MY 10 ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR PASTEL PAINTING

When your new to pastel painting it can be very overwhelming walking into an art shop. This is my list of essential pastel supplies to stop confusion

Essential Supplies for Pastel Painting

I know how overwhelming it can be to get started in pastel painting. Whether your don't have any art shops near you or if you do, then it's just too confusing when you see all the different pastels and papers available. So I created this list of the 10 things I use for every pastel painting I do.

I know there are many different brands out there, but the ones I've listed are my favorites. I am also not affiliated with any of them, so your getting my honest opinion.

I also did a FB Live talk running through my list in more detail. If you'd like to watch the replay on Youtube just click the video below.

MY TOP 10 ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR PASTEL PAINTING

1. CLAIREFONTAINE PASTELMAT PAPER

My #1 favorite pastel paper
Feels smooth to touch but holds a huge number of layers
If you build up light layers slowly you can just keep adding and blending
I find it's best for pastel pencil work
Because of it's smoother texture you can achieve really fine details
Need a sponge tool to blend
Comes in sheets, board or pads
14 colours in range, my favorites being all the greys and sand
Can handle water so is great for mixed media

2. PAN PASTEL SOFFT TOOL

Only made by Pan Pastel brand for use with their Pan Pastels
I use this tool to blend my pastel sticks for my backgrounds and undertones
Can use make-up sponges instead but not as firm as the sofft tool so doesn't blend as well
Comes in many different sizes and types. I use the tool with the sponge tip, rather than the full sponges but each have their uses.
It's a good idea to have a few different tips like the rectangle, triangle and oval
Easy to clean sponges so you keep re-using
If you rip the sponge tip it's because your using too much pressure and not enough pastel

3. BACKING BOARD

I like to tape my pastel paper to a backing board to give it support and strength
Without a board the pastelmat paper can curl
Easier to turn your work around as you draw
Needs to be a smooth surface so any texture doesn't transfer through to your drawing
I like to use 3mm MDF board
Have a couple of different sizes so you can work on more than one drawing at a time
Can be cut to size with a table saw or your hardware can cut for you

4. STICKY TAPE

I use clear sticky tape to secure my pastelmat paper to my MDF board
I use a tape gun with 2 inch wide tape so I can wrap it around the board
I tape approx 5mm over pastel paper which gives a nice clean edge after removed
Any brand tape is fine
Sticky tape won't rip your pastelmat paper or any sanded pastel papers as long as you peel it off away from your drawing and slowly.

5. GLASSINE PAPER

Glassine paper is transparent and shiny on both sides
I use a small piece under my hand when resting on my drawing while working, to avoid smudging
Is better than baking paper as doesn't smudge your pastel work
Used to place between pastel paintings to protect while storing or posting
Glassine in inexpensive to purchase

6. TRACING PAPER

I purchase my tracing paper by the A4 book
Used to create my line art from my reference image
I use it for both A4 and A3 line art but then use a grid or scale tool for larger work
Any brand is fine as long as you can see through it easily
If you have created your line art digitally, then you can print directly to your tracing paper

7. STABILO CARBOTHELLO PENCILS

My favorite pastel pencils due to their softness and bright colours
If starting out it's cheapest to buy the full set of 60 when on sale at Amazon.com.au. I've seen them as low as $120aud for the full set.
Purchase singular and they can be as expensive as $7aud per pencil
You won't use all the colours in a full set but it's handy to have them
Can be a struggle to sharpen due to their softness
I use pencils for most of my work

8. SOFT PASTEL STICKS

I use sticks mainly for the backgrounds of my pastel paintings and to block in the undertones
My favorite pastel sticks are schminckes
I use the Pan Pastel Sofft Tool to blend my sticks
If buying a set, it's best to buy a half stick set because you get twice the amount of colours for the price and pastel sticks last a very long time.
Sennelier have some great half stick sets and are also a nice soft pastel
Pastel stick brands vary in softness and I prefer the softer ones because I find they blend easier.

9/10. HOBBY KNIFE & SANDING BLOCK

I use for sharpening my carbothello pencils because they are soft, I find the knife works best
Once I have cut away the wood to expose the pastel, I then use the sanding block to create a point
The sanding block can also be used to create a point on a soft pastel stick if needed
It can also be used to create pastel dust if needed
The knife can be used to scrape pastel bits onto your painting to create a dotted texture effect which is great for waves crashing or sand
Any brand is fine but it feels better in the hand to have a knife that has a bit of weight to it
A piece of fine grain sandpaper works just the same as a sanding block

I hope this list has shed a bit of light and taken away some confusion when it comes to pastel painting. Of course this list is what I use for my realistic wildlife art and there are many other forms of pastel painting that may require different equipment. But if you like my style and want to learn how to draw mainly with pastel pencils then this is the list for you.

I also want to stress that it is much easier to learn pastel painting if you use good quality pastel supplies. You will make your learning process that much easier, especially when it comes to paper.

Don't forget to enjoy the process of creating and that realism takes time and patience.

Kerri xx

DOWNLOAD MY ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT LIST HERE

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Categories: : art, beginner, educational, pastels