PASTELS PENCILS OR COLORED PENCILS? BUYING WITHOUT MISTAKES…
Choosing the right pencils: the trap of dry pastel pencils and colored pencils? Buy without making mistakes…
I had an intern come to improve the rendering of fur in soft pastels and to learn how not to saturate her paper too quickly… Just like the others, I asked her to bring her pastel supplies… I really did the right thing!
The right materials can prevent many issues…
Asking my students to bring their materials is because, on one hand, it’s pointless for me to give advice with my colors and brands if the person doesn’t have the same materials at all. So I adapt accordingly…
Furthermore, it allows me to assess and provide guidance on the fundamental aspect: the materials!
And sometimes, the issues come solely from there.
Today, I had a beginner-level intern who has already done some basic online tutorials.
She takes out her pencils, and there… Lots of pencils I’m not familiar with… but with brands I know.
Dry pastels that aren’t really dry pastels…
She explained to me that, not knowing exactly what to choose, she asked the store clerk if these pencils on the shelf were indeed pastel pencils… He confirmed that they were… Well, no! Wrong!
So, she had dry pastel pencils and colored pencils! They are as compatible as oil and water! For those who missed their chemistry classes: THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE AT ALL!!!
And, indeed, when she applied colored pencil on her paper, it made the surface slippery, and the pastel pencil no longer adhered at all…
What are the differences?
When you’re a beginner, it’s easy to get lost in the aisles of the fine art supply store, as there are so many brands, types of pastels, or kinds of pencils… Let’s take a look at what’s out there.
• Pastel pencils:
Dry pastel pencils, which appeared around the 15th century, are made up of pigments, chalk, and Arabic gum as a binder.
The texture varies from one brand to another, being more or less hard or powdery…
Colored pencils:
The leads of colored pencils, which appeared in the early 20th century, are obtained by mixing pigments, wax or fatty substances, binders, and mineral filler (talc or kaolin).
Oil pastels:
Present only in stick form (the texture is too soft to be in a pencil), they are pigments mixed with a binder made of non-drying oil and wax. So, don’t confuse them with dry pastel sticks!
Oil pastels can be diluted with the same solvents as oil paint.
Watercolor pencil:
It can be used dry or by adding water with a brush to dilute the pigments in a watercolor-like manner. They are made of water-soluble wax, so they also don’t mix with dry pastels.
Sanguine, Sepia, Charcoal, Black Stone Pencils:
Sanguine, Conté à Paris sepia, and charcoal pencils have a texture similar to pastels, so they are compatible. Black stone pencils depend on their waxy composition, but there are already pastel pencils available in very black shades, such as KOH-I-NOOR!
In summary:
On one hand, you have soft pastels that are powdery, and on the other, you have pencils that are oily or waxy. So, make sure that on the box or in the description, it clearly states “soft pastel,” “soft pastel pencils,” “soft pastel crayons,” or “ultra-soft pastels.”
Which brands of dry pastels are there, and how can you recognize them?
The list is not exhaustive, but these are some of the most well-known and readily available brands:
“The dry pastel pencils that we want!”
Other pencils that we don’t want!!!!!!
And many others…
AND YOU?
Has this article been useful to you?
Have you ever had issues like this?
Have you encountered salespeople who provided incorrect information?
What are your favorite dry pastel brands?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! 😉
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