You are right! Honestly I never have the heart to break my pastels on purpose, even though I see the benefit. But I actually am a pro at dropping them! I had to build a little trough at the bottom of my easel to catch all my accidents. lol
Uh, someone preferring senneliers to unisons? Interesting! I'm getting started and got a set of senneliers for christmas. Can't wait to bust them out!!
My first “softish” pastels were the Rembrandts, then i ordered a box of Unisons and sort of tossed the box of Rembrandt s to the side. I mostly worked woth my Unisons and thought they were great. But then I bought the portrait set of Sennelier. I liked them so much I bought a larger set that was on a great sale. Now I almost always use the Sennelier (they do have the occasional stick that is hard as a rock and won’t leave a mark) but overall I use them the most! I just got a set of Terry Ludgwigs for Christmas though so I need to try a project with them. They might ruin me for everything else. Who knows? As soon as you try your new set please let me know how it goes.
Regarding paper - have you ever tried the reqlly diy route, aka golden pastel ground, clear gesso or pumice paste with acrylics? The fun thing is, you can tone the paper yourself according to your preferences! But i have no idea how it compares to hardware store sand paper haha
That is actually on my list to try! I want to try the Golden gesso on a canvas. I have some spare canvas in the storage room from when I was painting with acrylics. Do you like this route? I need to find the gesso or the paste which is the thing that is holding me back from this experiment. I would like to try the hardware sand paper, versus Uart versus this DIY route you mention. I like the idea that it would allow me to work on larger surfaces. It’s really difficult for me to source larger sheets of Pastelmat.
There was something about the way you were talking that made me think you were on the island. Me too! I have to drive an hour to Nanaimo, since there's so few stores here in the Comox Valley. One just opened a few months ago and they have ordered stuff for me before. I am so excited to have a store nearby! Do you go to Victoria?
Was it my west coast accent? lol I used to have an Albertan accent but it’s been a long time now. I love Iron Oxide in Nanaimo but I’ve only been a couple of times. Have you been there? Such a fun store. ☺You can buy individual pastel pencils there which is lovely if you have a set and use one colour more than others. I have had friends/family pick things up from Victoria since it’s an hour away as well. It’s all just a bit too far for my brain. We have a framing shop in Duncan which is currently building up some art supplies. They seem open to bringing in things that we want but I haven’t ordered. Yet from them. I’m excited you are finally getting an art shop!
@ haha no. You mentioned Canada a few times, and i couldn't hear a discernable accent, so I assumed you were more western than not! I loved Iron Oxide too, but to my knowledge they're still closed! They were in that old firehouse, and it kept flooding, so she shut things down until she found a spot. I don't think she ever did, which is really unfortunate! And yeah Valley Art Supply rules!
That is a good point! Harder pastels have difficulty making marks over softer pastels or thicker layers. when layering we need to plan it such that the pencils go down earlier or over very thin layers below. Have you tried using the Nupastel sticks in that application? It works a bit better.
Oh that’s hideous. I feel for you. What kind of supplies do you like to work with and what is your best method to find them? As I type this my mom and aunt are picking up some used pastels I found on FB marketplace in the city.
The cat did you a favour haha 😂
You are right! Honestly I never have the heart to break my pastels on purpose, even though I see the benefit. But I actually am a pro at dropping them! I had to build a little trough at the bottom of my easel to catch all my accidents. lol
@ I drop things all the time due to neurological problems and I feel my soul leaving my body when it’s a Prismacolour pencil. 😱😂
Uh, someone preferring senneliers to unisons? Interesting! I'm getting started and got a set of senneliers for christmas. Can't wait to bust them out!!
My first “softish” pastels were the Rembrandts, then i ordered a box of Unisons and sort of tossed the box of Rembrandt s to the side. I mostly worked woth my Unisons and thought they were great. But then I bought the portrait set of Sennelier. I liked them so much I bought a larger set that was on a great sale. Now I almost always use the Sennelier (they do have the occasional stick that is hard as a rock and won’t leave a mark) but overall I use them the most! I just got a set of Terry Ludgwigs for Christmas though so I need to try a project with them. They might ruin me for everything else. Who knows? As soon as you try your new set please let me know how it goes.
Regarding paper - have you ever tried the reqlly diy route, aka golden pastel ground, clear gesso or pumice paste with acrylics? The fun thing is, you can tone the paper yourself according to your preferences! But i have no idea how it compares to hardware store sand paper haha
That is actually on my list to try! I want to try the Golden gesso on a canvas. I have some spare canvas in the storage room from when I was painting with acrylics. Do you like this route? I need to find the gesso or the paste which is the thing that is holding me back from this experiment. I would like to try the hardware sand paper, versus Uart versus this DIY route you mention. I like the idea that it would allow me to work on larger surfaces. It’s really difficult for me to source larger sheets of Pastelmat.
Great video! Thank you!
Thanks! Glad you found it helpful and thanks for writing!
There was something about the way you were talking that made me think you were on the island. Me too! I have to drive an hour to Nanaimo, since there's so few stores here in the Comox Valley. One just opened a few months ago and they have ordered stuff for me before. I am so excited to have a store nearby!
Do you go to Victoria?
Was it my west coast accent? lol I used to have an Albertan accent but it’s been a long time now. I love Iron Oxide in Nanaimo but I’ve only been a couple of times. Have you been there? Such a fun store. ☺You can buy individual pastel pencils there which is lovely if you have a set and use one colour more than others. I have had friends/family pick things up from Victoria since it’s an hour away as well. It’s all just a bit too far for my brain. We have a framing shop in Duncan which is currently building up some art supplies. They seem open to bringing in things that we want but I haven’t ordered. Yet from them. I’m excited you are finally getting an art shop!
@ haha no. You mentioned Canada a few times, and i couldn't hear a discernable accent, so I assumed you were more western than not! I loved Iron Oxide too, but to my knowledge they're still closed! They were in that old firehouse, and it kept flooding, so she shut things down until she found a spot. I don't think she ever did, which is really unfortunate! And yeah Valley Art Supply rules!
i find it hard to apply pencil pastels on pan or soft pastels ! even when i changed the paper type.
That is a good point! Harder pastels have difficulty making marks over softer pastels or thicker layers. when layering we need to plan it such that the pencils go down earlier or over very thin layers below. Have you tried using the Nupastel sticks in that application? It works a bit better.
Ugh I am 3 hours from an art supply store.
Oh that’s hideous. I feel for you. What kind of supplies do you like to work with and what is your best method to find them? As I type this my mom and aunt are picking up some used pastels I found on FB marketplace in the city.
@mysticmaplesart9625 watercolor is my favorite but I want to get into pastels. I normally order nothing like going to the store