makes all the effort worthwhile!
  • artyfax Apr 10, 2012 @ 9:39 am | delete
    Been here several times to re-read and digest, this time I am able to leave a blessing
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 7:40 pm | delete
    Many thanks for the blessing! Much appreciated
  • lestroischenes Apr 10, 2012 @ 1:40 am | delete
    Fantastic article. How could you find somuch good stuff to say about pastel. Added to my 'School of Art' technical library, currently housed in the 'Art School Shop'.
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 2:02 am | delete
    It's not difficult to say lots of good things about pastel! This site was created in 2006 so I've had quite a bit of time to build it up - and I'm still adding stuff to it whenever I find a useful new tip or technique or great artist or new pastel society or......!
  • lasertek Apr 9, 2012 @ 10:04 pm | delete
    During my school years, pastel is probably the hardest medium I have encountered in art class.
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 2:03 am | delete
    I think people often feel like that - so you;re not alone. However that feeling very often stems from the type of pastels you're using. If you use good quality soft pastels the experience of using them can become hugely enjoyable! :)
  • TheLifestyleChanger Apr 9, 2012 @ 3:55 pm | delete
    This is such a comprehensive collection of pastel resources. Apart from the invaluable information, I love the colour, the book suggestions and "Building The Riverside Museum". Blessings.
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 2:04 am | delete
    Many thanks for your comments. I tried to build the resource I wished I'd had when I started to use pastels.
  • tyrosine Apr 9, 2012 @ 12:21 pm | delete
    OMG way too much to read. Took me more than an hour to finish. But really informative and way to go!
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 2:04 am | delete
    Many thanks! :)
  • miaponzo Apr 9, 2012 @ 1:01 am | delete
    TONS of great information here! Blessed!
  • makingamark Apr 9, 2012 @ 11:42 am | delete
    Thanks for the blessing - much appreciated
  • curious0927 Feb 6, 2012 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    Cannot wait to get my Pastels out and play! Thanks for the treasure trove of information and links. Blessed!
  • makingamark Apr 9, 2012 @ 11:42 am | delete
    Thank you!
  • brachko Dec 8, 2011 @ 1:19 pm | delete
    As an artist who has worked in soft pastel for 26 years, I would like to add my website to your list of artists who work in pastel. Please check out www.barbararachko.com
  • cffutah Nov 25, 2011 @ 7:12 pm | delete
    my wife enjoyed viewing this lens with me, we enjoyed it, earned a squidlike from us.
  • artyfax Sep 21, 2011 @ 1:07 pm | delete
    wonderful and so much detail and information, will definitely need to read this a number of times and then keep it bookmarked for reference. Thanks
  • makingamark Apr 10, 2012 @ 2:05 am | delete
    That's what it's here for - bookmarked it as a resource and refer back to it whenever you need to

    That's what I do. It started off as my own bookmarks and it just got more sensible to have them all on one site and better organised than I could do on my computer.
  • dilipsvarma Aug 23, 2011 @ 11:20 am | delete
    Truly informative lens
  • LizMac60 Aug 11, 2011 @ 3:58 am | delete
    Great resource. Blessed by a squid angel.
  • Momsbusy247 May 8, 2011 @ 10:06 am | delete
    Great Lens. I am a fan to pastel too. I think they blend very nicely and the texture is great too. It's kind off hard to master since its like there's no turning back once you use it. Wonderful Lens!
  • makingamark Jan 16, 2011 @ 1:08 am | delete
    This comment was left on for publication on this lens but does not seem to have been published so here it is again. Apologies to whoever left it as their name was not included in the email I got to approve!
    __________

    I have prepared my own boards using some methods which I later realized were not archivally sound. Were I to do it again, I would use a hardboard that is not impregnated with oils and either coat it with Golden Ground For Pastels, or ArtSpectrum Pastel Primer which is available in a wide array of colors or is tintable. I might also use a slightly dilute mixture of acrylic gesso or acrlyic medium to adhere cotton muslin to the board. These surfaces can be more coarse than a sanded paper such as Wallis, or ArtSpecrum, and they will use up your pastel sticks alarmingly fast, but also allow endless layers.
  • Springbok Dec 29, 2010 @ 1:05 am | delete
    Another great lens that is packed with great information
  • Steve-SEO-UK Dec 13, 2010 @ 4:22 am | delete
    Have saved this Lens for my son who has good artistic tallent. Many thanks for a great resource.
  • makingamark Dec 13, 2010 @ 5:06 am | delete
    Thanks Steve - tell your son to leave questions here if he has any
  • Gloriousconfusion Sep 12, 2010 @ 8:41 pm | delete
    By a strange coincidence I was only today looking for pencil pastels, and put a bid on eBay for them. I have just started going to art classes and am mainly using pastels, so this article is very useful, and I have bookmarked and favorited it - thanks a lot.

    By the way, how about adding a section about pencil pastels - I had never even heard of them until my art teacher suggested using them. He's a brilliant teacher, and I have been amazed by my own improvement in just a few weeks.
  • makingamark Sep 13, 2010 @ 12:43 am | delete
    Thanks! :) Funnily enough I've been thinking about doing a lens about the pros and cons of pastel pencils. I've been testing some recently for one of the manufacturers and started to think they needed one!
  • Barbara Benedetti Newton Dec 22, 2008 @ 8:18 am | delete
    Thanks very much for including me in the list of People who blog about Pastels. Finding this little blurb was a nice surprise during these snowbound days in Washington state. I'll be back to blogging next month.
  • RolandTumble Nov 11, 2008 @ 1:28 pm | delete
    Five stars, favorited & lensrolled--also Dugg.
  • Miss_Dacapo Oct 19, 2008 @ 7:00 pm | delete
    This is a very informative lens for pastels! I love pastels too, and conte has to be one of my favourites. I wish you had a choice for Alphacolor and Leow Cornell pastels because those are great too, as are the Reeves soft pastels. Those sets can be used to make some good pictures, and I've used the Reeves pastels to make a very realistic picture of my sister's cat.
  • beachbum_gabby Jun 16, 2008 @ 4:49 am | delete
    one of my favorite medium when drawing. Great resources! Keep it up!
  • CleanFace May 17, 2008 @ 7:16 am | delete
    Nice lens! 5 stars given! :)

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makingamark

Katherine Tyrrell creates art in pastels based on drawings from life and plein air studies. 

Her work is in private collections in the UK, Australia... more »

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