Pastels are a lot of fun for artists of all ages and abilities. Consisting of powdered pigment and a binder in the form of a stick, pastels allow you to play with pigment without the use of a brush or sponge. Pastels come in the form of oil pastels, hard pastels and soft pastels. Oil pastels are loved for their smooth composition and rich colour. They can be used dry on paper or can be dissolved with solvents for a more blended effect often seen in oil pastel art. Soft pastels are made to be as soft as possible in order to create intense art and can be used dry or with water. It is worth noting that highly pigmented soft pastels are likely to create some dust during use. Hard pastels make more defined strokes than soft pastels as they do not smudge or crumble as easily, however they are more difficult to blend and layer colours with. Shop a great range of pastels from leading brands like Mungyo at Riot Art & Craft today. Like any other drawing or painting medium, you need to use an appropriate surface when working with pastels. Pastels are very versatile and can be used on many different surfaces as long as there is enough tooth for the pastels to grip. Browse Riot’s range of drawing pads and books or pick up a canvas and get creative with pastels today.
