I noticed when comparing the Terry Ludwig and great American against the Rembrandt (9.10) you didn't use the same application over the Rembrandt as you did with the other two. Which in my opinion wasn't a fair view. Had you used the same method as the other two, you would have got the same effect I would have thought. Thanks
"Just trust me ... look in my eyes right now, ... you will never regret it" ... Gotta love that enthusiasm !!! Thank you Mr. Picard for an absolutely outstanding eye opening video on pastel colors !!!
I’m trying to get back into drawing and wanted to work more with pastels. I’m blown away by the variety and price tags but having used a few of those nicer ones in the past I totally understand. This was great to understand how I can progress through the different qualities of pastels as I get better!
Alain, would love short video from you talking about your hard pastels approach now that Nupastels are unavailable in open stock. Most of us can't continually buy sets just to restock a couple colors- what brands with open stock are you recommending now?
This is the first video of yours I've seen because I'm thinking about getting into soft pastels.... But off topic... Your voice though... the sound of your voice... DAMN! In a good way 😉
Thanks. Top notch. Pragmatic and articulate…the best combination. A tip: I stop off at the thrift store about once a week for art supplies. There’s almost always a quality set of pastels for sale for less than $10. Actually usually half of that.
My Rembrandt pastels were a gift in 1961. I wonder if the quality has changed over the years. In this big wooden box, I have buttery soft and hard ones.
Monet Cafe' with Artist Susan Jenkins hey thanks for sharing! Wonderful to team up and partner in sharing the joy of pastel painting with others! Blessings to you Susan.
As a beginner to pastels, I love Rembrandts and find them more forgiving than the extra soft pastels. They give me lots of chances to fix mistakes 🤣 and I make a lot of mistakes. I am looking forward to getting to a skill level where I can use the extra soft pastels well.
I'm enjoying koh I Noor giocondas. Hard sticks very similar to nupastel. Beginners have options today that are quite surprising. New Amazon chunky soft pastel that feels similar to Sennelier and Unison, perhaps a cross between. 72 half sticks for 60 bucks. A great way to start. Most of us aren't selling our art. I have Carbothellos. Lots of browns, Sanguine in their 60 set.
Bonjour Alain, merci pour cette vidéo très instructif et pédagogique, je me lance de le pastel, après mettre essayer avec du pastel bas de gamme d'hard discount, je voulais monter de gamme et j'allais cliquer pour acheter un set de pastel Rembrandt, mais votre vidéo comparatif et de qualité a été pour moi décisif dans mon choix. Je m'abonne à votre chaine en espérant découvrir un peu plus de ce fascinant médium (Alma de France)
Dear Alma, I am so glad you have found me and are learning pastel! Better quality pastels and papers mean so much. Enjoy your exploration of this colorful medium and keep in touch!
I have so far only tested a few brands, and not the most expensive ones. I agree with you on the Sennelier half-sticks. Those feel great to lay down, and strong colors too.
Would you talk about combining all brands of pastels you have and sorting them by color and temperature as opposed to keeping them in their original box? And then if you’re going to a class or off somewhere to paint how to decide what to take? And thank you for all that you do!
Such a great explanation and description of the overwhelming number of soft pastel brands out there! I found myself nodding in agreement with everything you said, and feel it will be an invaluable guide to those just starting out on their pastel journey. I had to chuckle a little when you started talking about pastel pencils and the sharpening issue with some of them. All I will say is, I’ve learned sometimes it’s better to just use an exacto knife or other sharp blade, in addition to a sanding block, to sharpen some brands of pastel pencils.
Glad you enjoyed this Leora, and know that we are following up with more supporting videos like this one! I could definitely create an uncensored bloopers reel of pastel pencil sharpening mishaps!!!
Alain Picard oh gosh, I could go on for an hour. I have an addiction to pastels, I will admit. And as my husband likes to remind me, “buying more sticks of pastel won’t make you a better artist...”. LOL! Sennelier pastels have some of the most brilliant, intense colors, which I absolutely love. There is a reason they have had a great reputation for centuries! Girault pastels have a lovely texture and such subtle colors that work effortlessly and well with portraits, landscapes, just anything. Truly the colors found in nature, and how nice for doing fine lines on top of layers of pastels! Terry Ludwig Pastels...I open a box of those pastels and think I’ve died and gone to heaven! So many unique colors, including the darker than black eggplant, such buttery, rich, pure pigment, such a wonderful square stick for making luscious marks! Oh I could go on forever about Terry Ludwig Pastels. I even love the way they have them set up in collections, such good decision making as far as what pastels to include in each selection! And how lovely it is to support a business from my own country, the USA! Diane Townsend....also an American firm, and a texture I have come to appreciate and find very useful! Nupastels are wonderful for the initial stages of a painting, and although they are a bit harder, come in handy for indicating branches, grasses, etc. As you can see, I have agreed with all of your choices!
Alain Picard Thank you so much! All the best to you too, and thank you again for your marvelous videos and the breathtaking art you create to give to the world!
I've just found your channel, and man, what a blessing! Your videos are very informational without being overwhelming. You have a very soothing demeanor and tone of voice. I'm typically a fiber artist but I've always wanted to work with pastels - I would love to "paint" scenery. Very excited to get into them, thank you for your helpful content!
Your a good teacher im sure student can learn easier your must be soft towards them, beautiful art painting im a beginner im so excited the result of my work., happy new year 🎊🎊🎊
This was super helpful, Alain - many thanks for sharing this freely. If you are so inclined to do another video along these lines, I know that I and other pastel artists may find it helpful to know which ones can be layered more easily. That is, obviously the super soft ones cannot be subject to much layering, but in your video that you shared here of trees in pastels, you mentioned you have a variety in your palette and it seemed like you were freely working with all of them, even at times with a hard touch, with no mud, no smearing, which is a huge frustration for me despite a light touch. Granted, I'm working with Sennelier and Rembrandt but it would seem logical to me to begin with the hards, progress to the mediums and add finishing touches with the softs... Would be interesting to get your perspective on this when you reach for a color if you're thinking of hardness as well depending on the stage of the painting.
Thanks Holly, I totally understand. Yes, let's save this conversation for a future video. I'm a bit non-traditional in my approach, but the logic of "fat over lean" definitely applies. Light touch first, heavier application last. Keep painting!
These videos are great! When I’m talking to a beginner pastelist I always want them to view your videos as to how to work with, and choose pastels, paint portraits, landscapes, etc. you are very encouraging!
Great Video! Have you tried the Henri Roché pastels from "La Maison du Pastel" , would be really interesting to see as they are waaaaaaay beyond my budged lol
I have a small selection of Roche pastels. They are very special. Not an option for beginners due to price but a very high quality pastel that lasts longer than many.
Love you Alein, you give such great insight and always make me laugh! “ I don’t like being that guy, but it takes me there!” Your the best - I’m crying with laughter! God bless you!
I love using the Rembrandts for portraits they’re wonderful to layer and get a slightly painted feel I’ll use the white, red, yellow ochre (for skin tone) and dark green (for shadows) they glaze over eachother wonderfully. And for a much more painted feel I love the Sennelier Paris collection 120 half sticks for an amazing value. I use the Rembrandt’s and Senneliers together as well for different things. And I love the Caran D’ache Pastel pencils especially for wildlife and people portraits. They’re great for fur and layering but definitely a little more pricey than some of the other brands out there. I honestly haven’t tried any hard pastels yet and now look forward to trying some.
I bought my mungjo pastels,soft.and I am totally I love with them.the colors are amazing,and i love them.thank you alain.i can't wait to see what my first inspiration will be,with my pastels.👍
Hey thanks, that's kind. I can't really take credit for the voice God gave me, but I am glad I have an outlet for it now with UA-cam! People told me for years I should do voiceover work. It just never felt like the right path, but this is so much fun to create videos and share with all of you. Glad it works! All the best in your creative growth, sylvianblue!
Yes, great information, thank you. I'd like to know more about the interaction of pastel support with pastel brand and the type of look that you want to achieve. Thanks so much, Jane.
Hi Jane, our next video explores supports, so you should get further clarity and understanding from that lesson in conjunction with this one. The best way to learn is by experimenting with surfaces, so keep trying new things! DakotaPastels.com sells paper sample packs, that can be a great way to inexpensively experiment with multiple surfaces. All the best!
I am so delighted to see this video :) It took me many many hours to research and finally purchased my first sets of pastels. I wish I saw this video few months ago. Regardless, i realized that i made very good choices for a beginner, with a 120 half stick set from Sennelier and another set from Unison as well Rembrandt for medium pastels ( Christmas gift), and Nupastel for the hard pastels. I will still dream of the TL soft pastels dark set, but will get there :) thank you for making videos with such valuable content, i am always excited to see them and learn. Excellent teaching methods and very inspiring. Thank you also for asking in the email about content and questions, it was really lovely idea. I hope to be able to take your workshops in the future. The first video i have seen about pastels it was yours and i was mesmerized with the results, so the reason for which today i even have this medium is because of your videos. To my surprise it gives me endless joy!
Hey Helen, that's amazing! I'm so honored and really excited to hear that you got into pastels through this video content. Wow! You have a great set of pastels there, and like I said, the Rembrandts are still great for many things much like the hard pastels. Keep working and experimenting, and you'll find you own way! I'll be sure to keep you inspired with more future content! All the best
Thank you for that great descriptive video of the “why” you like certain brands and how they work best. I printed the list out so I can refer to it when purchasing.
Thank you, Alain, for the great Pastel Supply list. SO helpful! Can't I just buy all the pastels?! Oh, wait, I'm not that rich. Thanks again! Love your videos .. you inspire me. Clear, organized teaching! Wow.
Thank you so VERY much. This was so informative. I have wanted to know the differences of the many pastels out there but never found anyone who could explains so beautifully. I am so glad I found you while I was reading one of the pastel magazines last week. I have been watching your videos and I have to say I love you teaching abilities, you see I am new to pastels. Again, Thank you and have a great painting day.
Heads up on the Caran D'ache pastel pencils. So.e sets like both my sets have pencils where no color can get onto the paper. Jason Morgan, a wild life artist,had the same issue too. For the price all these pencils, they should perform to your satisfaction. Pitt pastel pencils do not have this issues not do not cost as much but still professional level art supply.
For how expensive the brand is, caran dache has a ton of quality issues. Their luminance pencils also have batches where they are scratchy instead of buttery.
Thank you for sharing your information , especially for new pastel painters . I did waist money on buying wrong type of pastels . These information will help a lot.
So sorry to hear you feel like some money was wasted on the wrong products Sima. That's frustrating! Hopefully, you will be on the right track now! Al the best to you
I just got the Paris set of Sennelier soft pastels and the Faber-Castell set of pastel pencils seriously on sale. I'm probably crazy using my tortoiseshell cat as my first pastel portrait, but after watching so many pastel videos, I think I can! If I capture the sweet expression on her little face, the rest will be fine. Thanks for your supply list. I'm using the pastelmat paper. It's expensive, so PRESSURE, but I want to try it.
Hi Alain and thanks for all the info. Since you asked, this is the correct way to pronounce Caran d'Ache: KA RAN DASH, with a broad A in each syllable (like when the doctor tells you to stick out your tongue and say Ahhh), and the tonic accent on DASH. The apostrophe in French never has a sound on its own, so you wouldn't say "de-ash" I'm new to pastels, and have supplemented a cheap set, which performs surprisingly well on Pastelmat with a few Sennelier and Rembrandt. And I agree, the Sennelier are nicer.
Thank you for so much helpful information. I have done a little pastel and liked it. I took a class some years ago and the teacher did very beautiful work. It inspired me.
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge here. I learned a lot... and I'm so glad you gave pointers on what to buy and why, so I don't waste money buying supplies I won't use later.
Excellent video Alain! Great demos on each pastel !! I love pastels , they are like diamonds to me. I rather buy pastels than have jewelry! I do have Terry Ludwig, Great American, Schmincke , Unison, Sennelier, Diane Townsend and Nupastels. Also Pan Pastels are fun too! I like the look of the painting , more impressionistic I love your videos and the Painterly Look , so Beautiful Alain!! Thank you again , hope to see more , maybe on pastel paper . Maureen Baril
Thanks so much for all the encouragement! You have a wonderful collection of pastels! Stay tuned to this channel, and you'll find out more about papers in the coming weeks!
Thank you for sharing all this information. Your teaching style is great, very relaxed. I love girault, unison, and sennelier. I have a new box of Terry Ludwig which I’m afraid to use..lol Maybe I’ll give them a whirl tomorrow.
thanks Silvana! You should definitely put those Ludwigs to work! Just use them with a light touch at first. I appreciate your feedback! Have fun painting!
New subscriber... I absolutely love this video, thank you for giving other pastel options with total explanation and demo of each. Very thorough, much appreciated! Peace and Blessings from Texas USA 🌹
Very informative , purchased some Sennelier half stick pastels as a result of your recommendation. I’m a beginner and need all the help I can get . Cheers Steve UK
Pastels allow me to try our lots of color (schemes /plans/thoughts ) quickly. My final / ultimate /finish use would be on watercolor.( Grisaille or color)
I have all the sets you mentioned and have used them all. You ignored Henri Roche' apparently deliberately. I have found this brand to have the best darks across the spectrum of any brands out there...also the best lights! They have over 1625 colors and each and every one is superbly made. They are in the range of Sennelier but not as crumbly...HRs do not crumble even as much as the Sennelier ½ stick sets. While they are expensive as all get out I have learned from using them that you truly get what you pay for. Currently I have the full collection and several back up sticks for most of the colors I usually use...they also sell a semi-hard that is about like NuPastel and plans I have been told are in the works for release of their color range in that density in the future. The sticks are hand made from the grinding/mixing/rolling and drying...take off the wrappers from the ones you have and actually use them! I use them in portraits and seascapes and landscapes as well as still life works. With this one glaring omission your video here is excellent. I enjoy your work and have seen all of your videos.
I pretty much agree with you across the board on your recommendations. Excellent for the serious beginner. Or even advanced pastelists who want some new ideas.
Wow-- truly appreciate this information... took a class and instructor had us purchase Nu pastel and one inexpensive soft set at 5 Below... after that no idea what to order. I did buy Rembrant with no idea what I was purchasing... just liked idea of 1/2 sticks. After viewing your video now I know what they are .. medium pastel. I was wondering what pastel pencils to purchase. Again, Thank You for sharing all this information!
I've SO enjoyed your other videos, as well as this one! You are such a wonderful teacher and artist. Thank you so much for your thorough information here about the characteristics of the different brands of soft, medium, and hard pastels, as well as pastel pencils. Hope you will consider coming to Charlotte, NC, for a workshop sometime.
Thanks Cecilia, as a matter of fact I will be in Charlotte in the spring of 2020 with Piedmont Pastel Society! Come join a workshop with me then! Thank you for your kind words, it means alot.
I finally caved in and purchased my first set of Terry Ludwig pastels! Although I was very tempted by the Intense Darks II set, I ended up buying the 30 Ultra Violets set instead because it was mainly the deep purples in the darks set that caught my desire. Also I really wanted to try the V100 "Eggplant" pastel which everyone raves about, which is the violets set but not in the darks II set.
Enjoy Bill, that eggplant is the most sold color in Terry Ludwig's collection. A fan favorite. Someday splurge for the Darks II set, you will be amazed. All my best and keep painting!
Love your presentations...so full of great information and so sincerely there to help us succeed and enjoy painting! Thank you for all of the encouragement. :)
Hi Cindy, that's kind, thanks for your words of appreciation. I'm glad you are finding the videos helpful! Keep painting, and stay tuned as there is more to come!
Alain, another great tutorial I wish I had watched this before I purchased pastels. My first purchase was the Sennelier 60 piece half set. Then I purchased nupastels then a few other brands that I don’t like at all. I really like the nupastels but, not to fond of the Senneliers just yet. Then I had the opportunity to purchase Terry Ludwigs and they are the best. Again, I wish I had watched this great video earlier because I would have not spent the money on the brands I don’t like and don’t use. So, again thank you for this informative video I will be making better decisions when purchasing additional pastels. Great demonstration.
Leanne, glad I could help, and at least you have some pastels that you really do enjoy! Thanks for your appreciation. Keep painting, and I wish you the very best!
Just got my Sennelier 120 Paris Collection Set today! I'm SO EXCITED! Next I'll buy the Nupastel 96 set, but for now this should get me started! (I already own a cheap set of Michaels store brand soft - actually hard- pastels, and will use them until I can buy the Nupastels. I think they are probably very similar. Thanks so much for the advice!
Thank you very much. Your review is very useful for me, who live in bkk where only a few standard brands are available. I have to order them online so it's pretty hard to decide.
Wow, I am sharing these ideas with my fellow pastel and oil painters later on this morning. The part about painting for yourself was very valuable After struggling with landscapes for four years, I switched to portraits. One of my mentors told me that I was “ really getting good” at portraits. :
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you are finding the right subject to express your creative voice in now. I love portraits and landscapes, they are complementary to each other so if I get stuck with one, I can switch to the other. Have fun painting!
Oh My Gosh!!!!!....What a great review...I had been wondering about the Rembrandt so I am glad you reviewed these...I use Terry Ludwig, Unison and some Great American, I love Great American their colors are so beautiful and intense but they do tend to fall apart easy....I am currently trying to do a portrait of a dog on Velour Pastel Mat which I have never worked on before and it is turning out to be quite the challenge, pastels act very differently...different way of painting with pastel on this surface...Oh My...your "Drawer of Shame"....LOL.....Thank you so much for the hand out and doing this...so very helpful once again~
Cindy Bowles you have some great pastels in your collection! Glad to help with this review. It’s so true, each pastel has its own feel and then paper combinations are another variable. Good luck with that dog portrait! All the best🙌
thank you very much @@AlainPicard , you know what, I am from HongKong and it is hard to get these information in HongKong channels (actually no one is going deep like yours), so glad I run into you!
A very informative and well done video. I hope to do portraits using pastels and presently have a set of 60 Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils. After watching you draw a portrait using only a few Faber-Castell pencils, I was wondering if is really necessary for me to purchase a set of Prismacolor NuPastels? I live in a small apartment with pets and initially decided to use Faber-Castell pastel pencils rather than soft pastels to reduce the chance of spreading pigment dust. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Alain, Excellent review. Thank you for providing these free videos. I’m a better artist because of your teaching and look forward to a workshop in the future. I think the Jack Richeson hand rolled pastels are the same as the Unison. They are a great value. If you are patient, the online sellers will occasionally have terrific deals. For instance, i got one 80 piece set that came with 4 Richeson pastel boards a brush for blending and some sanded paper for $79 and various other sets for much less than $1 per stick.
Alain Picard Yes. I have several different pastels but really like the Terry Ludwig pastels the best. I also like Great American...those were the first pastels I purchased. I am fairly new...started in 2017.
Here’s a 4 years later comment: Prismacolor, in their never ending “wisdom” stopped making NuPastel INDIVIDUAL colors that were available to retailers both online & off last year. So if you want certain colors and not an entire set, you’re SOL unless you can happen upon a source somewhere. Dick Blick’s still have some left in their inventory, like less than a dozen colors. When I found this discontinuation out at my local art storer where they were selling each color for $1 each, I bought up almost all of the colors I thought I could use…about 50 or so. Like you, I really do like them and unlike you, I need to make better use of them. They’re fantastic. Thanks for your review. Now even more hand-rolled brands are on the market and I just ordered a set of the Mungyo Gallery hand-rolled pastels at Jerry’s Artarama, but there are so many brands available now…artisan crafted ones, but mostly very pricey. It is fun to try out various kinds though. 👍
Thanks for watching. You can get your pastel supply list here: mailchi.mp/0b911600ddd6/pastel-supply-list
I noticed when comparing the Terry Ludwig and great American against the Rembrandt (9.10) you didn't use the same application over the Rembrandt as you did with the other two. Which in my opinion wasn't a fair view. Had you used the same method as the other two, you would have got the same effect I would have thought. Thanks
Is it just me or it's everyone? Art supplies are like drugs you buy one and then you feel the need of buying every other thing that you see
No it's not just you. I do the same thing. lol
No , not just you
UUUUmmmm.... I'm a junkie... I have it bad.
I had the same experience when I bought my first handgun ( ditto many people I know ).
I'm totally addicted and I love it.
I bought a bunch of different pastels and I will agree with Alain, those Terry Ludwig are my absolute favorite! Just gorgeous!
"Just trust me ... look in my eyes right now, ... you will never regret it" ... Gotta love that enthusiasm !!! Thank you Mr. Picard for an absolutely outstanding eye opening video on pastel colors !!!
It's really evident how much experience you have with pastels. You could even tell each brand apart from your huge collection.
When I'm stuck in a rut, your videos always help give me a push to get back to painting. Thank you for existing.
that's encouraging, thanks! It's a joy to share the artistic passion and spur one another on to keep creating! All the best.
NICE VIDEO! Thanks! I like the way you are very clear and you demonstrate them clearly as well. No music (yeah) and you talk at a regular, nice pace.
Alan you’re a wonderful man for sharing your talent and knowledge with the public.
I’m trying to get back into drawing and wanted to work more with pastels. I’m blown away by the variety and price tags but having used a few of those nicer ones in the past I totally understand. This was great to understand how I can progress through the different qualities of pastels as I get better!
Up amongst the best videos regarding pastels
Thank you Alain!
Thanks so much, Stephen, that's kind. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Alain, would love short video from you talking about your hard pastels approach now that Nupastels are unavailable in open stock. Most of us can't continually buy sets just to restock a couple colors- what brands with open stock are you recommending now?
Thank you for this review. Just saved me from purchasing a particular brand. Now I have a better idea of what I want. Love your videos!
This is the first video of yours I've seen because I'm thinking about getting into soft pastels....
But off topic... Your voice though... the sound of your voice... DAMN! In a good way 😉
Well...whatever it takes to get you motivated to paint in pastel, Valerie! Its a wonderful medium!
Thanks. Top notch. Pragmatic and articulate…the best combination.
A tip: I stop off at the thrift store about once a week for art supplies. There’s almost always a quality set of pastels for sale for less than $10. Actually usually half of that.
What did you mean by thrift store? Dollarama or Goodwill?
My Rembrandt pastels were a gift in 1961. I wonder if the quality has changed over the years. In this big wooden box, I have buttery soft and hard ones.
As long as they were in a room temp. dry place with no excess heat or moisture, they should be absoulutely fine.
I just watched this again because it's time to update my old pastel collection. It was so helpful. Thank you!
You are very welcome M Crawford! I am glad it was helpful.
thanks Alain! I'm going to share in my Facebook group of pastel artists. I know they will appreciate this.
Monet Cafe' with Artist Susan Jenkins hey thanks for sharing! Wonderful to team up and partner in sharing the joy of pastel painting with others! Blessings to you Susan.
Thanks to your pastel advice I've just ordered an 18 set of Unison soft pastels from Jackson's. Should arrive in a few days! Thank you!
As a beginner to pastels, I love Rembrandts and find them more forgiving than the extra soft pastels. They give me lots of chances to fix mistakes 🤣 and I make a lot of mistakes. I am looking forward to getting to a skill level where I can use the extra soft pastels well.
Unisons are delicious too!
I'm enjoying koh I Noor giocondas. Hard sticks very similar to nupastel. Beginners have options today that are quite surprising. New Amazon chunky soft pastel that feels similar to Sennelier and Unison, perhaps a cross between. 72 half sticks for 60 bucks. A great way to start. Most of us aren't selling our art. I have Carbothellos. Lots of browns, Sanguine in their 60 set.
Bonjour Alain, merci pour cette vidéo très instructif et pédagogique, je me lance de le pastel, après mettre essayer avec du pastel bas de gamme d'hard discount, je voulais monter de gamme et j'allais cliquer pour acheter un set de pastel Rembrandt, mais votre vidéo comparatif et de qualité a été pour moi décisif dans mon choix. Je m'abonne à votre chaine en espérant découvrir un peu plus de ce fascinant médium (Alma de France)
Dear Alma, I am so glad you have found me and are learning pastel! Better quality pastels and papers mean so much. Enjoy your exploration of this colorful medium and keep in touch!
I love the way he explains everything
I have so far only tested a few brands, and not the most expensive ones. I agree with you on the Sennelier half-sticks. Those feel great to lay down, and strong colors too.
Would you talk about combining all brands of pastels you have and sorting them by color and temperature as opposed to keeping them in their original box? And then if you’re going to a class or off somewhere to paint how to decide what to take? And thank you for all that you do!
Such a great explanation and description of the overwhelming number of soft pastel brands out there! I found myself nodding in agreement with everything you said, and feel it will be an invaluable guide to those just starting out on their pastel journey. I had to chuckle a little when you started talking about pastel pencils and the sharpening issue with some of them. All I will say is, I’ve learned sometimes it’s better to just use an exacto knife or other sharp blade, in addition to a sanding block, to sharpen some brands of pastel pencils.
Glad you enjoyed this Leora, and know that we are following up with more supporting videos like this one! I could definitely create an uncensored bloopers reel of pastel pencil sharpening mishaps!!!
By the way, what's your favorite pastel?
Alain Picard oh gosh, I could go on for an hour. I have an addiction to pastels, I will admit. And as my husband likes to remind me, “buying more sticks of pastel won’t make you a better artist...”. LOL!
Sennelier pastels have some of the most brilliant, intense colors, which I absolutely love. There is a reason they have had a great reputation for centuries!
Girault pastels have a lovely texture and such subtle colors that work effortlessly and well with portraits, landscapes, just anything. Truly the colors found in nature, and how nice for doing fine lines on top of layers of pastels!
Terry Ludwig Pastels...I open a box of those pastels and think I’ve died and gone to heaven! So many unique colors, including the darker than black eggplant, such buttery, rich, pure pigment, such a wonderful square stick for making luscious marks! Oh I could go on forever about Terry Ludwig Pastels. I even love the way they have them set up in collections, such good decision making as far as what pastels to include in each selection! And how lovely it is to support a business from my own country, the USA!
Diane Townsend....also an American firm, and a texture I have come to appreciate and find very useful!
Nupastels are wonderful for the initial stages of a painting, and although they are a bit harder, come in handy for indicating branches, grasses, etc.
As you can see, I have agreed with all of your choices!
@@LeoraLaGraffe you have very good taste! I was definitely preaching to the choir with you. All the best as you continue to create in pastel!
Alain Picard Thank you so much! All the best to you too, and thank you again for your marvelous videos and the breathtaking art you create to give to the world!
This is the most complete comparission on UA-cam so far. Thank you! It helps me a lot!
I've just found your channel, and man, what a blessing! Your videos are very informational without being overwhelming. You have a very soothing demeanor and tone of voice. I'm typically a fiber artist but I've always wanted to work with pastels - I would love to "paint" scenery. Very excited to get into them, thank you for your helpful content!
Welcome aboard! Have a great pastel discovery phase, it's a wonderful medium. All my best!
Your a good teacher im sure student can learn easier your must be soft towards them, beautiful art painting im a beginner im so excited the result of my work., happy new year 🎊🎊🎊
This was super helpful, Alain - many thanks for sharing this freely. If you are so inclined to do another video along these lines, I know that I and other pastel artists may find it helpful to know which ones can be layered more easily. That is, obviously the super soft ones cannot be subject to much layering, but in your video that you shared here of trees in pastels, you mentioned you have a variety in your palette and it seemed like you were freely working with all of them, even at times with a hard touch, with no mud, no smearing, which is a huge frustration for me despite a light touch. Granted, I'm working with Sennelier and Rembrandt but it would seem logical to me to begin with the hards, progress to the mediums and add finishing touches with the softs... Would be interesting to get your perspective on this when you reach for a color if you're thinking of hardness as well depending on the stage of the painting.
Thanks Holly, I totally understand. Yes, let's save this conversation for a future video. I'm a bit non-traditional in my approach, but the logic of "fat over lean" definitely applies. Light touch first, heavier application last. Keep painting!
Very complete video, the best video so far with soft pastel stick tipp. Thanks
Hey thanks for the kind comment, do you have a favorite pastel?
These videos are great! When I’m talking to a beginner pastelist I always want them to view your videos as to how to work with, and choose pastels, paint portraits, landscapes, etc. you are very encouraging!
What a great episode. No one has done this as far as my experience goes, so as a beginner this is truly appreciated. 💖😊
Great Video! Have you tried the Henri Roché pastels from "La Maison du Pastel" , would be really interesting to see as they are waaaaaaay beyond my budged lol
I have a small selection of Roche pastels. They are very special. Not an option for beginners due to price but a very high quality pastel that lasts longer than many.
Your voice is to die for.
Love you Alein, you give such great insight and always make me laugh! “ I don’t like being that guy, but it takes me there!” Your the best - I’m crying with laughter! God bless you!
glad you enjoyed and had a good laugh, keep painting! I'll be here for more encouragement in the days ahead. All my best
I love using the Rembrandts for portraits they’re wonderful to layer and get a slightly painted feel I’ll use the white, red, yellow ochre (for skin tone) and dark green (for shadows) they glaze over eachother wonderfully. And for a much more painted feel I love the Sennelier Paris collection 120 half sticks for an amazing value. I use the Rembrandt’s and Senneliers together as well for different things. And I love the Caran D’ache Pastel pencils especially for wildlife and people portraits. They’re great for fur and layering but definitely a little more pricey than some of the other brands out there. I honestly haven’t tried any hard pastels yet and now look forward to trying some.
I bought my mungjo pastels,soft.and I am totally I love with them.the colors are amazing,and i love them.thank you alain.i can't wait to see what my first inspiration will be,with my pastels.👍
Alain is an enabler for people who can not stop buying art supplies. 😬
I felt that too!😂🤣😂
You have the best voice for videos.
Hey thanks, that's kind. I can't really take credit for the voice God gave me, but I am glad I have an outlet for it now with UA-cam! People told me for years I should do voiceover work. It just never felt like the right path, but this is so much fun to create videos and share with all of you. Glad it works! All the best in your creative growth, sylvianblue!
This was exactly what I needed after the failed lesson I followd yesterday.
Thank you so mutch 🤗
Yes, great information, thank you. I'd like to know more about the interaction of pastel support with pastel brand and the type of look that you want to achieve. Thanks so much, Jane.
Hi Jane, our next video explores supports, so you should get further clarity and understanding from that lesson in conjunction with this one. The best way to learn is by experimenting with surfaces, so keep trying new things! DakotaPastels.com sells paper sample packs, that can be a great way to inexpensively experiment with multiple surfaces. All the best!
Alain Picard Nan
Thank you for the guidance. I’m just starting pastels and this gives me a direction to make a wise purchase.
Good job explaining all the different pastels !
Very informative and clear descriptions. Thank you Alain.
You're welcome Emily! Keep painting
Loved this entire tutorial about pastels: a great help to sort through the many brands that are available!
Great info. Thank you. T L darks .... heaven. I purchased a box of just Eggplant! Best dark soft pastel ever.
I am so delighted to see this video :) It took me many many hours to research and finally purchased my first sets of pastels. I wish I saw this video few months ago. Regardless, i realized that i made very good choices for a beginner, with a 120 half stick set from Sennelier and another set from Unison as well Rembrandt for medium pastels ( Christmas gift), and Nupastel for the hard pastels. I will still dream of the TL soft pastels dark set, but will get there :)
thank you for making videos with such valuable content, i am always excited to see them and learn. Excellent teaching methods and very inspiring. Thank you also for asking in the email about content and questions, it was really lovely idea. I hope to be able to take your workshops in the future. The first video i have seen about pastels it was yours and i was mesmerized with the results, so the reason for which today i even have this medium is because of your videos. To my surprise it gives me endless joy!
Hey Helen, that's amazing! I'm so honored and really excited to hear that you got into pastels through this video content. Wow! You have a great set of pastels there, and like I said, the Rembrandts are still great for many things much like the hard pastels. Keep working and experimenting, and you'll find you own way! I'll be sure to keep you inspired with more future content! All the best
Thank you for that great descriptive video of the “why” you like certain brands and how they work best. I printed the list out so I can refer to it when purchasing.
Every video is SO helpful. Thank you. Thank you.
Glad you find the lesson helpful Kerry!
Thank you, Alain, for the great Pastel Supply list. SO helpful! Can't I just buy all the pastels?! Oh, wait, I'm not that rich. Thanks again! Love your videos .. you inspire me. Clear, organized teaching! Wow.
Thank you so VERY much. This was so informative. I have wanted to know the differences of the many pastels out there but never found anyone who could explains so beautifully. I am so glad I found you while I was reading one of the pastel magazines last week. I have been watching your videos and I have to say I love you teaching abilities, you see I am new to pastels. Again, Thank you and have a great painting day.
Thanks Maria, for your appreciation. Sooo glad this video helped you sort through the many materials. All the best to you in your development!
Heads up on the Caran D'ache pastel pencils. So.e sets like both my sets have pencils where no color can get onto the paper. Jason Morgan, a wild life artist,had the same issue too. For the price all these pencils, they should perform to your satisfaction. Pitt pastel pencils do not have this issues not do not cost as much but still professional level art supply.
For how expensive the brand is, caran dache has a ton of quality issues. Their luminance pencils also have batches where they are scratchy instead of buttery.
Thank you so much for this info! I am brand new to pastels and was feeling overwhelmed. This has helped tremendously.
Thank you for sharing your information , especially for new pastel painters . I did waist money on buying wrong type of pastels . These information will help a lot.
So sorry to hear you feel like some money was wasted on the wrong products Sima. That's frustrating! Hopefully, you will be on the right track now! Al the best to you
I just got the Paris set of Sennelier soft pastels and the Faber-Castell set of pastel pencils seriously on sale. I'm probably crazy using my tortoiseshell cat as my first pastel portrait, but after watching so many pastel videos, I think I can! If I capture the sweet expression on her little face, the rest will be fine. Thanks for your supply list. I'm using the pastelmat paper. It's expensive, so PRESSURE, but I want to try it.
Hi Alain and thanks for all the info. Since you asked, this is the correct way to pronounce Caran d'Ache:
KA RAN DASH, with a broad A in each syllable (like when the doctor tells you to stick out your tongue and say Ahhh), and the tonic accent on DASH. The apostrophe in French never has a sound on its own, so you wouldn't say "de-ash"
I'm new to pastels, and have supplemented a cheap set, which performs surprisingly well on Pastelmat with a few Sennelier and Rembrandt. And I agree, the Sennelier are nicer.
Jen Tai thank you so much! I got it!
Great info. I'm an old illustrator just starting pastels. Thanks so much.
Very well done and informative video! I love the Diane Townsends too.
Yes, they are really nice! Thanks for the comment, and let me know if you are struggling with anything else in the process right now.
I’m blown away by thee amount of information in this video thanks so much!
You're so welcome! I'm glad it was helpful for your Michelle, all the best!
I discovered Richeson hand rolled. Buttery soft and magic size. Have you tried these?
Thank you for so much helpful information. I have done a little pastel and liked it. I took a class some years ago and the teacher did very beautiful work. It inspired me.
What about Panpastels? Really informative on lots of brands.
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge here. I learned a lot... and I'm so glad you gave pointers on what to buy and why, so I don't waste money buying supplies I won't use later.
Jackie you are very welcome! I am glad you found this helpful. I wish you the very best!
Excellent video Alain! Great demos on each pastel !! I love pastels , they are like diamonds to me. I rather
buy pastels than have jewelry! I do have Terry Ludwig, Great American, Schmincke , Unison, Sennelier,
Diane Townsend and Nupastels. Also Pan Pastels are fun too! I like the look of the painting , more impressionistic
I love your videos and the Painterly Look , so Beautiful Alain!! Thank you again , hope to see more , maybe on
pastel paper . Maureen Baril
Thanks so much for all the encouragement! You have a wonderful collection of pastels! Stay tuned to this channel, and you'll find out more about papers in the coming weeks!
I only use Derwent and Carb-Othello pastel pencils when I need to finish in fine detail. I sharpen with box cutter.
Thank you for sharing all this information. Your teaching style is great, very relaxed.
I love girault, unison, and sennelier. I have a new box of Terry Ludwig which I’m afraid to use..lol
Maybe I’ll give them a whirl tomorrow.
thanks Silvana! You should definitely put those Ludwigs to work! Just use them with a light touch at first. I appreciate your feedback! Have fun painting!
New subscriber... I absolutely love this video, thank you for giving other pastel options with total explanation and demo of each. Very thorough, much appreciated! Peace and Blessings from Texas USA 🌹
Very informative , purchased some Sennelier half stick pastels as a result of your recommendation. I’m a beginner and need all the help I can get .
Cheers Steve UK
Pastels allow me to try our lots of color (schemes /plans/thoughts ) quickly. My final / ultimate /finish use would be on watercolor.( Grisaille or color)
Thank you so much for this instruction. Wasn’t sure where to start. I subscribed for further instruction. Not sure what kind of paper to get yet.
I am new and purchased the Sennelier half stick landscape and love them. Enjoying learning about the other brands.
Awesome, Teresa! That's great. You will love them! So glad you are using soft pastels. All the best!
I have all the sets you mentioned and have used them all. You ignored Henri Roche' apparently deliberately. I have found this brand to have the best darks across the spectrum of any brands out there...also the best lights! They have over 1625 colors and each and every one is superbly made. They are in the range of Sennelier but not as crumbly...HRs do not crumble even as much as the Sennelier ½ stick sets. While they are expensive as all get out I have learned from using them that you truly get what you pay for. Currently I have the full collection and several back up sticks for most of the colors I usually use...they also sell a semi-hard that is about like NuPastel and plans I have been told are in the works for release of their color range in that density in the future. The sticks are hand made from the grinding/mixing/rolling and drying...take off the wrappers from the ones you have and actually use them! I use them in portraits and seascapes and landscapes as well as still life works. With this one glaring omission your video here is excellent. I enjoy your work and have seen all of your videos.
I pretty much agree with you across the board on your recommendations. Excellent for the serious beginner. Or even advanced pastelists who want some new ideas.
Thank you for the response! All the best to you in your pastel painting!
Very Good Video, I would love video like this about paper, I have pastel paper and I am not getting the results I want
Eoin Mc Grath oh, me too, please do a video like this exploring the different surfaces available to soft pastel artists!
Hi Eoin & Leora, we are working on it :)
Thanks for the feedback! What paper are you currently working on?
As a very very beginner this video was incredibly helpful, thank you! 😊
Wow-- truly appreciate this information... took a class and instructor had us purchase Nu pastel and one inexpensive soft set at 5 Below... after that no idea what to order. I did buy Rembrant with no idea what I was purchasing... just liked idea of 1/2 sticks. After viewing your video now I know what they are .. medium pastel. I was wondering what pastel pencils to purchase. Again, Thank You for sharing all this information!
I've SO enjoyed your other videos, as well as this one! You are such a wonderful teacher and artist. Thank you so much for your thorough information here about the characteristics of the different brands of soft, medium, and hard pastels, as well as pastel pencils. Hope you will consider coming to Charlotte, NC, for a workshop sometime.
Thanks Cecilia, as a matter of fact I will be in Charlotte in the spring of 2020 with Piedmont Pastel Society! Come join a workshop with me then! Thank you for your kind words, it means alot.
Wow I always thought unison is the best but terry Ludwig is amazing Ty ❤️
watching your older videos....so helpful !
Thanks Tammy, glad you enjoyed the older videos!
I finally caved in and purchased my first set of Terry Ludwig pastels! Although I was very tempted by the Intense Darks II set, I ended up buying the 30 Ultra Violets set instead because it was mainly the deep purples in the darks set that caught my desire. Also I really wanted to try the V100 "Eggplant" pastel which everyone raves about, which is the violets set but not in the darks II set.
Enjoy Bill, that eggplant is the most sold color in Terry Ludwig's collection. A fan favorite. Someday splurge for the Darks II set, you will be amazed. All my best and keep painting!
Wow. I should probably stop watching this. I am already addicted to watercolors.
I feel what you said 😩
Love your presentations...so full of great information and so sincerely there to help us succeed and enjoy painting! Thank you for all of the encouragement. :)
Hi Cindy, that's kind, thanks for your words of appreciation. I'm glad you are finding the videos helpful! Keep painting, and stay tuned as there is more to come!
Thank you so much Alain for the video and list of supplies, really helps when it come to purchasing. 😀
This video is absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for making it.
You're very welcome E H! Glad you enjoyed.
Alain, another great tutorial I wish I had watched this before I purchased pastels. My first purchase was the Sennelier 60 piece half set. Then I purchased nupastels then a few other brands that I don’t like at all. I really like the nupastels but, not to fond of the Senneliers just yet. Then I had the opportunity to purchase Terry Ludwigs and they are the best. Again, I wish I had watched this great video earlier because I would have not spent the money on the brands I don’t like and don’t use. So, again thank you for this informative video I will be making better decisions when purchasing additional pastels. Great demonstration.
Leanne, glad I could help, and at least you have some pastels that you really do enjoy! Thanks for your appreciation. Keep painting, and I wish you the very best!
Sir you r nicely explained each type of pastel .Now I can begin in this new medium.Thanks a lot.
Hi Ashok, you're welcome!
Very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience to help others...
have you done a video on pan pastels?
Hi Alain, very useful presentation. Do you know how soft pastels work outdoors when it's cold in the winter? Are they usable in low temperatures?
Just got my Sennelier 120 Paris Collection Set today! I'm SO EXCITED! Next I'll buy the Nupastel 96 set, but for now this should get me started! (I already own a cheap set of Michaels store brand soft - actually hard- pastels, and will use them until I can buy the Nupastels. I think they are probably very similar. Thanks so much for the advice!
Thank you very much. Your review is very useful for me, who live in bkk where only a few standard brands are available. I have to order them online so it's pretty hard to decide.
Wow, I am sharing these ideas with my fellow pastel and oil painters later on this morning. The part about painting for yourself was very valuable
After struggling with landscapes for four years, I switched to portraits. One of my mentors told me that I was “ really getting good” at portraits.
:
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you are finding the right subject to express your creative voice in now. I love portraits and landscapes, they are complementary to each other so if I get stuck with one, I can switch to the other. Have fun painting!
Oh My Gosh!!!!!....What a great review...I had been wondering about the Rembrandt so I am glad you reviewed these...I use Terry Ludwig, Unison and some Great American, I love Great American their colors are so beautiful and intense but they do tend to fall apart easy....I am currently trying to do a portrait of a dog on Velour Pastel Mat which I have never worked on before and it is turning out to be quite the challenge, pastels act very differently...different way of painting with pastel on this surface...Oh My...your "Drawer of Shame"....LOL.....Thank you so much for the hand out and doing this...so very helpful once again~
Cindy Bowles you have some great pastels in your collection! Glad to help with this review. It’s so true, each pastel has its own feel and then paper combinations are another variable. Good luck with that dog portrait! All the best🙌
@@AlainPicard ..Thank You!
You know theres no fluff in these 25 minutes when you see how much pastels the guy has! Thank you :D !
tks a lot for the information , it is still so helpful even this video was created 4 years ago!
Glad it was helpful! Someday I'll do an update but it's still very useful on paper choices.
thank you very much @@AlainPicard , you know what, I am from HongKong and it is hard to get these information in HongKong channels (actually no one is going deep like yours), so glad I run into you!
A very informative and well done video. I hope to do portraits using pastels and presently have a set of 60 Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils. After watching you draw a portrait using only a few Faber-Castell pencils, I was wondering if is really necessary for me to purchase a set of Prismacolor NuPastels? I live in a small apartment with pets and initially decided to use Faber-Castell pastel pencils rather than soft pastels to reduce the chance of spreading pigment dust. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
How are you getting on with your pencils? I use Carbothello for similar reasons. Less dust but I'm drawn to the sticks now.
Alain,
Excellent review. Thank you for providing these free videos. I’m a better artist because of your teaching and look forward to a workshop in the future. I think the Jack Richeson hand rolled pastels are the same as the Unison. They are a great value. If you are patient, the online sellers will occasionally have terrific deals. For instance, i got one 80 piece set that came with 4 Richeson pastel boards a brush for blending and some sanded paper for $79 and various other sets for much less than $1 per stick.
Wow, Christopher, nice deal! Way to go. Glad you liked the video review, and I wish you all the best!
Great video. Very helpful. Please do one on the many paper surfaces that are available.
You can bet I will do that! Keep your eye on the channel, I won't let you down! Do you have a favorite pastel?
Alain Picard
Yes. I have several different pastels but really like the Terry Ludwig pastels the best. I also like Great American...those were the first pastels I purchased. I am fairly new...started in 2017.
Love this channel. Glad I'm here!
Here’s a 4 years later comment: Prismacolor, in their never ending “wisdom” stopped making NuPastel INDIVIDUAL colors that were available to retailers both online & off last year. So if you want certain colors and not an entire set, you’re SOL unless you can happen upon a source somewhere. Dick Blick’s still have some left in their inventory, like less than a dozen colors. When I found this discontinuation out at my local art storer where they were selling each color for $1 each, I bought up almost all of the colors I thought I could use…about 50 or so. Like you, I really do like them and unlike you, I need to make better use of them. They’re fantastic. Thanks for your review. Now even more hand-rolled brands are on the market and I just ordered a set of the Mungyo Gallery hand-rolled pastels at Jerry’s Artarama, but there are so many brands available now…artisan crafted ones, but mostly very pricey. It is fun to try out various kinds though. 👍