Special Subjects: Get Started Painting

Pastel Tools & Techniques

If you like working with color, you’ll love pastel! It’s easy to use, and you don’t have to worry about drying times, toxicity, or odors. And pastel is very versatile—it is both a painting and a drawing medium! Although you won’t need many supplies to work in pastel, you will want a large assortment of colors. You can’t mix pastel colors on a palette (as you would with paint) before applying them to the support—you must layer and blend them directly on the paper itself. But pastels are available in thousands of colors, and since they never “expire,” you can buy as many colors as you like and keep them indefinitely. If you’re a beginner, buying sets is a good way to start building your collection; you can always purchase ...