I just want to thank you for sharing your tracing pad storage suggestion. I have painted in pastels since 1969, and I always had a problem storing my pastel paintings, until now. Thank you so very, very, much! By the way, this video is fantastic, and I really look forward to seeing more of your videos. Thanks again❗ 🎨 👍😀
I loved working with pastels, but gave up due to all the breakage trying to sharpen the pencils. I love the panpastels too. Thank you so much for the tip - blade sharpener. Maybe I'll drag all of them out again. Thank you Kirsty !!!
I love pastels too, and I hated sharpening pencils to start with - but once I accepted the fact that pastel pencils won't be as sharp as coloured pencils, and I worked out how to use a more "blunt" pastel pencil to create the detail I needed... I started to enjoy the process a lot more 😊
I just got your kit of pan pastels ( I ordered it off Amazon). I am a watercolorist, which I love!! But decided to try pastels; mostly for the drawing. I feel I need to improve on my drawing. I feel pastel for some reason, helps with that. I guess watercolor can be so suggestive yet I’ve done detail realistic watercolor paintings. Anyway, it is a fun new challenge that I look forward to! Thank u for sharing your talent. U do a beautiful job! Thanks.
Really impressed with your tutorials, I follow one other special teacher on you tube on a different medium , For pastels you really do teach from scratch and cover everything for a beginner, and you keep the reader engrossed so don't stop teaching ! You do it really well !
Just got back into drawing with pastels. I've missed it for sure. The sharpening tips were great. Those sword fish sharpeners are great but they eat up so much of the pencils when you use them. Using a blade instead is definitely the way to go... Great vid!
Wow can’t imagine can paint that detailed art with pastel. Thank you for sharing your talent & hacks even how to store finished art. How to preserve protect it? I love you videos.
This was a WONDERFUL video! So many great suggestions that I have never seen or heard before. Subscribed and looking forward to learning much more! Thank you.
Very useful. I'm learning a bunch of different mediums, at the same time. It can get quite confusing, knowing what approach to use with each. Thanks. All of your work is stunning.
I LOVE Panpastel! I couldn’t decide which sets to buy so I just bought the full 80 color set, hahaha. I know it isn’t necessary, that you can mix all the colors you need with the 5 piece pure color set, but I’m lazy and wanted to ensure I’d get the same color each time instead of mixing the wrong color when I don’t mix up enough.
Haha I have the full set of 80 (plus all the pearl/metallic colours as well) and I also have about 3 or 4 sets of my own "General Realism with Kirsty Rebecca" as well.... so i completely understand! They are definitely worth it and will last you such a long time! The more colours you have, the easier it is for you because you don't need to spend as much time mixing colours! However, I usually recommend the smaller sets (5 or 10 pure colours or my set of 20, specifically) because most people either can't afford the whole set or don't want to spend that much to start a medium that they aren't sure they will enjoy 😊
Kirsty, I tried A number of things on your tutorials so far and I love it. I am not getting anything right yet but I’ll keep at it until I do. You are so amazingly talented and skilled!
Those animal eye illustrations are so mesmerzing! They almost look 3D! Though, I wish other artists didn't focus so much on realism with traditional art, feels like Im the only one who likes cartoony or anime traditional art.
Thank you 😊 There are many artists out there who prefer an illustrative style - you just have to find the ones you like! Everyone has their own opinion on what kind of art they prefer (to create or just to look at) and there are artists teaching and sharing their work online for all sorts of styles of art 😊
Your tutorials are so easy to watch. I pick up some really great tips from them. Do you paint sitting down to a horizontal surface or do you stand up to a vertical easel type surface? And why... Thanks a bunch!
Thank you 😊 I work sitting at a flat surface, mainly because it's easier to get decent camera angles, but also because I have problems with my back if I have to lift my hand up for a long period of time without being able to rest my elbows on something But then again, I get back problems if I hunch over too much on a flat surface haha.... it's just the lesser of two evils! In general, people suggest that working upright is better for your posture, but it depends what you prefer and if you have other underlying issues I make sure I get up and stretch/walk around etc often to avoid issues 😊
I paint sitting down too since I’ve had back issues too. One thing that has helped me to not hunch over my work is to use a table easel that I made by bending a large piece of cardboard in two places, sort of like this image of it from a side view: _/\ It also ensures I don’t press too hard because it’ll fall over if I do, haha. I tape the painting to a foam board and place that on the front of the easel. The smaller flat flap in the front catches any dust that might fall off. I save those particles since I’ve heard they can be mixed with water, alcohol, or mineral spirits and used as a grayish paint in future paintings. I hope this helps.
I am just starting trying to get into pastels, and am wondering what is the best way to store panpastels? And the sponge brushes you use to apply the panpastels, can you wash those after to reuse them later for different colors? Would appreciate any advice. Your videos are great thanks so much 😊
I use the trays that Pan Pastel sell to store mine, but you can buy individual lids for them or just twist them together to save space You can wipe of the excess pastel on paper towel until no more pastel comes off (I usually just do this to "clean" them and they are fine to be used for different colours after that) You could also wash them with soap and water but it's a lot of effort and it doesn't really do any better than just wiping off the excess on paper towel Thank you and you're welcome 😊
Hi Kirsty. I have found that my sponge applicators for the pan pastels dry up very easily and quickly. Not the large sponges, but the smaller sponges that you place on the tool. I wonder if you've had this problem too? I wonder if I should keep them inside a plastic baggy or something like that? We live in a decent climate, not real dry nor humid, here in San Diego. My studio is in the garage and it can get hot there in the afternoon, probably not the best place for my pastels but that is where I paint.
That'a very strange! I have never had my applicators dry up before! I keep mine in a sealed container, so that could be why.. but again, I've never heard that happening! Maybe contact Pan Pastel/Sofft Tools directly to see if they have an answer of if it's some kind of defect 😊
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt I keep my un-used ones in the plastic it comes in but once I put them on the applicator, I keep it on my art desk in a holder, exposed to the air. Like I said, all summer long, it is HOT in the garage (I can only paint in the morning) but I think that even in the winter time, I had the same problem. I'll contact the Sofft Tool folks. I can't remember if I purchased it from them or from Amazon. lol
took me 31 and 1/2 days to sharpen my pastel pencil, but it was worth the effort- my sharpening arm is now a beast- I use knife too- much easier and doesn't take long at all
Haha yeah it does get easier! I sharpen mine in the same amount of time as a sharpener would take (I just shave off the wooden casing, so it doesn't take too long!)
I wrap my pastel pieces in glassine, then sandwich between 2 pieces of foam board. I also wrap that in a few layers of bubble wrap, and sandwich that between 2 pieces of thick cardboard I haven't had a piece get damaged in the mail yet, but there's always a risk, unfortunately!
Wow, the price of PanPastels right now at Dick Blick in the USA is $5.78 each. I$10 is A LOT! I don’t know how much it costs to send them to Australia, but it might be worth checking out.
Yeah, I've looked into it before and the shipping from Dick Blick to Australia is ridiculous I purchase a lot of things from Jackson's in the UK because the shipping to Australia is reasonable, and their prices are cheaper (for some items) so it makes it worth it You guys in the US/UK are lucky with art supplies! 😊
I have always used a blade to sharpen, but those sandpaper pads from the art shop are silly expensive, so i just use builders sandpaper or cheap nailfiles
Yes you can definitely use sandpaper from a hardware store! I bought a pack of paper blenders and sandpaper block from a dollar store and it was really cheap (art stores can be expensive for those kinds of things!) 😊
Have you ever tried changing country on Amazon while keeping your Australian address as the delivery address? I’ve done that to get things from Uk or France Amazon that aren’t on American Amazon. Might try that to get your replacement blades. The mobius plus Rupert replacement blades work on standard pencil sharpeners
Yeah, I have done that in the past but I still find that most places don't ship to Australia anyway - it's easier to leave it on the Australian Amazon because it shows international sellers who ship to Australia (which is barely any, unfortunately!)
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt what a bummer!! If you are in Sydney or Brisbane and need anything from USA and reimburse me I can bring it in October when I come
You're welcome! I only recommend Clairefontaine Pastelmat because there are no other papers that will achieve the same results, unfortunately! If people are on a bit of a budget, I would suggest purchasing a smaller set of pastels to save money rather than trying to find a cheaper paper 😊
Have you tried scraping hard pastel sticks with a craft knife and applying the resulting powder with makeup sponge applicators to get panpastel outcomes at a lower price?
I have tried it but it doesn't work the same at all The pastel tends to be uneven as it's not a super fine powder so you end up with clumps and splodges of pastel in some spots, and not enough in other spots Makeup sponges don't pick up the pastel and apply it as well as the Sofft tools (they are a unique type of sponge that was specifically made to apply Pan Pastels and a lot of research/trial and error went into creating them) Also, pastel sticks are a lot more expensive than Pan Pastels in the long run Unfortunately, there isn't any other product like Pan Pastels You can buy the basic set of 5 colours (red, yellow, blue, black and white) and mix any colour you need, just like paint! That is something you can't do easily with soft pastel sticks or pastel pencils (this is why people usually have hundreds of pastel sticks/pencils - which is way more expensive than buying 5 Pan Pastels) They're actually not that expensive when you compare how much pastel is in each pan Pan Pastels contain 40% more pastel than an average stick and have 4-5 times more coverage. They last a very long time in comparison to sticks I've had my full set of pan pastels for about 6 years and haven't run out of any colour yet, and I do a lot of artwork, and if you take care of the Sofft tools, they last a long time as well 😊 There are also many other benefits such as not having to touch the pastel (so it's less mess on your hands/artwork/desk etc), less excess dust in the air, as well as being able to control how much pastel you are applying to your surface which means you don't fill up the tooth of the paper too quickly - allowing for the addition of a few layers of pastel pencils/coloured pencils etc if you wish! You can also use the smaller Sofft tools or brushes to apply into smaller areas, which can be hard to to with a soft pastel stick I honestly recommend Pan Pastels over any other type of pastel because they are actually more cost effective (along with all the other benefits mentioned above) 😊
@@cg8397 it depends on what results you are trying to achieve When he shaves the stick, a lot of pastel comes off and the first layer is totally saturated with colour, nearly filling the tooth of the paper (a similar thing would happen if you just shade with the stick itself) He then adds a few details on top of that first layer but they mostly blend in with the first layer because the tooth of the paper is already filled up from that single layer of shavings Pan Pastels allow you to add very light layers, which is perfect for my techniques because I tend to add at least 3-4 layers to create the depth and texture I need in my work (especially for things like animal fur) - you can see what I'm talking about it you watch any of my pastel tutorials If I were to use pastel shavings, I would definitely fill up the tooth too fast and not be able to achieve the amount of layers that I need to It's a completely different technique and outcome (it's comparable to using pastel sticks vs pan pastels) so it's up to the artist to decide which technique they prefer and which outcome they prefer Long story short, it won't work for the type of artwork I personally do, and it will cost me a lot more money considering I'm wasting that much pastel by shaving it away every time - I only use lightfast supplies so good quality pastel sticks are not cheap I hope that answers the question 😊
For me, using pastels is a bit like playing golf. One day I'm on the fairway, nailing the green and putting up a decent score. The next day, I'm in the bunker or snorkeling for my shot. But it's all good. I like oils as opposed to the hard chalk pastels, by the way. The dust! ugh!
Yep! It can be difficult sometimes! The dust is not so bad when using Pan Pastels in combination with Pastel Pencils on Pastelmat (there really is minimal dust 😊)
Do you use sanded paper for your art work? It seems to me that sanded paper would start to shred the sponge applicators and also wear down the pastel pencils really fast too.
I use Clairefontaine Pastelmat which is not technically a sanded paper It's a bit of a misconception that sanded papers wear down pencils quickly, but in reality, the pigment is applied much quicker to sanded papers (so instead of spending hours creating multiple light layers, you get the coverage much quicker) which seems as though you're wearing away your pencil faster - but you're actually using the same amount of pencil, just finishing your piece sooner As for the sponge applicators, the trick is to keep going back to your Pan to get more pastel on your tool as soon as the pigment stops coming off of your tool A lot of people tend to try and push harder to get more pastel to come off, which damages the tool really quickly, but you really only need to press very lightly with your sponges and pick up more pastel when it's not coming off of your tool as much Also, using the larger sponges when you can will help save your tools (they don't wear away as quickly as the small covers for the blue knife tools) I hope that makes sense!
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt Thank you, Kirsty, that makes perfect sense. I have received samples of Pastelmat when ordering other art supplies and to me, it felt similar to Uart sanded paper, but it was just a small piece, like 3x3 inches, so hard to get the full effect with that small of a sample. As I am new and do not make any $$ by selling my work, I just can't afford Pastelmat at $5.00 for a 9x12 piece of paper. Yikes. I wish I could afford it because I know that is the favorite among almost all artists, but until I get good enough to make money to pay for the paper, I'll be sticking with Uart or Mi-Teintes Touch.
You can use soft pastel sticks, but it is a lot harder and much more unpredictable You have to apply the sticks very lightly and make sure you really blend the pastel well (so it pushes the pigment into the paper) The problem with sticks is that you can't really control how much pastel you're laying down so it can fill up the tooth of the paper too quickly if you're not careful I know I sound like a walking advertisement for Pan Pastel but they're actually not that expensive when you compare how much pastel is in each pan Pan Pastels contain 40% more pastel than an average stick and have 4-5 times more coverage. They last a very long time in comparison to sticks You can actually just buy the basic set of 5 colours (red, yellow, blue, black and white) and mix any colour you need, just like paint! That is something you can't do easily with soft pastel sticks (this is why people usually have hundreds of pastel sticks - which is way more expensive than buying 5 Pan Pastels) I've had my set of pan pastels for about 5 years and haven't run out of any colour yet, and I do a lot of artwork , and if you take care of the Sofft tools, they last a long time as well 😊 There are also many other benefits such as not having to touch the pastel (so it's less mess on your hands/artwork/desk etc), less excess dust in the air, as well as being able to control how much pastel you are applying to your surface which means you don't fill up the tooth of the paper too quickly - allowing for the addition of a few layers of pastel pencils/coloured pencils etc if you wish! You can also use the smaller Sofft tools or brushes to apply into smaller areas, which can be hard to to with a soft pastel stick I honestly recommend Pan Pastels over any other type of pastel because they are actually more cost effective (along with all the other benefits mentioned above) 😊
Did you mean fixatives? We don't varnish pastel work because it will dissolve the pastel! Unfortunately, most fixatives cause more problems than they solve! Your artwork can end up being darkened/discoloured or the fixative doesn't actually "fix" anything Most pastel artists don't use fixatives for that reason If you use the techniques and supplies that I use, there's no reason you need to fix your pastel paintings because there's very little dust fall off, it's archival/lightfast without it, and if you store it correctly and/or frame it properly then you won't have any issues 😊 If you still think you would like to use a fixative, Spectrafix is one of the main brands that don't cause much colour change (however, it still doesn't completely "fix" the artwork and can cause "spots/droplets" from the spray that you will probably need to cover up with more pastel) and like I mentioned earlier, it's not necessary to use a fixative 😊
I would only suggest using acid free/archival supplies with your artwork because there is a chance that greaseproof paper could yellow your artwork or discolour it over time! Acid-free tracing paper or glassine are good alternatives 😊
I don't think any brush would work as well as a cotton tip (they're generally much softer) but you're welcome to try it and see if you like the results 😊
Unfortunately, most fixatives cause more problems than they solve! Your artwork can end up being darkened/discoloured or the fixative doesn't actually "fix" anything Most pastel artists don't use fixatives for that reason If you use the techniques and supplies that I use, there's no reason you need to fix your pastel paintings because there's very little dust fall off, it's archival/lightfast without it, and if you store it correctly and/or frame it properly then you won't have any issues 😊
Hi, I just had a look into this because TH-cam is supposed to automatically add subtitles (I have never manually added them) and for some reason, it won't add subtitles to about 50% of my videos and I honestly can't work out why which is very frustrating! I have to go back and manually write out all of the subtitles for every video if I want subtitles on all of them because TH-cam won't automatically do it Unfortunately, I don't have the extra time to do this but I'm still looking into possible solutions for why TH-cam isn't adding subtitles to some of my videos so hopefully, the issue will fix itself! About 50% of my videos have subtitles so hopefully you can watch some of those in the meantime until something is sorted out and I apologise that TH-cam is doing this!
Just an update, I managed to reset subtitles by adjusting some of the settings on my channel overall, but there are still about 5 videos that TH-cam will not create subtitles for, and unfortunately, this is one of them! I hope my other videos will be helpful because I do repeat/talk about the info in this video throughout a lot of my other pastel videos 😊
I am Australian 😊 I honestly just buy acid free tracing paper by Mont Marte - the cheap brand that a lot of craft stores have (or I use the glassine sheets that come between the Pastelmat pads) You can buy glassine in bulk from theartshop.com.au theartshop.com.au/products/glassine-paper-40gsm-600-x-800-pkt-10 They are 60x80cm sheets which is quite large, you could cut it down to 4 pieces each sheet and reuse them a few times each (I use a piece of glassine 3-4 times usually before it starts getting too grubby, or if I'm working on something with light colours)
Hello Kristy I m very new to the pastel world.. Your vdo is very informative for beginners like me and for others too..I have a question.. can I draw details with stabilo on top of a oil or soft pastel painting..
I honestly use Pan Pastels and pastel pencils mostly, but if I am going to use sticks, I love rembrandt! I have a large set that I really should use more often 😊
Unfortunately Pastelmat is a unique surface and there is nothing else like it! I always tell people that the surface is the most important supply for pastel painting - you just won't get the same results with any other paper (they either don't take enough layers or produce a grainy result) I recommend purchasing a smaller set of pastels if you're on a budget and layer/blend colours until you can save for some more individual colours - but definitely don't try to save money on the paper! You can buy Pastelmat in large sheets (100cm x 70cm) and cut them down to the sizes you need - that's what I do and it ends up being more cost effective this way 😊 amzn.to/40rAUOe
Gee I had the pan pastels and didn’t know why or what to do with them. Oh I remember it was recommended for large areas. Now I can get into pastels and not buy a bunch of sticks
They are honestly so great! (I'm biased though!!) You can mix your colours which means you can have a small set and mix the colours you need rather than buying hundreds of sticks 😊
I believe they are the same thing! Soft pastel is sometimes reffered to as chalk pastel, and the contents of pastel pencils are soft pastel So some companies may call them different things but they're the same 😊
I've heard that the Derwent pastel pencils are somewhere in between the Pitts/ CarbOthellos and the Caran De Ache. They are also considerably cheaper than the Caran De Ache while still being a very good quality! Hope this is helpful!
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt thanks a lot.. I have strathmore pastel paper pad series 400.. but somehow the stabilo chalk pastel pencils are not filling in well.. I m trying ur techniques and I m very new to pastels.. I am more in to oil and acrylic.. please advice.. ☺
Hi! Unfortunately, I'm not taking commissions at this point because I don't have enough spare time between TH-cam, the Academy, and my chronic illness issues. I hope you find another artist who can help you! 😊
Every time you sharpen your pastel pencil you should run some rounds with woodless craphite pencils, that will keep your sharpener sharp without buying new ones, which seems like a waste of money to me. Just buy quality so the pastel inside wont break. You don't need many pencils to get started, and if you do feel like you do then the cheap ones are going to snap easily but at least they didn't cost that much. It would be insane to use more money to just sharpen your pencils than the actual pastels. You really don't even need the pencils because pastel stick can be broken up to sharp pieces and are so much more in pigment that most pencils are. I would suggest to just buy some good, hand-made sticks than to make your life hard with breaking pencils with expensive sharpeners that you have to buy every six months that also contains the actual product so much less. I love my Unison soft pastels. No sharpener needed here. For some dark details I have the Faber Castell whole set that's rarely used, but was worth the money spent.
Yeah I agree about the sharpeners! I have a set of Rembrandt pastel sticks but I can't get the level of detail I would like when I use them, unfortunately! They are also softer than the pencils which means they tend to fill up the tooth of the paper quicker as well I tend to use a mixture of the sticks and pastel pencils, depending on what I need at the time, but I lean towards the pencils because of how transparent they are - I like to build up my layers and do "glazes" with the pencils (which is difficult to do with the really pigmented sticks) I don't use a sharpener with pastels anymore - I only shave away the wooden casing of the pastel pencils with a craft knife - not touching the actual pastel part - so I'm not wasting any of the pastel at all (I rarely sharpen the pencils to a fine point because they aren't designed to be that sharp - they just crumble) but I find the point is sharp enough for the detail I need without the super fine point 😊
Ich bin mir nicht sicher - TH-cam (die Website) übernimmt die Übersetzungen/Untertitel für jedes Video, nicht ich persönlich! Wenn es also keine deutschen Untertitel gibt, bedeutet das, dass TH-cam diese nicht zur Verfügung gestellt hat
Ich verwende Google Translate, es tut mir also leid, wenn das keinen Sinn ergibt! Tut mir leid, aber TH-cam erstellt die Untertitel. Ich habe keine Kontrolle über die Untertitel. Wenn ich Deutsch zur Liste hinzufügen könnte, würde ich es auf jeden Fall tun!
Wow. lol. You are the Queen of Pastels. I moved out of my comfort area and am now learning to use pastels and after searching here to learn about it, I keep ending up on your channel. lol. So, I just came down here to say Thank You. You've helped me and countless other artists with your videos, and I very much appreciate it!
Heeeey 2 months late I Am Sorry! Lol. Sooo about Pastels, wow. Pastel art is a whole separate world that needs full determination in what you want to create and respect your hard work so much here online and what you share aside from that because you really help to keep other artists motivated, sticking through the whole creation with all of your tips and walk throughs because it is REALLY easy to kinda give up half way through like so many other projects that absolutely do need that extra push of determination and 3rd sorta to help see the final results and bigger picture. So looking back no too long ago but still.. Thank You means a whole lot more if you know what I mean.
Thank you so much for the great advice. I just bought a bunch of pan pastel as part of 12 day art class and have no idea what to do I was going to tray to incorporate them into my mix media. Your work is gorgeous!! I would have never guess it was pastel. Thank you again for great infor !!
Thank you for your incredible tutorials! I'm new to pastels, and I have a dumb question: I am frequently having to blow the excess dust away, yet I never see any professional artists doing that. What am I doing wrong?
You're welcome 😊 Not a dumb question! I used to do that a lot (and still do out of habit) I think some professional artists still blow dust away as a habit, but one of the reasons you won't see that in videos is because the blowing noise is loud on the microphone/camera so they will cut it out of the video! Blowing the dust around is bad for you because you're more likely to inhale that dust, and you can also accidentally spit on your artwork while doing it which isn't archival, obviously Some people use a mini vacuum or dust extractor, which can get expensive and tedious... but I just tell my students to tape their work to an art board or something they can move around so that they can just take their board to a bin, turn it upside down, then tap off the excess dust instead of blowing it A lot of pastel artists will work on an upright easel that is tilted slightly more than 90 degrees towards you - that way, the dust will fall directly down to the bottom of the easel (without getting dust stuck on the artwork on the way down) where they will have a lip or foil/paper folded under their work to catch the excess falling dust I work flat on my desk and tape my work to my desk so it doesn't move around while filming which makes it more difficult so I end up blowing the dust away a lot (which I should really stop doing) but I will un-tape the artwork after each layer and take it to a bin to tap off the excess dust, then re-tape it back down... it's a pain in the butt which is why I recommend taping it to a movable board instead Also, if you use Clairefontaine Pastelmat with Pan Pastels and pastel pencils, there will be a lot less dust than if you're using traditional pastel sticks on any other surface - so the supplies make a huge difference too! I hope that helps 😊
Great tips!. (+1) for small details use pastel dust mixed with alcohol and apply with a little brush.
I must try that one day 😊
Using a tracing paper pad to put the artwork in is an excellent idea, I never thought of that. Thanks for the tip!
Glad it was helpful!
I just want to thank you for sharing your tracing pad storage suggestion. I have painted in pastels since 1969, and I always had a problem storing my pastel paintings, until now. Thank you so very, very, much! By the way, this video is fantastic, and I really look forward to seeing more of your videos. Thanks again❗ 🎨 👍😀
You are so welcome!
As someone who wants to start drawing with pastels, this was super useful and informative. I appreciate this video a lot, thank you!!
You're very welcome! 😊
Thanks, Kirsty. I feel like I know everything, but it is important to remain open to new techniques.
I am always learning and trying new things! 😊
I loved working with pastels, but gave up due to all the breakage trying to sharpen the pencils. I love the panpastels too. Thank you so much for the tip - blade sharpener.
Maybe I'll drag all of them out again. Thank you Kirsty !!!
I love pastels too, and I hated sharpening pencils to start with - but once I accepted the fact that pastel pencils won't be as sharp as coloured pencils, and I worked out how to use a more "blunt" pastel pencil to create the detail I needed... I started to enjoy the process a lot more 😊
You are such an incredible artist 💖 Thabks for sharing!
Thank you so much 😀
Love all the specific info you provide in your videos. Thanks so much!
You are so welcome!
I just got your kit of pan pastels ( I ordered it off Amazon). I am a watercolorist, which I love!! But decided to try pastels; mostly for the drawing. I feel I need to improve on my drawing. I feel pastel for some reason, helps with that. I guess watercolor can be so suggestive yet I’ve done detail realistic watercolor paintings. Anyway, it is a fun new challenge that I look forward to! Thank u for sharing your talent. U do a beautiful job! Thanks.
How exciting! I hope you enjoy your new pastels! 😊
Really impressed with your tutorials, I follow one other special teacher on you tube on a different medium , For pastels you really do teach from scratch and cover everything for a beginner, and you keep the reader engrossed so don't stop teaching ! You do it really well !
Thank you, I'm glad the tutorials are helpful 😊
Just got back into drawing with pastels. I've missed it for sure. The sharpening tips were great. Those sword fish sharpeners are great but they eat up so much of the pencils when you use them. Using a blade instead is definitely the way to go... Great vid!
Thank you 😊
Yes, learning how to use a blade/knife will save you so much time/money in the future 😊
What an incredible talent you have. In awe over here.
Thank you so much 😊
Wow can’t imagine can paint that detailed art with pastel. Thank you for sharing your talent & hacks even how to store finished art. How to preserve protect it? I love you videos.
Thank you 😊
Really great tips. Especially liked the one for storing finished artwork. I really like your video style too, concise and to the point. Thank You!
I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊
This was a WONDERFUL video! So many great suggestions that I have never seen or heard before. Subscribed and looking forward to learning much more! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! 😊
Very helpful. Your work is beautiful. Thank you
You’re welcome 😊
Excellent. Thanks
You are welcome!
Very useful. I'm learning a bunch of different mediums, at the same time. It can get quite confusing, knowing what approach to use with each. Thanks. All of your work is stunning.
Glad it was helpful! 😊
Whoa! Fab work so much ueful information too thank you
Glad it was helpful!
I am somewhat seasoned when it comes to pastels and I have to say that I learned a lot from this. Very informative. Thank you. 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Great tutorial. I haven't had my pastels out for a while, but when I do I will definitely use that transfer tip. Thanks! 🙂
Thank you 😊
It's a very useful tip!
BEAUTIFUL WORK!! ALL SUPER GOOD TIPS!! THANK YOU!!
Glad it was helpful!
Amazing paintings
Thank you so much 😀
Excelent tutorial. Every piece of advice is useful. Thank you from Guadalajara, Mexico.
Glad it was helpful!
Wow! Great idea for the transfer! And now I know what to do with all my tracing paper pads. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
These were Great Ideas!!! Thank you for sharing with us ❤️🩷💜
You are so welcome!
Thank you. This was very helpful. Your paintings are beautiful.
You are so welcome! Thank you 😊
Thanks for all your tips Kirsty, great video. It's lovely to hear an Aussie voice btw.. love your work...from .Lake Macquarie
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video 😊
Wow I learned so much from this tutorial. Thank you so much. ❤
You are so welcome!
Your videos are the best on the internet
Thank you 😊
Very very helpful! Thank you. Stunning art work you've created.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks!
Thank you so much! 😊
Incredible collection of tips, thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic ❤
Thanks 🤗
Really great information!! Beautiful artwork Rebecca
Thank you so much!
Thank you! Especially for the storage
Glad it was helpful!
I LOVE Panpastel! I couldn’t decide which sets to buy so I just bought the full 80 color set, hahaha. I know it isn’t necessary, that you can mix all the colors you need with the 5 piece pure color set, but I’m lazy and wanted to ensure I’d get the same color each time instead of mixing the wrong color when I don’t mix up enough.
Haha I have the full set of 80 (plus all the pearl/metallic colours as well) and I also have about 3 or 4 sets of my own "General Realism with Kirsty Rebecca" as well.... so i completely understand! They are definitely worth it and will last you such a long time! The more colours you have, the easier it is for you because you don't need to spend as much time mixing colours!
However, I usually recommend the smaller sets (5 or 10 pure colours or my set of 20, specifically) because most people either can't afford the whole set or don't want to spend that much to start a medium that they aren't sure they will enjoy 😊
This was insanely helpful. It’s good to know that you have the same issues as me. Thank you for that great video
Glad it was helpful!
Kirsty, I tried A number of things on your tutorials so far and I love it. I am not getting anything right yet but I’ll keep at it until I do. You are so amazingly talented and skilled!
I'm glad the tutorials are helpful 😊
Many thanks for all the tips! 😎🎉☺️
My pleasure!
Once again, a useful video. Thankyou. And I adore that cockatoo.
Thank you 😊
Wow-this was great. Thank you!
You're welcome 😊
Super helpful and inspiring. Thanks! 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Your paintings are beautiful😍thanks for share🙏🌹
Thank you so much 😀
❤️ Very informative. Thank you 🙌
Glad it was helpful!
Those animal eye illustrations are so mesmerzing! They almost look 3D!
Though, I wish other artists didn't focus so much on realism with traditional art, feels like Im the only one who likes cartoony or anime traditional art.
Thank you 😊
There are many artists out there who prefer an illustrative style - you just have to find the ones you like!
Everyone has their own opinion on what kind of art they prefer (to create or just to look at) and there are artists teaching and sharing their work online for all sorts of styles of art 😊
Your tutorials are so easy to watch. I pick up some really great tips from them. Do you paint sitting down to a horizontal surface or do you stand up to a vertical easel type surface? And why... Thanks a bunch!
Thank you 😊
I work sitting at a flat surface, mainly because it's easier to get decent camera angles, but also because I have problems with my back if I have to lift my hand up for a long period of time without being able to rest my elbows on something
But then again, I get back problems if I hunch over too much on a flat surface haha.... it's just the lesser of two evils!
In general, people suggest that working upright is better for your posture, but it depends what you prefer and if you have other underlying issues
I make sure I get up and stretch/walk around etc often to avoid issues 😊
I paint sitting down too since I’ve had back issues too. One thing that has helped me to not hunch over my work is to use a table easel that I made by bending a large piece of cardboard in two places, sort of like this image of it from a side view: _/\
It also ensures I don’t press too hard because it’ll fall over if I do, haha. I tape the painting to a foam board and place that on the front of the easel. The smaller flat flap in the front catches any dust that might fall off. I save those particles since I’ve heard they can be mixed with water, alcohol, or mineral spirits and used as a grayish paint in future paintings.
I hope this helps.
I am just starting trying to get into pastels, and am wondering what is the best way to store panpastels? And the sponge brushes you use to apply the panpastels, can you wash those after to reuse them later for different colors? Would appreciate any advice. Your videos are great thanks so much 😊
I use the trays that Pan Pastel sell to store mine, but you can buy individual lids for them or just twist them together to save space
You can wipe of the excess pastel on paper towel until no more pastel comes off (I usually just do this to "clean" them and they are fine to be used for different colours after that)
You could also wash them with soap and water but it's a lot of effort and it doesn't really do any better than just wiping off the excess on paper towel
Thank you and you're welcome 😊
Hi Kirsty. I have found that my sponge applicators for the pan pastels dry up very easily and quickly. Not the large sponges, but the smaller sponges that you place on the tool. I wonder if you've had this problem too? I wonder if I should keep them inside a plastic baggy or something like that? We live in a decent climate, not real dry nor humid, here in San Diego. My studio is in the garage and it can get hot there in the afternoon, probably not the best place for my pastels but that is where I paint.
That'a very strange! I have never had my applicators dry up before!
I keep mine in a sealed container, so that could be why.. but again, I've never heard that happening! Maybe contact Pan Pastel/Sofft Tools directly to see if they have an answer of if it's some kind of defect 😊
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt I keep my un-used ones in the plastic it comes in but once I put them on the applicator, I keep it on my art desk in a holder, exposed to the air. Like I said, all summer long, it is HOT in the garage (I can only paint in the morning) but I think that even in the winter time, I had the same problem. I'll contact the Sofft Tool folks. I can't remember if I purchased it from them or from Amazon. lol
took me 31 and 1/2 days to sharpen my pastel pencil, but it was worth the effort- my sharpening arm is now a beast- I use knife too- much easier and doesn't take long at all
Haha yeah it does get easier! I sharpen mine in the same amount of time as a sharpener would take (I just shave off the wooden casing, so it doesn't take too long!)
Thanks for a very interesting and informative video. There is so much information in this! I have subscribed!
Thank you 😊
Thank you!! Do you have a suggestion as to how to post a pastel painting , I suppose is not possible to fix it but how can I protect the painting?
I wrap my pastel pieces in glassine, then sandwich between 2 pieces of foam board.
I also wrap that in a few layers of bubble wrap, and sandwich that between 2 pieces of thick cardboard
I haven't had a piece get damaged in the mail yet, but there's always a risk, unfortunately!
Very helpful thanks
Glad it helped 😊
Wow, the price of PanPastels right now at Dick Blick in the USA is $5.78 each. I$10 is A LOT! I don’t know how much it costs to send them to Australia, but it might be worth checking out.
Yeah, I've looked into it before and the shipping from Dick Blick to Australia is ridiculous
I purchase a lot of things from Jackson's in the UK because the shipping to Australia is reasonable, and their prices are cheaper (for some items) so it makes it worth it
You guys in the US/UK are lucky with art supplies! 😊
This was helpfull and inspiring 💕
Glad it was helpful!
Eres mi artista favorita 💐
I have always used a blade to sharpen, but those sandpaper pads from the art shop are silly expensive, so i just use builders sandpaper or cheap nailfiles
Yes you can definitely use sandpaper from a hardware store! I bought a pack of paper blenders and sandpaper block from a dollar store and it was really cheap (art stores can be expensive for those kinds of things!) 😊
Great tips Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Have you ever tried changing country on Amazon while keeping your Australian address as the delivery address? I’ve done that to get things from Uk or France Amazon that aren’t on American Amazon. Might try that to get your replacement blades. The mobius plus Rupert replacement blades work on standard pencil sharpeners
Yeah, I have done that in the past but I still find that most places don't ship to Australia anyway - it's easier to leave it on the Australian Amazon because it shows international sellers who ship to Australia (which is barely any, unfortunately!)
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt what a bummer!! If you are in Sydney or Brisbane and need anything from USA and reimburse me I can bring it in October when I come
Very helpful tips! Thank you for sharing❤ Are there any other brands of paper you would recommend to beginners to try on?
You're welcome! I only recommend Clairefontaine Pastelmat because there are no other papers that will achieve the same results, unfortunately! If people are on a bit of a budget, I would suggest purchasing a smaller set of pastels to save money rather than trying to find a cheaper paper 😊
Have you tried scraping hard pastel sticks with a craft knife and applying the resulting powder with makeup sponge applicators to get panpastel outcomes at a lower price?
I have tried it but it doesn't work the same at all
The pastel tends to be uneven as it's not a super fine powder so you end up with clumps and splodges of pastel in some spots, and not enough in other spots
Makeup sponges don't pick up the pastel and apply it as well as the Sofft tools (they are a unique type of sponge that was specifically made to apply Pan Pastels and a lot of research/trial and error went into creating them)
Also, pastel sticks are a lot more expensive than Pan Pastels in the long run
Unfortunately, there isn't any other product like Pan Pastels
You can buy the basic set of 5 colours (red, yellow, blue, black and white) and mix any colour you need, just like paint!
That is something you can't do easily with soft pastel sticks or pastel pencils (this is why people usually have hundreds of pastel sticks/pencils - which is way more expensive than buying 5 Pan Pastels)
They're actually not that expensive when you compare how much pastel is in each pan
Pan Pastels contain 40% more pastel than an average stick and have 4-5 times more coverage. They last a very long time in comparison to sticks
I've had my full set of pan pastels for about 6 years and haven't run out of any colour yet, and I do a lot of artwork, and if you take care of the Sofft tools, they last a long time as well 😊
There are also many other benefits such as not having to touch the pastel (so it's less mess on your hands/artwork/desk etc), less excess dust in the air, as well as being able to control how much pastel you are applying to your surface which means you don't fill up the tooth of the paper too quickly - allowing for the addition of a few layers of pastel pencils/coloured pencils etc if you wish!
You can also use the smaller Sofft tools or brushes to apply into smaller areas, which can be hard to to with a soft pastel stick
I honestly recommend Pan Pastels over any other type of pastel because they are actually more cost effective (along with all the other benefits mentioned above) 😊
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt The reason I asked the question is this tutorial: th-cam.com/video/vUnLvmAjrsM/w-d-xo.html
@@cg8397 it depends on what results you are trying to achieve
When he shaves the stick, a lot of pastel comes off and the first layer is totally saturated with colour, nearly filling the tooth of the paper (a similar thing would happen if you just shade with the stick itself)
He then adds a few details on top of that first layer but they mostly blend in with the first layer because the tooth of the paper is already filled up from that single layer of shavings
Pan Pastels allow you to add very light layers, which is perfect for my techniques because I tend to add at least 3-4 layers to create the depth and texture I need in my work (especially for things like animal fur) - you can see what I'm talking about it you watch any of my pastel tutorials
If I were to use pastel shavings, I would definitely fill up the tooth too fast and not be able to achieve the amount of layers that I need to
It's a completely different technique and outcome (it's comparable to using pastel sticks vs pan pastels) so it's up to the artist to decide which technique they prefer and which outcome they prefer
Long story short, it won't work for the type of artwork I personally do, and it will cost me a lot more money considering I'm wasting that much pastel by shaving it away every time - I only use lightfast supplies so good quality pastel sticks are not cheap
I hope that answers the question 😊
For me, using pastels is a bit like playing golf. One day I'm on the fairway, nailing the green and putting up a decent score. The next day, I'm in the bunker or snorkeling for my shot. But it's all good. I like oils as opposed to the hard chalk pastels, by the way. The dust! ugh!
Yep! It can be difficult sometimes!
The dust is not so bad when using Pan Pastels in combination with Pastel Pencils on Pastelmat (there really is minimal dust 😊)
You should try a white charcoal pencil for highlights
Thankyou, I'll give it a go! 😊
Do you use sanded paper for your art work? It seems to me that sanded paper would start to shred the sponge applicators and also wear down the pastel pencils really fast too.
I use Clairefontaine Pastelmat which is not technically a sanded paper
It's a bit of a misconception that sanded papers wear down pencils quickly, but in reality, the pigment is applied much quicker to sanded papers (so instead of spending hours creating multiple light layers, you get the coverage much quicker) which seems as though you're wearing away your pencil faster - but you're actually using the same amount of pencil, just finishing your piece sooner
As for the sponge applicators, the trick is to keep going back to your Pan to get more pastel on your tool as soon as the pigment stops coming off of your tool
A lot of people tend to try and push harder to get more pastel to come off, which damages the tool really quickly, but you really only need to press very lightly with your sponges and pick up more pastel when it's not coming off of your tool as much
Also, using the larger sponges when you can will help save your tools (they don't wear away as quickly as the small covers for the blue knife tools)
I hope that makes sense!
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt Thank you, Kirsty, that makes perfect sense. I have received samples of Pastelmat when ordering other art supplies and to me, it felt similar to Uart sanded paper, but it was just a small piece, like 3x3 inches, so hard to get the full effect with that small of a sample. As I am new and do not make any $$ by selling my work, I just can't afford Pastelmat at $5.00 for a 9x12 piece of paper. Yikes. I wish I could afford it because I know that is the favorite among almost all artists, but until I get good enough to make money to pay for the paper, I'll be sticking with Uart or Mi-Teintes Touch.
Can you achieve the same quality of pan pastels with soft pastels sticks?
You can use soft pastel sticks, but it is a lot harder and much more unpredictable
You have to apply the sticks very lightly and make sure you really blend the pastel well (so it pushes the pigment into the paper)
The problem with sticks is that you can't really control how much pastel you're laying down so it can fill up the tooth of the paper too quickly if you're not careful
I know I sound like a walking advertisement for Pan Pastel but they're actually not that expensive when you compare how much pastel is in each pan
Pan Pastels contain 40% more pastel than an average stick and have 4-5 times more coverage. They last a very long time in comparison to sticks
You can actually just buy the basic set of 5 colours (red, yellow, blue, black and white) and mix any colour you need, just like paint!
That is something you can't do easily with soft pastel sticks (this is why people usually have hundreds of pastel sticks - which is way more expensive than buying 5 Pan Pastels)
I've had my set of pan pastels for about 5 years and haven't run out of any colour yet, and I do a lot of artwork , and if you take care of the Sofft tools, they last a long time as well 😊
There are also many other benefits such as not having to touch the pastel (so it's less mess on your hands/artwork/desk etc), less excess dust in the air, as well as being able to control how much pastel you are applying to your surface which means you don't fill up the tooth of the paper too quickly - allowing for the addition of a few layers of pastel pencils/coloured pencils etc if you wish!
You can also use the smaller Sofft tools or brushes to apply into smaller areas, which can be hard to to with a soft pastel stick
I honestly recommend Pan Pastels over any other type of pastel because they are actually more cost effective (along with all the other benefits mentioned above) 😊
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt Wow thanks soo much for such Amazing quality response, you are definitely a well-rounded artist!
Hi, I’m very new to pencil pastel. I would like to know do you varnish your artwork? If do, what kind of varnishes would you recommend? Thank you
Did you mean fixatives? We don't varnish pastel work because it will dissolve the pastel!
Unfortunately, most fixatives cause more problems than they solve!
Your artwork can end up being darkened/discoloured or the fixative doesn't actually "fix" anything
Most pastel artists don't use fixatives for that reason
If you use the techniques and supplies that I use, there's no reason you need to fix your pastel paintings because there's very little dust fall off, it's archival/lightfast without it, and if you store it correctly and/or frame it properly then you won't have any issues 😊
If you still think you would like to use a fixative, Spectrafix is one of the main brands that don't cause much colour change (however, it still doesn't completely "fix" the artwork and can cause "spots/droplets" from the spray that you will probably need to cover up with more pastel) and like I mentioned earlier, it's not necessary to use a fixative 😊
thank you so much 🥰@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt
What kind of colored pencils do you recommend to use with oil pastels?
I've never used oil pastels, but I don't think coloured pencil would work very well with them!
I only use soft (chalk) pastels 😊
Do you think grease-proof paper is any use over pastels, either for storage or to stop smudging while drawing? It's cheap.
I would only suggest using acid free/archival supplies with your artwork because there is a chance that greaseproof paper could yellow your artwork or discolour it over time! Acid-free tracing paper or glassine are good alternatives 😊
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt Thanks for that, fellow Aussie.
Hi, Kristy. I love soft pastels. Just out of curiosity, between colored pencils and pastels which one is faster?
Definitely pastels 😊
Would a sable brush work as well as a cotton tip to blend layer?
I don't think any brush would work as well as a cotton tip (they're generally much softer) but you're welcome to try it and see if you like the results 😊
Is fixative doesn't work in pastel painting?
Unfortunately, most fixatives cause more problems than they solve!
Your artwork can end up being darkened/discoloured or the fixative doesn't actually "fix" anything
Most pastel artists don't use fixatives for that reason
If you use the techniques and supplies that I use, there's no reason you need to fix your pastel paintings because there's very little dust fall off, it's archival/lightfast without it, and if you store it correctly and/or frame it properly then you won't have any issues 😊
The tape you use for border is?
Masking tape or scotch tape (or any acid-free tape that has a low tack)
tq teacher👍🏻😘
Hi canson pastel paper dose not hold soft pan with pitt pastel pencils , is there away ?
Hi, I only recommend Clairefontaine Pastelmat for pastels because there are no other papers (that I have tried) that will achieve the same results 😊
Hi Kirsty can you turn on subtitles to the videos I’m deaf thanks?
Hi, I just had a look into this because TH-cam is supposed to automatically add subtitles (I have never manually added them) and for some reason, it won't add subtitles to about 50% of my videos and I honestly can't work out why which is very frustrating!
I have to go back and manually write out all of the subtitles for every video if I want subtitles on all of them because TH-cam won't automatically do it
Unfortunately, I don't have the extra time to do this but I'm still looking into possible solutions for why TH-cam isn't adding subtitles to some of my videos so hopefully, the issue will fix itself!
About 50% of my videos have subtitles so hopefully you can watch some of those in the meantime until something is sorted out and I apologise that TH-cam is doing this!
Just an update, I managed to reset subtitles by adjusting some of the settings on my channel overall, but there are still about 5 videos that TH-cam will not create subtitles for, and unfortunately, this is one of them! I hope my other videos will be helpful because I do repeat/talk about the info in this video throughout a lot of my other pastel videos 😊
Hey you sound Australian. I am too. Just wondering where you get glassine from that’s not overpriced?
I am Australian 😊
I honestly just buy acid free tracing paper by Mont Marte - the cheap brand that a lot of craft stores have (or I use the glassine sheets that come between the Pastelmat pads)
You can buy glassine in bulk from theartshop.com.au theartshop.com.au/products/glassine-paper-40gsm-600-x-800-pkt-10
They are 60x80cm sheets which is quite large, you could cut it down to 4 pieces each sheet and reuse them a few times each (I use a piece of glassine 3-4 times usually before it starts getting too grubby, or if I'm working on something with light colours)
What paper you recommend?
Clairefontaine Pastelmat
Hello Kristy I m very new to the pastel world.. Your vdo is very informative for beginners like me and for others too..I have a question.. can I draw details with stabilo on top of a oil or soft pastel painting..
Stabilo are a soft pastel, so you could use them over the top of soft pastel, but oil pastels and soft pastels don't mix well together
my fav is rembrant its not that soft and not that hard.
I honestly use Pan Pastels and pastel pencils mostly, but if I am going to use sticks, I love rembrandt! I have a large set that I really should use more often 😊
Is there an alternative to the Pastelmat? bc i cant afford that paper for such small amount of sheets
Unfortunately Pastelmat is a unique surface and there is nothing else like it!
I always tell people that the surface is the most important supply for pastel painting - you just won't get the same results with any other paper (they either don't take enough layers or produce a grainy result)
I recommend purchasing a smaller set of pastels if you're on a budget and layer/blend colours until you can save for some more individual colours - but definitely don't try to save money on the paper!
You can buy Pastelmat in large sheets (100cm x 70cm) and cut them down to the sizes you need - that's what I do and it ends up being more cost effective this way 😊
amzn.to/40rAUOe
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt okay thank you for the tip. I'll buy bigger sheets and cut them smaller 🙂
Gee I had the pan pastels and didn’t know why or what to do with them. Oh I remember it was recommended for large areas. Now I can get into pastels and not buy a bunch of sticks
They are honestly so great! (I'm biased though!!)
You can mix your colours which means you can have a small set and mix the colours you need rather than buying hundreds of sticks 😊
is there a difference between pastel pencils and pastel chalk pencils
I believe they are the same thing!
Soft pastel is sometimes reffered to as chalk pastel, and the contents of pastel pencils are soft pastel
So some companies may call them different things but they're the same 😊
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
So informative. Great video! Are there any brands of pastel pencils that are softer than the Pitts or CarbOthellos?Thank you.
Thankyou 😊
The Caran D'ache are quite soft! I've not tried any other brands other than those though 😊
Kirsty Rebecca Fine Art Thanks Kirsty. I will have to splurge. 💰💰💰
I've heard that the Derwent pastel pencils are somewhere in between the Pitts/ CarbOthellos and the Caran De Ache. They are also considerably cheaper than the Caran De Ache while still being a very good quality!
Hope this is helpful!
Hi Kirsty the tracing paper for storing pastel painting needs to b acid free? Can I use vellum paper as well for storing?
You can use any paper as long as it's acid free because it may yellow your artwork over time if it isn't 😊
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt thanks a lot.. I have strathmore pastel paper pad series 400.. but somehow the stabilo chalk pastel pencils are not filling in well.. I m trying ur techniques and I m very new to pastels.. I am more in to oil and acrylic.. please advice.. ☺
Wow ang galing thanks !
Hello, I’m new here. I would like to know how much would you charge for a commission (size wise). Thank you Kirsty!
Hi! Unfortunately, I'm not taking commissions at this point because I don't have enough spare time between TH-cam, the Academy, and my chronic illness issues. I hope you find another artist who can help you! 😊
I’m asking for a price that I can set for my own work, maybe an 8”x10.” Thank you for the quick reply.
@@jenn7503 oh okay, I have a video that shows you how I work out my prices 😊 th-cam.com/video/DIYnqcOKaBU/w-d-xo.html
Every time you sharpen your pastel pencil you should run some rounds with woodless craphite pencils, that will keep your sharpener sharp without buying new ones, which seems like a waste of money to me. Just buy quality so the pastel inside wont break. You don't need many pencils to get started, and if you do feel like you do then the cheap ones are going to snap easily but at least they didn't cost that much. It would be insane to use more money to just sharpen your pencils than the actual pastels. You really don't even need the pencils because pastel stick can be broken up to sharp pieces and are so much more in pigment that most pencils are. I would suggest to just buy some good, hand-made sticks than to make your life hard with breaking pencils with expensive sharpeners that you have to buy every six months that also contains the actual product so much less. I love my Unison soft pastels. No sharpener needed here. For some dark details I have the Faber Castell whole set that's rarely used, but was worth the money spent.
Yeah I agree about the sharpeners!
I have a set of Rembrandt pastel sticks but I can't get the level of detail I would like when I use them, unfortunately! They are also softer than the pencils which means they tend to fill up the tooth of the paper quicker as well
I tend to use a mixture of the sticks and pastel pencils, depending on what I need at the time, but I lean towards the pencils because of how transparent they are - I like to build up my layers and do "glazes" with the pencils (which is difficult to do with the really pigmented sticks)
I don't use a sharpener with pastels anymore - I only shave away the wooden casing of the pastel pencils with a craft knife - not touching the actual pastel part - so I'm not wasting any of the pastel at all (I rarely sharpen the pencils to a fine point because they aren't designed to be that sharp - they just crumble) but I find the point is sharp enough for the detail I need without the super fine point 😊
👏👌👏👏
Oh....schade ....keine Übersetzung möglich!?
Ich bin mir nicht sicher - TH-cam (die Website) übernimmt die Übersetzungen/Untertitel für jedes Video, nicht ich persönlich!
Wenn es also keine deutschen Untertitel gibt, bedeutet das, dass TH-cam diese nicht zur Verfügung gestellt hat
Leider nicht mit deutschen Untertiteln!?😢
Ich verwende Google Translate, es tut mir also leid, wenn das keinen Sinn ergibt!
Tut mir leid, aber TH-cam erstellt die Untertitel. Ich habe keine Kontrolle über die Untertitel. Wenn ich Deutsch zur Liste hinzufügen könnte, würde ich es auf jeden Fall tun!
Do you get paid every time you say Panpastel?? 😂👍
I wish! I say it so often because I use them all the time and I can't just say "pastel" because it's not that simple 😂
@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt 🤣👍
Thanks!
Thank you so much! 😊
Thanks for the tips! Especially using the pans to transfer your art, that solves so many issues!
You're welcome, glad it was helpful 😊
Thanks Kirsty. I love the idea of storing finished pastel drawings in a tracing paper pad. Very clever (-: Marion
You're welcome, ad it was helpful 😊
Wow. lol. You are the Queen of Pastels. I moved out of my comfort area and am now learning to use pastels and after searching here to learn about it, I keep ending up on your channel. lol. So, I just came down here to say Thank You. You've helped me and countless other artists with your videos, and I very much appreciate it!
You are so welcome! I hope you enjoy creating artwork with pastels - it's definitely my favourite medium! 😊
Heeeey 2 months late I Am Sorry! Lol. Sooo about Pastels, wow. Pastel art is a whole separate world that needs full determination in what you want to create and respect your hard work so much here online and what you share aside from that because you really help to keep other artists motivated, sticking through the whole creation with all of your tips and walk throughs because it is REALLY easy to kinda give up half way through like so many other projects that absolutely do need that extra push of determination and 3rd sorta to help see the final results and bigger picture. So looking back no too long ago but still.. Thank You means a whole lot more if you know what I mean.
Great video! Really helpful tips🥰
Thankyou, glad you found it useful 😊
Thankyou Kirsty you are so generous with your art 🖼 tips I really enjoy all of your videos you are a ⭐️ thankyou
Thankyou so much 😊
Thank you so much for the great advice. I just bought a bunch of pan pastel as part of 12 day art class and have no idea what to do I was going to tray to incorporate them into my mix media. Your work is gorgeous!! I would have never guess it was pastel. Thank you again for great infor !!
You're welcome! I hope you enjoy your pastels! I have a lot of free videos here on TH-cam to help you with your Pan Pastels 😊
Thank you for your incredible tutorials! I'm new to pastels, and I have a dumb question: I am frequently having to blow the excess dust away, yet I never see any professional artists doing that. What am I doing wrong?
You're welcome 😊
Not a dumb question! I used to do that a lot (and still do out of habit)
I think some professional artists still blow dust away as a habit, but one of the reasons you won't see that in videos is because the blowing noise is loud on the microphone/camera so they will cut it out of the video!
Blowing the dust around is bad for you because you're more likely to inhale that dust, and you can also accidentally spit on your artwork while doing it which isn't archival, obviously
Some people use a mini vacuum or dust extractor, which can get expensive and tedious... but I just tell my students to tape their work to an art board or something they can move around so that they can just take their board to a bin, turn it upside down, then tap off the excess dust instead of blowing it
A lot of pastel artists will work on an upright easel that is tilted slightly more than 90 degrees towards you - that way, the dust will fall directly down to the bottom of the easel (without getting dust stuck on the artwork on the way down) where they will have a lip or foil/paper folded under their work to catch the excess falling dust
I work flat on my desk and tape my work to my desk so it doesn't move around while filming which makes it more difficult so I end up blowing the dust away a lot (which I should really stop doing) but I will un-tape the artwork after each layer and take it to a bin to tap off the excess dust, then re-tape it back down... it's a pain in the butt which is why I recommend taping it to a movable board instead
Also, if you use Clairefontaine Pastelmat with Pan Pastels and pastel pencils, there will be a lot less dust than if you're using traditional pastel sticks on any other surface - so the supplies make a huge difference too!
I hope that helps 😊