My medium: pastel handling and safety

Pastel is almost pure pigment with just enough binder to hold a stick together. That is why its color is so direct, and also why it behaves unlike anything with a brush. This module is about getting to know your sticks before you ask them to paint a picture.

Pressure and stroke

The same stick gives completely different marks depending on how you hold it. The tip gives lines and hatching; the side, broken into a short piece, gives broad strokes. Light pressure lets the paper's tooth show through; heavy pressure fills it. Harder pastels (and pastel pencils) are for drawing and early layers; soft pastels are for rich top layers.