10 ESSENTIAL TIPS for PASTEL DRAWINGS 

QOTD: What is your biggest tip for drawing with pastels?

1-Dont apply too much pressure 2- blend your pastels with stumps 3-avoid using too many colors 4- work in layers 5-Focus on contrasts 6-prevent smudging (from top to bottom and left to right for right handed artists) 7-keep your pastels sharp 8-try to use toned paper 9-use colored pencils for details 10-for large areas use pastel blocks

I'm starting to have a liking of pastels. Anyone?

This was helpful thanks! I'm only 11 but my dream is to be an artist. I don't plan to draw very realistic drawings, I think I'll maybe to cartoons. Im not very good at art right now but I have years to improve!

This is by far the best art channel I've ever seen. I don't do pastel art but I enjoyed the video a lot.

Hi, I am a lifelong artist and my medium of choice has been oils. However, several years ago, I grew a bit weary of oil and started working in pencil and pastel drawings. I agree with all your ten tips and here are a few of my own. The smudging problem can be better managed by placing a clean flysheet under my hand. I always sharpen my pencils with a small box cutter, exposing about a half inch of color. I then sharpen on a small piece of 100grit sandpaper that I glue to cardstock. Works great on pastel sticks as well. One of the best blending techniques I've found is simple paper towels tightly rolled into a point or flat shape. It's cheap and disposable too. I typically draw large pieces , usually 18x24. So I have amassed a sizable collection of pastel sticks. I love pastels and I still work in oils or pencil when I want to change things up. Best regards, Mono D'Angelo

Hey I have just started art classes and I chose to use pastel pencils I watched this then I went back next week I drew an apple and I remembered your tips and now it looks beautiful thank you so much this is so helpful!!

This was both very well put together and inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to do this. You're great!

Great tips here. One I would expand on is to get a few open stock soft pastels(ie: Unison, Schmincke etc)of colours you know you will use I find the intensity of a good soft pastel really is a nice touch when done near the end of a pastel painting.

Thank you Kirsty for these useful tips. Greetings from Italy.

The colored paper was the most helpful to me ! I have a competition and I wanted to figure out how to use pastels for my drawing . Your tips opened my eyes and helped me a lot !!

I love the way you teach , it's pretty understandable . thanks a lot

I recently got pastel color pencils and these tips were really helpful for me to create good projects

So awesome! I love artists. What a gift! Thank you for sharing this. I wish you well. Stay encouraged.

I think your tip of using Polychromos on top of Pastels is wonderful! Thank you!

Thank you! Your amazing... the color pencil over the pastel was my favorite tip... I’m working on a Koi drawing I’ll have to give it a try. Thanks

I really appreciated the colored pencil tip, as I have struggled with detail and didn’t know I could use them Thanks!!

After 30 years having set aside pastels because of allergies I am going to try them again since I now have a dedicated art space I can deny access to others! Keep the allergic out! Thank you for sharing your expertise with us !

Awesome tips Kirsty

Even tho this video was 2 years ago, I’m only just starting with Oil pencils and this was so helpful. Also you’re extremely talented!

I love working with pastel pencils. Mine are Faber-Castell PITT Pastel Pencils and I use sand coloured Fabriano Ingres paper, but am currently trying Clairefontaine Pastelmat sanded paper, which I find a little harder to work with. Smudging with your finger is a great way to blend your work, or use a stump, or in my case, a Colour Shaper. To avoid unnecessary smudging when working near completed work, try covering the area with spare paper. I never fix my work as it darkens and dulls the drawing/painting. I slip my finished work into a binder with polythene pockets, thus keeping fingers away from the artwork.

The glassine that comes with the Pastelmat paper is great for resting your hand on even on top of areas that already have pastel on them.

My Favorite Tip: #5 Very, very important!!! My Personal Tip: Pastels love to travel; so final details can be difficult to establish. So, if all else fails, Fixate the piece, ( I use Krylon Workable Fixative spray). Then, use Acrylic Paint on the LAST layer for anything you couldn't work in!

Great tips..thanks. I think the best tip was sharing that you can add colored pencil on top of the pastels

Love the tips, thank you.

Thank you so much for this lesson

Thank you so much for this video. I'm trying to first time to do a dog using Carbothello and I already made some of the mistakes you mentioned. I'll start over, keeping them in mind and now knowing how to avoid them.

Great tips. Snce some time I follow you. You do an exceent work. Thanks so much for all your teaching. I love to paint with pastel pencils and blocks of dry pastel. also with poychromos. And some aquarele as weel. You teach me some good tips in your videos that help to start. Thanks so much

Its weird...i just subscribed to your channel a few days ago. Been drawing for a while with charcoal, chalk pastels and ink. I just recently bought some oil pastels to test them out and see what i can do with them. Now, you just post this video?!?? Again...weird! Lol Thanks for the tips!

Thank you for this video! It's very informative!

I hope you will do some flowers in pastels for Patren. Love your work!

thanks! I do with u watercolor and these pastels are chalange for me!

Haven't had my pastels out for a while now, but when I use them I always keep a piece of paper under my hand to prevent smudging, as well as working away from the drawing. The pencils are notorious for snapping when you sharpen, though, aren't they? Maddening! I read that if you use a manual sharpener and turn the sharpener, not the pencil, it doesn't happen so much. 🙂

I got some pastels.. thought theyd do for times i wasnt up to commit to starting a painting and that need to put in a lot of time to get it right in days ( wet on wet) and managing the mess….boy what a pandoras box!

Amazing advice and so well delivered with such skill in the examples , gifted. Well done.

Helpful information. Someone look beautiful today. Stay like this rest of your life!

Yaasssss finally a pastel video!!

Missed you so much!!!😃

Thanx.becous i need this tips.thank you so much.love you

Very helpful video! Especially the idea of using colored pencil on top of the pastel. My additional tip is using fixative when the drawing is done!

Always funny when one of the tips for a particular medium is to use a different medium lol

Wow i hope i can buy pastel pencils..i love drawing too.thank you for the tips..

Thanks for the tips!

Wow helpful tips... Thank you so much sharing your valuable tips... Really love the way you speak and ur accent is sweet...

The artist is super beautiful 😍😍😍

thanks

Great tips... a joy to watch!

You look beautiful kirsty and i really like your top and you are getting so comfortable on camera. And how is Darby and your cute pet dog? And sorry i forget name of pet? And hope you get back soon on your second RU-vid channel. We love watching behind the scenes of your art world and your creativity and your vision and mission for life . It really inspires me. sending positive vibes

Very helpful Thank you

ayeee lefty squadddd

Every tip is useful for me Ma'am I'm a big fan of you Ma'am from India..

You have really nice and informative videos! Keep them coming!

Thanks I'm just about to start trying pastels and this was really helpful!

Wow! Your work is Beautiful!

Thanks for the video

Hmm. I have never thought of using a toned paper except for light cream. Good to know. I will look into it!

You are a really good artist, love your work.

Thank you Kirsty! ❤

رسومك مذهله ..انت الافضل👍👍

Tip: If you want to highlight an area you already put many dark colors in you should use schmincke pastels as they are very pigmented but be careful as they smudge very easily...

Amo tu trabajo

Thank you so much Kristi. Liked it... Kudos

Solid tips, thanks for sharing!

Love these tips 💖💖

Thanks

thank you very much

What about using a fixative, such as the Windsor and Newton one, to seal your finished artwork? I also use it on graphite/charcoal works. It makes them easier to store and stops the work smudging and off-setting 🤗

Hi Kirsty, Which is your preferred medium? I'm currently using pastel pencils but am considering changing to color pencils to avoid the dust etc. I love your tutorials, by the way. And of course your work is a-maaazing!

Thanks for the video. I learned a lot.

Useful tips, thanks a lot!!

Thank you! You help me with this video. 😊🙏🏻

I loved the cat you did. Are you doing any more pastel demos. I think I am preferring pastel for my animal portraits.

Great Tips Thanks 😊 🙏

Thanks you really do great work

very helpful!

Great video!!

Can you use a spray to protect the color from smudging when you work with either soft pastels or the pencil pastels?

So many times when I'm watching one of your videos I find myself wondering if anyone has ever told you how much you resemble Kiera Knightley.

Nice tutorial. ^^

great video...

You got a new abo. You're so great

1:17 you made that real, REAL fast 😂

11. Use glassine paper under your drawing hand, slick side on the paper. 12. Use Sofft tools to blend, there’s nothing else like them. 13. Use Spectrafix fixative, it doesn’t change the color of the pastel. But you MUST use it in a flarisol bottle so that it sprays smoothly. I may have spelled that wrong. 14. Use pan pastels for large areas.

What erasers are best for pastel pencils? Can kneaded erasers work?

I loved that rose you showed. I tried finding it on your patreon and can't find it. Though, I am new to that platform and haven't a clue on how do you search for different tutorials.

Love it! Thanks a lot! Btw, you're very pretty, you kinda resemble Wynona Ryder...

If I do get a smudge, what is the best way to remove it. Currently I use a soft eraser or a fine point eraser?

Thanks Kirsty, I love pastels. What's happening with your vlog, have you stopped?

Thanks for sharing your talents and experience, can i ask if you apply fixatent and if you do can you recommend something. ❤

Which is better, derwent pastell pencils or cretacolour pastell pencils.

Teach me how to make color tone using 12 pastel pencil plssss

Please can you please do a video on how to preserve soft pastel paintings.....

A query - you said that colored pencils can be used with pastel colored pencils. I tried to use the Pitt Pastels over the Polychrome Pastel but that did not seem to work. (Faber-Castell) What brand of colored pencils do you use with the Polychromes?

Hi I love yoyr videos, can you tell me if you seal your pastels with fixative when you are finushed?

What do you about the dust as you’re working?

good !

Kirsty, regarding smudging (? Tip 6). It is not usually recommended to work on just small areas in isolation so best thing is to use a sheet of glassine paper to gently rest on, alternatively use an easel and maul stick. Regarding sharp points on pastel pencils, this is very wasteful of time and money and not often necessary as for the biggest part you will be using the side of the pencil. The BEST TIP is to get in the habit of constantly turning the pencil as you work and this will maintain a nicely rounded (not needle sharp) point - best in all respects. You videos are generally well researched and very helpful and I love watching you work, however your lack of experience with pastels/pastel pencils shows - 6 months with everything else you do is not long enough to become an expert. Meantime, I will be following you super helpful charcoal videos .

Very excited to realize I can use my coloured pencils for detail work! Just wish I had known about the smudging - I lost a lot of work last night using a small soft paint brush to clear some dust off! Do you recommend any kind of fixative as you work?

*gasp* I’m early 😯😯 for a video I won’t use for quite a long time (don’t have pastel pencils 😭)

Favorite tip is being able to use colored pencil over pastel, I was wondering about that before