Landscape Painting with Pastels
Soft Pastels
Made from pigment, water, and a binder, they sometimes contain small quantities of a filler, such as chalk or marble dust. They produce vibrant marks on paper. You can’t mix soft pastels on a palette or paper, unlike wet paint media. So artists who use this medium often have a large collection of pastels.
Hard Pastels
These are similar but usually contain more filler, like chalk. Hard pastels are useful for fine lines and details but are less expressive.
Pastel Pencils
These are good for fine details but are less expressive compared to soft pastels.
Oil Pastels
Pigment is mixed with oil, and the mixture is shaped into a stick. Oil pastels are a wet medium and never fully dry. You can get fixative for oil pastels.
Generally, more expensive products contain more pigment and are easier to work with. I use mostly Schmincke soft pastels. They are soft, with a good range of colors, and are mid-range in terms of price.
I tend to use soft pastels with charcoal on toned drawing paper. You can get paper specifically for pastels, but it is expensive.
Some tips
Be expressive, don’t be timid.
Don’t be afraid of adding some abstraction to your paintings. For example, be creative in your use of color.
Consider using a limited palette. Just because you have many colors doesn’t mean you must use them all in every painting.
When you are getting started, pick an art movement or artist you like and borrow from their style. This will give your art an initial direction.
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