Oil pastel drawings for beginners step by step. How to draw with pastels: dry pastels

Often, when a beginning artist needs to decide what material to work with, he tends to choose between oil and watercolor. But there is another category of art materials called “soft”. These include a simple and pleasant material to work with – pastel.

Drawing with pastel crayons involves close contact of the fingers with the paper, as strokes are often shaded to achieve the desired shade or texture. Thanks to this, you can literally “feel” the drawing while working. In addition, the technique of drawing with pastels has a magical property - it tends to transform the simplicity and even “primitiveness” of a drawing from a disadvantage into an advantage.

From classics to impressionism

The history of pastel began in the 15th century. Mentions of this material can be found in the theoretical works of Leonardo da Vinci. The French word “pastel” itself began to be used much later - in the middle of the 17th century. It comes from the Latin pastellum - paste. Lighter colors were obtained from pure dark pigment by grinding it with chalk - hence the well-known word “pastel”.

This material was used by many artists of the Renaissance, as well as outstanding representatives of modern art: Ingres, Jean Etienne Lyotard, John Russell, Maurice de La Tour. The use of pastels in the classical portrait genre, both in its pure form and in combination with gouache, was especially popular.

The technique was later used by James Whistler for his famous atmospheric landscapes. Also, this material was popular among artists representing the main directions of painting of the 19th and early 20th centuries - the Impressionists and the artists of the Nabis group (Les Nabis). Pierre Bonnard, Jean Edouard Vuillard, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet and many others painted with pastels.

Surprisingly, the pastels that Degas used can still be bought today - the small shop “La Maison du Pastel” in one of the alleys of Paris has hardly changed since the 1920s. Production using the technology invented by Henri Rochat is carried out by his heirs.

The family workshop still uses antique tools and makes pastels by hand. The full range of colors is 567 shades, and the price for one chalk reaches 12-18 euros. It was this type of pastel that Degas’s famous series of ballerinas and some of Sisley’s works were painted in.

Types of pastels for drawing

Pastel crayons come in three types:

• dry - the most convenient for beginners, it is easy to shade and can be erased with an eraser, colors can be overlapped;
• oil painting - requires certain skills, since it is difficult to correct what is drawn;
• waxy - does not shade, and although it lays down with a beautiful glossy layer, it is not easy to work with; it is often used in the technique of scratching on wax paper for a backing pattern;

It is not customary to combine several types of pastels in one drawing. Beginning artists are better off sticking with the first option.

Pastel, being a delicate and fragile material, requires careful handling, both with the crayons themselves and with the finished work. Drawing with dry pastels is well suited for both quick sketches or studies, and long-term productions - returning to the work again and again, if desired, it can be brought to a photographic resemblance (if we are talking about drawing from life). Therefore, this material is equally good for both lovers of expression and supporters of painstaking drawing.

You can safely take pastels with you on a trip or for a walk - they are great for plein air (painting in nature). Capturing the play of light, conveying the texture of clouds or the rhythm of waves - this is not at all difficult to do.

Perhaps the only disadvantage of this material is the need to comply with certain storage conditions for pastel works (this does not apply to wax pastels). Namely:

• the work must be opened with a fixative, otherwise it will crumble over time;
• if you want to hang a pastel drawing in the interior, it should be placed under glass or plastic, and best of all, where it will not be exposed to sunlight;
• To store your works, you need to create a folder in which each drawing will be covered with a sheet of tracing paper, or you can initially use a special album for pastels.

What you need to paint with pastels

Tablet or easel

When drawing with pastels, it is convenient to place a sheet of paper vertically or at an angle. This will make it much easier to evaluate the overall picture, and also easier to transfer lines from nature (still life or portrait) to paper. Therefore, it is most convenient to get an easel or tablet that you can lean on a table or the back of a chair.

Pastel crayons

High-quality pastels cannot be called a cheap material, but with rational use, one set will last for a long time. In addition, novice artists should not chase the number of colors - 12-15 will be quite enough. When choosing a material in a store, you can usually try it out - a good pastel should lay on the paper with a velvety layer, without leaving small crumbs on the surface of the paper, and should be shaded well.

Drawing paper

In addition to pastel crayons, you will need tinted corrugated paper - it will allow you to make the most of the capabilities of the crayons. You can also purchase ready-made albums for pastels - they usually contain paper of 4-5 colors (usually dim light brown, gray, terracotta colors), and after each sheet of paper there is a sheet of tracing paper. When drawing, it is permissible to leave fragments unfilled with color - you can “play” on this by choosing paper of the same color as one of the objects being depicted. Using this technique, you will create the effect of professional mastery of the material.

Brushes and sponges

If desired, you can use flat brushes or pieces of sponge for shading, but at the initial stage it is preferable to use your finger - this way you can “feel” the material and understand how to achieve the desired effect.

Retainer

Pastel drawings must be opened with a special varnish from a spray bottle.
But you can also use hairspray. When opening the work, you need to hold the sprayer at a distance of 30-40 cm from the surface.

Features of the technology

Although pastel drawing is more often classified as graphics, this medium can also be used in a purely painterly manner.

The main thing you need to learn before you start drawing with pastels is to see colors. When drawing from life, you need to catch the reflexes that throw one object onto another, peer into the shadows and find different shades in them, and not “paint over” with one color from one edge to the other.

It is also important to pay attention to the direction of the strokes - they should fit according to the shape, and not arbitrarily. This way, the objects will look voluminous. Large stains of color are best covered by holding the crayon flat.

You need to work on the drawing evenly - you shouldn’t take on just one thing. First, you should lightly cover all the light areas, then the dark ones; the most active accents and highlights should be placed at the very end. In the process of drawing from life, you need to constantly compare the tone of objects: a white object does not have to be the lightest.

When drawing with pastels, as, indeed, with any other material, you need to remember about aerial perspective - the boundaries of distant objects should be softer than the outlines of nearby ones; what is in the distance (in the landscape) should be colder in tone than what is in the foreground.

You can achieve the desired shade in a pastel drawing either by alternating multi-colored strokes (optical mixing) or by overlapping one color with another (mechanical mixing). You can adjust the sharpness of contours or color saturation using shading. If there is a need to draw very small details, you can use pastel pencils in addition to crayons.

Painting with oil pastels allows you to achieve particularly vibrant colors. This material is very soft, a little “greasy” and has good hiding power. They are a pleasure to work with, but you can get carried away with the colors and forget about volume and shape. Therefore, it is better to turn to oil pastels after you have mastered the basics of dry drawing.

Pastel is a very rewarding material - shortcomings in craftsmanship are advantageously hidden by the spectacular appearance of the finished drawing. It will also not be difficult for a novice artist to find his own special style of drawing. Pastel works, even the simplest ones, look good in the interior.

If you are passionate, then be sure to get acquainted with other techniques:,. All of them can not only please, but also bring in sales of finished works, becoming a good help for the family budget.

Oil pastels are very different from dry pastels. In fact, these are wax crayons familiar to many - linseed oil acts as a binder for the pigment. People who don’t know about pastels in general often come to the store and buy oil pastels because of their bright colors and beautiful crayons.
I bought myself a box to experiment with. It turned out that there are a lot of ways to use these beautiful colorful crayons. I have Mungyo pastels in 36 colors, great shades from acidic to natural. This is what they look like. It’s good for testing, but if you want something even better, you can look at Van Gogh and Sennelier.

Drawing on regular pastel paper

Drawing on sandpaper

Painting with solvent

Sgrafitto

Encaustic

Finally, a few features of oil pastels.
Over time, the oil is absorbed into the base and the pattern becomes a little darker. If the design was based on white paper, yellowish oil stains may appear on it, so it is better to use colored paper or cover the entire surface of the design. There are also cases when, over time, oil appears in droplets across the picture; you just need to carefully remove them with a solvent.
Oil pastels, unlike dry pastels, do not require fixing. Sometimes oil pastels are varnished, but I find this unnecessary. Pastels should be stored in a folder carefully so that they do not stick to anything. It is best to keep the drawing under glass. The glass should not touch the work.

In general, oil pastels seem to me to be a very bright and lively material. It is suitable for “careless”, generalized in style, paintings. For those who like to tinker with details and smooth halftones, oil pastels will most likely not be suitable.

Drawing with oil pastels is quite an interesting activity that combines the characteristics of working with wax pencils and dry pastels. Although the final result can be very beautiful, using and mixing oil pastels on a sheet is a little more difficult than regular dry pastels. However, with the right materials, knowledge of proper painting techniques, and some effort, you can learn to create your own masterpieces using oil pastels.

Steps

Preparing the necessary materials

1. Choose paper for pastels or watercolors, cardboard or canvas. All of the above types of base are rough enough for pastels to stick well to them. For aerial drawings like sketches, choose 90 gsm paper. If you are going to draw something more saturated, take paper with a density of 160 g/m². Please note that the paper should be matte; pastels will not adhere well to glossy paper. Also, always choose a paper that is the right size for you so that there is not too much or too little free space in the drawing.

   • Do not use paper containing acids, as they will cause the pastel to discolor and crack.
   • Use paper that matches your design to create a harmonious color combination. For example, for a natural landscape with a lot of green tones, use light green paper.
   • To experiment with creating different moods and atmospheres in your drawings, try using paper that is a contrasting color to the pastel tones you are using. For example, if you are painting a blue lake with a black night sky, use purple paper to create a melancholy effect.

2. Purchase a set of oil pastels from a trusted manufacturer in the color scheme you need. Unlike other types of pastels, there are not many manufacturers producing oil pastels. And only a few brands offer professional, artist-quality pastels. For beginners, we can recommend oil pastel sets from Van Gogh. This company positions itself as a manufacturer of art materials for study, but the quality of its products allows them to successfully compete with manufacturers of professional-quality pastels. If you decide to purchase professional oil pastels, opt for one of the cheaper sets of professional artist quality pastels, or assemble the palette you need by purchasing crayons individually.

   • Think about what kind of images you will be drawing and choose pastel colors that match your ideas. Buy pastels individually and assemble a suitable palette.
   • Oil pastels can be purchased through online stores, specialty art supply stores, craft and office supply stores.

3. Choose both hard and soft oil pastels for more variety. Harder pastels are good for drawing out the finer details of a sketch and the first layers of a drawing, while soft pastels are good for painting over dense, rich layers of hard pastel. For example, professional artist quality oil pastels, in descending order of hardness from hardest to softest, can be represented by the following list: Cray-Pas Specialist, Cretacolor Aqua Stic, Erengi Art Aspirer, Caran d'Ache Neopastel and Holbein, and Sennelier Oil Pastels.

   • As you gain experience, try to pay attention to which brands of pastel you are most comfortable working with.

4. Buy accessories such as brushes, erasers, and shading pens. Brushes and sponges are ideal for rubbing oil pastels. To correct defects in the drawing, it is better to purchase a nag, which is an eraser made of plastic rubber. It can also be helpful to purchase different types of paper shading pens, including pointed and blunt ones, to blend and smudge pastel tones.

   • Pastel scrapers can easily be replaced with toothpicks (wooden or plastic) or a nail curette.

   Basic techniques for working with oil pastels

   1. Select an object to draw and decide how large you want it to be in your drawing. Start with something easy, like a dog, a house, a lake, or a simple apple. But if you are ready for difficulties, you can choose a more complex drawing object, for example a person or a landscape.

      • When choosing a subject to paint, consider the pastel tones you have available so you have all the colors you'll need for the job. If you're running low on flowers, see if you can't improvise a little with what you have.
      • Start with images that contain only 1-3 colors. Even with so many colors, you can experiment to create different shades, so there will be plenty of work.

   2. Create a general outline on a separate sheet of paper to help you plan out your drawing. On a separate sheet of paper (identical to the one you will use in your pastel work), draw something small and simple with pastels. Work with light pressure on the chalk. Don't draw too many details, concentrate on the general sketch and the feeling of working with this paper. Keep working until you are happy with your sketch.

      • Outline the specific colors you are going to use for individual areas of the design. For example, mark the ground with dark green strokes and the puddles with dark blue.

   3. Lightly sketch the design on a basic piece of paper using hard colored pastels. Choose lighter colors for your sketch and draw the outlines of the objects you are drawing with light pressure using the crayons. If you make a mistake, erase the mistakes and try again. Don't worry about the small details for now, leave them for later.

      • Avoid using black pastels to sketch to avoid distorting and contaminating other colors.
      • Draw vertical and horizontal lines of symmetry in your sketch to break up larger objects and shapes. This will help you distribute and blend the colors of the design properly.
      • For greater sketch accuracy, use hard pastels.

   4. Work from background to foreground. When working with pastels, it is better to draw objects sequentially from the background to the closest object in the foreground. With this approach, you will always draw the outline of the subject on top of the background, which will give you greater drawing accuracy. After filling in the background and foreground with the main strokes, move on to shading the tones with your fingers, a special tool or a paper napkin.

      • Design the background with a thick layer of pastel, working with moderate pressure on the crayons. But if you plan to draw something over the background, draw it with less pressure on the crayons.
      • Use hard pastels for the background and bottom layer of the drawing. For the foreground and additional layers, use softer pastels.

   5. Draw the general outlines of the main objects using their base color. An important part of painting with pastels is creating base layers. For example, if you are drawing a pear, draw its outline in a medium tone of green. Then start painting it with the same tone. When creating the base layer of the object, press down fairly firmly on the chalk.

      • Save the extreme tones (in this case light green and dark green) for later.
      • Blend the base color of the subject into its outlines to make the sketch lines invisible.

   6. Introduce additional tones into the drawing as a second layer. Start adding more details and colors to the object. If you're painting a pear and have already painted it with a base green color, you can move on to using a dark green on one side of the pear and a light green on the other side. Work with the second layer using less pressure on the crayons.

      • Blend the colors with your finger, a blender, or a paper towel.
      • Use lines of symmetry to separate colors into zones and blend them at the point of contact.

   7. Mix different colors together to create the effect of a smooth transition of tones in your drawing. When mixing colors, always start with the darker tone. Start by pressing firmly on the chalk and draw a line in the desired direction, gradually reducing the pressure. After applying the first color, take a second, lighter pastel color and next to the first line, similarly draw a second line in the direction from the lighter part of the first line to the darker one. Then use a blender or finger to gently blend the tones. This will remove the border separating them and create the effect of a smooth color transition.

      • Dip a cotton swab in baby oil and run it over the strokes of the design to blend the tones without using your fingers.
      • For greater accuracy and better control over your actions, use special shading. They are ideal for shading small areas.
      • When mixing tones, work in a circular motion to create varying shades of color.

   8. Continue to paint over objects and apply subsequent layers of pastel. Use the basic technique of painting over objects with layers of pastel wherever you can find a use for it in your drawing. For example, for a puddle, apply a dark blue layer on top of a light blue layer. Then scrape off sections of the dark top layer, exposing the light layer, to create a unique water highlight effect.

      • Don't use too many colors at once, as this can make them dirty. Show restraint. If something already looks good, don't add anything else!
      • As you add layers, work with soft pastels to make it easier to blend and shade the tones.
      • When drawing small details, such as a pear stalk or leaves on a tree, use hard pastel.

   9. Practice more, but don't get overwhelmed! You won't be able to create a perfect picture right away. Take your time and experiment with different shapes, images, colors and techniques. Remember that this is your first attempt and that everyone needs practice to get good at something.

      • Try drawing different types of scenes and objects to develop your skills.
      • Buy a variety of pastel colors and experiment with unique combinations.

   10. Fix your drawing with a special fixing varnish for oil pastels. Be sure to spray a thin layer of varnish over your work in a well-ventilated area. When the fixative dries (after about 10 minutes), the drawing can be left as is or framed. Be sure to use a thick backing around the perimeter of the design so that your work is located at a distance of about 5 mm from the glass in the frame and cannot smear.

       • For maximum protection, mount your design to a piece of wood before framing it.

   Advanced Drawing Techniques

   1. Layer multiple pastel colors on top of each other to create dynamic images. Start by applying a base color to the paper using firm pressure with the crayon. Next, create a layer of the second color by working with the wide side of the crayon. For example, if you are painting a sun, apply a layer of yellow as a base. Then fill in about half of the yellow area with a layer of red pastel to create a unique orange-red tonal mix.

      • Experiment with different pressure on the crayons as you create layers. For example, for a sun image, apply a moderate yellow base coat with light pressure using the crayon. Then complement it with light layers of orange and red to create different shades.

   2. Scrape off individual sections of varying and layered colors for unique effects. After creating two thick layers of different colors, use a pastel scraper, comb, or needle to scratch patterns into the top layer to reveal the layer underneath. This technique is most effective when the top layer of the design is darker than the bottom, such as gray or black.

      • Use this technique to complete your final drawing with lines of a specific color. For example, if you painted a pear and applied a dark green color as the last layer, you can scratch the lines to reveal a lighter green tone underneath.
      • Experiment with different tools, such as using a paperclip or a toothpick, to create different line variations.
      • Use 3-4 layers of pastel so you can achieve a variety of results by scratching the lines.

   3. Cut out the stencil to create different designs for the outline of your images. On a separate sheet of paper, draw the outlines of a specific image, for example, a flower. Cut out the outlines of the image and attach the resulting stencil to a working sheet of pastel paper. Then paint along the inner edges of the stencil with your chosen color to create crisp outer lines of the image. As an alternative, you can apply a cut-out section of the stencil to pastel paper and paint the area around its outer contours to create an image with blurred outer contours and sharp inner contours.

      • When working with a stencil, blend the pastel with your fingers away from the stencil outline to achieve a smooth color transition.

   4. For convenience, first draw the outlines of objects with a pencil or light pastel color. Once you've mastered the basic techniques of mixing and layering pastel tones, start painting some images. Draw something simple first and create a general sketch first. Try drawing simple objects like the sun, a tree or an apple. Try making your first sketches with a simple pencil. Once you've got the hang of it, move on to sketching directly with oil pastels. Remember that you should draw a sketch with pastels with light pressure on the crayon and use the very tip of the crayon, and not the wide side part.

      • Break complex objects into simple shapes such as circles, squares and triangles.
      • Do not use black pastel to sketch as it will ruin any colors placed on top of it.

   What you will need

   • Oil pastel
   • Paper
   • Pencil
   • Feathering (optional)
   • Bristle oil painting brush (optional)
   • Clean your oil pastel crayons regularly with a little baby oil and a paper towel. This will protect your work from accidental strokes of the wrong color.
   • After blending each color with your fingers, wash your hands or keep wet wipes handy to clean your hands. Or try shading the pastels not with your fingers, but with paper (in the form of purchased paper shading or rolled up paper yourself) to keep your hands clean.
   • Get creative! Don't be afraid to break the "rules" of drawing to find yourself.
   • Practice regularly, as painting with oil pastels is not easy!
   • It's best to paint in a quiet place where there are no distractions and good lighting.

I painted poppies in winter, during the holidays.
I was then ready to draw in pastels not a flawed landscape, but something adequate.
For this purpose, I dug into the people on ICQ to find out their favorite flowers. No one really inspired me, so I went to Google. When I asked for “flowers,” he gave me beautiful poppies... And I fell in love. Despite all my dislike for red... I decided that this would be the leitmotif of my new attempt at pastels. Moreover, I have excellent English paper in warm colors:

The quality of the photos is working, so I apologize in advance.

The first sheet of paper is red. Let's leave it there:

I don’t really know why I decided to choose red. But I decided to plunge into meditation in the hope of awakening my intuition, because there is even more of it here than in watercolors. Direct skin contact with color pigment - what could be more pleasant?...
What is required besides paper?
1. Pastel - I have 72 “Spectrum” colors and 12 “Gamma” colors. Cheap and cheerful. I'm afraid to even dream about "Unisson" and the like.
2. Applicators for shadows (can be seen in one of the previous posts). Strictly speaking, special shading is needed, but I have never seen them in my city. So we will use non-standard tools.
3. Fingers. I use the nameless one, and occasionally the middle one.
4. Wet wipes - periodically wipe dirty fingers so as not to stain the drawing.
5. A little plain paper, any kind - we will sprinkle pastel dust on it.
6. Well, where would I be without green tea from my favorite mug:

First of all, take a stationery knife, pastel chalk and make dust:

I didn’t really remember the colors, I typed them at random:

My conclusions:
1. There was enough dust in each pile for me to dip my finger once. You need to plan more, but you can do it as you go to control consumption.
2. At first, without getting the hang of it, the result was not dust, but shavings. It is not suitable for drawing, I just had to sweep it away from the drawing. Then I learned how to whittle away dust.
3. The colors of pastel in chalk and in dust are very different. In dust, most often, the color turns out brighter and deeper.

Initially, I sketched the outlines of future flowers with white pastel chalk (sorry, I forgot to take a photo). This is one of the most important moments for me personally - I feel fear in front of a white (in this case red) sheet, I close my eyes and apply the first small strokes, as if testing the paper, establishing contact with it. When the first contact has been made and the first slight balance has been achieved between me and the texture of the paper, I open my eyes and work more confidently until the outlines are ready.
Start filling the space with color from the background. I took the dust on my finger and rubbed it into the paper in a circular motion (extension - despite all the lessons on the Internet, I don’t know and don’t follow the techniques of drawing with pastels!). At first I didn’t understand the trick of the paper - the pigment leaves significant gaps in the rough texture of the paper. Then for some reason I got upset, stepped up and decided to sketch the background just with chalk, with strokes:

This doesn’t seem to be visible anywhere, but in those places where I shaded the background with chalk, it turned out to be a dirty surface. It’s good that the chalk only worked on a small piece.
Here you can see part of the original sketch and how I completed the top part of the background with brown tones:

Background finished:

My conclusions:
1. Still, the contact of your fingers with the dye is an amazing feeling... Imagine - you just had a blank sheet of paper, and now a drawing appears...
2. Chalk blends poorly in isolated form, but perfectly in the form of dust.
3. While I was painting the background, I began to like the paper feature - the color of the paper shows through the pigment, creating the mood of the picture - in this case, warm, sunny. The red paper supports the spots of poppies in the background and should shade the poppies in the foreground.
4. At the end of the post I will show the reference of the painting, but I will make a reservation right away - I did not set out to create a photographically realistic work. I took only the contours and colors as a basis. Further as your fingers lead.
5. Fingers are occasionally (read “constantly”) wiped on a damp cloth, very convenient. Two napkins were used for the background of this drawing.
6. I had to add dust from time to time, because I always ran out.
7. Shaders (applicators) are not suitable for the background at all (maybe I’m the only one who has this problem?), they erase more pigment than they add it to the paper.
8. Drawing greenery is the most rewarding activity. The eye rests, the soul rejoices.
9. Previously (before this drawing) I was a big idiot and did not understand the trick of colored paper for pastels at all. Therefore, apparently, my first attempt (unconsciously), painted on white watercolor paper, was unsuccessful. The color of the paper is selected individually in each specific case and allows you to emphasize the depth of pastel colors and reveal its shine.

The background is ready, and you can proceed to the poppies themselves. And then it hit me “suddenly” - I don’t have a red chalk!!! Well, that is, he is. But it's not red, it's pink. I sat in frustration for half an hour, shook my ICQ, and then remembered that I had a small “Gamma” set of 12 colors. There was a red crayon there - not the perfect scarlet color, but at least not pink.
Let's start working with the petals:

Here it turned out to be more convenient to work with shading, since the object in this case is quite small.
While I was working I needed an orange crayon. It turned out that all the orange crayons were also close to pink (though maybe I'm being paranoid), which didn't suit me at all. What should I do? The answer turned out to be super simple: mix red and yellow crayons, or rather their dust. The result is excellent.
We're done with the flowers, only the stems and bud remain:

And here is the finished result, photographed the next morning in sunlight:

The colors are a little duller than reality, but overall close to the original. Upon closer inspection, you can see how small particles of pastel sparkle in the light, refracting and reflecting it. The picture seems to glow.
Promised reference:

Ugh. I'm tired.

Thank you for attention! I will be happy to answer all your questions!

How to draw with pastels: dry pastels

In this lesson I will introduce you to pastel crayons; I'll tell you what they are and how to use them. You will discover a new direction in creating bright and colorful works that do not lose their quality and which can be painted both at home and outside.

Why pastel?

I have to admit that pastel is my absolute favorite among all the drawing methods. The dynamics of the incredible variety of colors amazes the imagination, and the detail is sometimes amazing. To work, you only need a piece of paper and pastels - nothing more. You can quickly get your finished drawing at home or outside the walls, and you don't have to wait for it to dry.

For me, painting with pastels is something of a conscious choice to take advantage of subtleties, and by that I mean:

— different shades of pastel crayons and pencils that I work with;

- the color of the paper or cardboard that I use (should it shine under my drawing or not?);

- colors that I have already used and the effect that appears when applying new colors to them;

— how shading with a finger can change a drawing;

- Do I have the courage to leave clear lines unshaded?

What pastel crayons are not

Chalk

Pastel- not what teachers use to write on the blackboard and not what children use to draw on the asphalt. Chalk is made from carbonate lime and mixed with dye, and is usually too faded and quite hard.

Oil pastel

Like pastel crayons, oil pastels are made entirely from pigment, but oil pastels are mixed with a non-drying oil substance and a wax binder. It can be used along with resin to make a paste.

1. Pastel

Pastel is a pure powdery pigment mixed with a small amount of binder. This makes them softer than chalk and makes them more versatile. They vary in color from calm tones to very bright ones and are an excellent tool for creating large and small paintings in any environment.

Some pastels are harder than usual and I think there is little difference between them. I use both for large-scale drawings and for creating details - although some types are more fragile. I only feel the difference in color.

Pastels are produced in round and square shapes. Again, I use both crayons for both scale and detail. However, each type has its own advantages - they provide different types of strokes. Below you can see a fragment of a painting with the fur of a howling wolf. You can see the different strokes and places where I used round and square chalks, but I deliberately applied the strokes with the edge of the square crayon to give the fur a matted effect.

Advice

When you start drawing, do not outline the base with a graphite pencil, as chalk does not adhere well to it. Use a pastel pencil or, if you don't have one, a comte pencil, charcoal or, finally, pastel itself.

Which crayons should I choose?

You can buy a box of pastels with different colors. Inscribe offers a good starter kit with 48 colors in a variety of shades at a reasonable price. However, their crayons are quite hard and a little smudgeable; They make it difficult to draw thin lines. Avoid sets that have a lot of bright colors, as you will find that "variety" is too limiting as you paint.

The lesson is translated from the site design.tutsplus.com.