How to Paint With Pastels

Co-authored by Kelly Medford

Last Updated: July 22, 2024

At their simplest, pastels are simply sticks of pigment held together with different binders. While using them is called "painting," due to the effect created by a pastel when it is rubbed on paper, painting with pastels requires very specific techniques that are quite different from traditional painting. Not all pastels have the same properties, so to learn how to paint with pastels you need learn about the different qualities of the pastels and the types of paper to use with them.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Acquiring Materials

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1
Decide which type of pastels you would like to use. Pastels come in several forms, oil pastels, hard pastels, soft pastels, and pastel pencils, and each has distinctive properties.
- Oil pastels are pastels with wax and inert oil as added ingredients.
2
Learn about the types of paper you use for pastel painting. Pastel paper comes in a variety of different textures and weights but is usually rougher than the paper used for acrylic or watercolor painting. This is because pastel does not like to stick to a completely smooth surface.
- Pastel paper also comes in different colors, as pastels are great for working on colored paper because of the density and saturation of their color.
- Pastel paper is sometimes manufactured with a "laid" effect, meaning the grain on one side is made of closely spaced lines and the opposite side has a slightly mottled surface. Yet another type of pastel painting paper is very close to a carborundum (wet 'n dry) or a coarse sandpaper. These can be fun types of paper to experiment with.
- If you're using oil pastels, choose a paper that's okay for oil paint. You could also use cardboard prepared with a clear matte gel, or you could apply some acrylic gesso to your paper.
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3
Purchase pastels and pastel paper at your local art supply store. If you are unsure which type you would like to use, try purchasing a few pieces of each type of pastel and paper, then figure out what you like, and don't like, about each through experimentation.
- While not used interchangeably, soft pastels, hard pastels, and pastel pencils can be used in combination with each other in the same painting. Oil pastels, on the other hand, can be difficult to blend with the other types of pastels. Keep this in mind when purchasing your pastels. ^{[1]
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Part 2

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Painting with Pastels

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Draw general figures, objects and buildings first. This is the time to decide where each major element should go in your drawing.
2
Lay down the main areas of color. Look at your sketch and choose the main color, which is going to be the largest area of your painting.
- Paint with a light touch as you block in shapes and forms preliminarily. Once you are sure that the image is laid out correctly, use harder and more definite lines.
- To keep an area lighter, apply white pastel over that spot before applying the color. If it is still too dark, scrape it down with a scraper and repaint.
Fill in with heavier, darker strokes once you have finished blocking your picture or design.
4
Blend your colors, layering different pastel colors to get the effect you are looking for. Add in tiny swirls of color, making sure to texture in the correct direction but making your painting strokes are random.
- Mix colors and add detailed texture using strokes of a pastel pencil.
5
Finish blending colors by using your fingers, dampened color shapers, or sharpened blenders. This can add the final, polished details that will really make your painting look great.
- Add fine color detail by picking up small amounts of pastel on the tip of a blender. Using a finer tool allows you to add in tiny details, like the light in an eye, more easily than by using even a pastel pencil.
- Create softer edges by using a rounded, white eraser to blend. Simply drag the color out in gentle curves, making the lines fade over the paper.
- You can also blend by using discarded packing peanuts. Packing peanuts allow you to save your fingertips while giving you the ability to lightly blend your colors. Using a packing pellet to blend pastel colors also prevents you from scraping your fingers on a rough-surfaced paper.
6
Fix the image you have created with fixative. Unlike traditional liquid paints, pastels will always be subject to damage and blending if the surface is touched. To stop this, fixative can be purchased at your local art supply store.
- Alternatively, you can put your pastel painting under glass in a frame. This will keep your image safe from accidental disruption.

Part 3

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Experimenting With Your Materials

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1
Study the qualities of each of your materials. Oil pastels, hard pastels, soft pastels, and pastel pencils all have different properties that you should explore through experimentation.
- Run each type of pastel across a piece of paper. Notice how the lines they make are distinctive.
- Pick up a pastel pencil and notice that not only does it resemble a traditional graphite pencil, the stroke it creates is detailed like a traditional pencil.
- Handle a soft pastel pencil and feel its softer consistency. When pulling it across a piece of paper notice how much of it's pigments are transferred depending on the pressure you apply to it.
- Apply a hard pastel to a piece of paper. Play with how you draw it across the paper. Use it on its end and then on its side. Notice how the lines created differ. Press firmly then softly and see how these lines differ as well.
2
Experiment with how the types of pastels can interact with each other. Try blending the colors together but also try to create clean and distinctive lines on top of other colors.
- This kind of experimentation will help you build the skills you need to create a painting.
3
Experiment with the paper you have acquired. If you are using loose pieces of paper, it can be helpful to tape it down with masking tape, so that you are not constantly having to hold it in place.
- Study the "tooth" of pastel paper. "Tooth" indicates how much pastel pigment the paper is able to hold. Paper with more tooth allows more pastel to adhere to the paper. Paper that is too smooth is difficult to use if you plan to paint several layers on it.
- Learn about how the paper's color affects the mood of your painting. Dark red paper adds a warmer glow, while paler paper colors give a softer, more subdued effect.

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What is the best tool to blend oil pastels?

Kelly Medford
Professional Artist
Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art.

Kelly Medford

Professional Artist

Expert Answer

Try layering them and blending them with a brush that's dipped in a little bit of mineral spirits, turpentine, linseed oil, or walnut oil. You can also try to optically mix them like you would with chalk pastels by putting one color next to another or overtop.

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Do you use soft or oil pastel?

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Both soft and oil pastels are great choices--it's just a matter of personal preference. Try both to find what works best for you and your current project.

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Are soft pastels fade-resistant, and can I use hairspray to seal my pastel art work?

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The quality of your soft pastels will determine whether they will or won't fade. And, yes, you can use hairspray to seal your work.

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To add lines over a previously worked area, allow the painting to harden for 1 or 2 days, then add the lines. Pastels do not ever dry completely but will harden a bit over time, making them less likely to blend.

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Warnings

Be cautious about blowing pastel dust off the paper in an enclosed space, as the dust can be toxic and can get into your lungs. Wear a face mask or blow dust off outside.

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Things You'll Need

Pastels
Paper or sketchbook
Drawing pencils
Blending tools
Fixative--optional

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