These are not the same thing. They do not mix.

A. Soft Pastels (The Standard)

• Binder: Gum/Chalk.

• Feel: Dry, dusty, and matte. Like a very expensive, soft sidewalk chalk.

• Behavior: Blends beautifully with a finger. Can be layered.

• Verdict: Start here. This is what people mean when they say "pastel painting." (Brands: Rembrandt, Sennelier, Unison).

B. Oil Pastels

• Binder: Oil/Wax.

• Feel: Greasy and sticky. Like a crayon/lipstick hybrid.

• Behavior: Does not dust. You blend it with solvents (turpentine) or pressure.

• Verdict: A totally different medium. Do not buy these if you want to follow soft pastel tutorials.

C. Hard Pastels (The Sketchers)

• What are they? Soft pastels with more binder. (e.g., Nupastel, Carré).

• Use: Square sticks used for sharp lines, under-drawings, and details. Most pastel artists use Hard for the first layer and Soft for the final layer.

Unlike paint, you cannot take blue and yellow and mix a perfect green on a palette. You have to mix them optically on the paper.

The Consequence:

You need more colors to start with pastels than you do with oils or watercolors.

• The "Starter Set" Rule: You cannot survive with just 6 sticks. You need a range of lights, mid-tones, and darks.

• Recommendation: Buy a "Half-Stick Set" (usually 30-40 colors). Half-sticks give you twice as many colors for the same price as a box of full sticks.

If you use smooth printer paper, the pastel will fall right off. You need a textured or sanded paper.

A. Textured Paper

• What is it? Paper with a honeycomb texture.

• Pros: Cheap and comes in many colors.

• Cons: Can't hold many layers. After 2-3 layers, the tooth fills up and the pastel slides off.

B. Sanded Paper

• What is it? Paper coated with actual grit (like fine sandpaper). 

• Pros: It grabs the pigment aggressively. You can layer 10+ times without it getting muddy.

• Verdict: Try Art Spectrum, Pastelmat or UArt. It makes learning 100x easier because the pastel actually sticks.

Generally, pastels work best if you build depth first.

The Logic:

1. Step 1: Hard Pastels. Sketch the layout and block in the dark shadows.

2. Step 2: Soft Pastels. Apply your mid-tones.

3. Step 3: Highlights. Save your softest, brightest pastels (like Sennelier or Schmincke) for the very last marks on top.

• Tip: Don't fill the "tooth" of the paper too quickly. Press lightly in the beginning.

Pastel creates airborne dust. Some pigments (like cadmiums and cobalts) are toxic if inhaled.

1. Never blow on your artwork to remove dust. (You will inhale the cloud that bounces back). Take the paper outside and tap it, or let the dust fall into a tray.

2. Wet Wipe: Keep a wet rag nearby to clean your hands.

3. Do not eat while painting.

• The Problem: Spray fixative protects the art but darkens the colors and kills the fresh "shimmer" of the pigment.

• The Solution:

  • During painting: Yes, spray lightly between layers to restore "tooth" so you can add more pastel.

  • Final layer: Avoid it. Frame it behind glass with a spacer (mat) so the glass doesn't touch the art.

The Pastels:

1. Soft Pastel Set: A box of Rembrandt Soft Pastels (30 Half-Stick Set). They are the perfect "medium-soft" texture for beginners.

2. Hard Pastels: A small set of Prismacolor Nupastels (for sketching/darks).

The Tools:

1. Surface: A pad of Clairefontaine Pastelmat (Anthracite or Grey color—pastel looks better on toned paper, not white).

2. Blending: Your fingers, or a "Paper Stump" (Tortillon).

3. Tape: Artist tape to tape the paper to a board.

4. Glassine: Smooth paper to cover your artwork so it doesn't smear during storage.