Soft Pastels

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In short

For layering and larger areas, reach for soft pastel sticks (Schmincke, Rembrandt, Nassau); for lines, use pastel pencils (KOH-I-NOOR for outlines, Bruynzeel for detail); and if you want to apply pastel like paint with a brush or sponge, choose PanPastel in pans. Start with a smaller set and buy missing shades individually; KOH-I-NOOR, Schmincke and Rembrandt all recommend fixing the finished piece with fixative.

Soft pastel is pure color pigment with a small amount of binder, pressed into a stick, a pencil or a pan. You apply it directly to the surface and then blend, mix and layer it, so the colors flow softly into one another.

Soft pastels: sticks, pencils or pans?

All three forms are soft pastel; they differ in how you work with them. Choose according to whether you mostly draw areas or lines.

Form When to choose it Examples
Soft sticks Rembrandt: rich coverage, layering, crisp edges; you can break it into pieces and draw with the edge or the full side. Nassau blends and shades easily. Schmincke FINEST EXTRA-SOFT, Rembrandt, 4 pcs, Nassau, 24 pcs
Pastel pencils KOH-I-NOOR for fine lines and outlines (4.2 mm lead), Bruynzeel for detail (3.8 mm core); Bruynzeel says you can draw without the usual dusty hands. KOH-I-NOOR GIOCONDA, Bruynzeel Design
PanPastel in pans You apply it like paint – with Sofft Tools applicators, a brush or a sponge. Each pan is 62 mm across and holds 9 ml, and the pastel is erasable. Great for backgrounds, illustration and mixed media. PanPastel, pearlescent, metallic

Soft pastel set or individual pastels?

A set gives you a matched palette in one go. The Nassau 24-piece set is made for beginners and professional artists alike and, according to its description, works on paper, card and canvas. Schmincke MULTI PURPOSE comes in sets of 10, 15 and 30 pcs, and for portraits there is Schmincke PORTRAIT, 15 pcs. These pastels are handmade with a minimum of binder. If you want to combine soft pastels with pencils, go for the Essentials tin set: 6 soft pastels, 5 colored pencils and an HB graphite pencil.

Large Schmincke sets: in cardboard boxes of 45 pcs and 120 half pastels, and in wooden boxes of 45, TOP 60, 100, 200 and 400 pcs.

Individual pastels are what you top up with when a particular shade runs low. Rembrandt comes in packs of 4 sticks of the same shade for larger areas, while Schmincke FINEST EXTRA-SOFT and the Bruynzeel Design pencil are sold singly – you can see the available shades on the product page. Store your collection in an empty Schmincke wooden case for 45, 60 or 200 pastels.

How to blend and fix soft pastel

You can blend soft pastel with your finger, a paper stump (tortillon) or a blending tool. It is cleaner with the 13.6 cm sponge blending pen: the foam head replaces your finger, so shades don’t turn muddy and your hands stay clean. You can choose from three tips – a wedge for blending larger areas, an angled rounded tip for detail on a firm surface and a cone for fine detail and tight corners. Wash the head after use and reuse it.

With KOH-I-NOOR, Schmincke and Rembrandt pastels, fix the finished piece with fixative – their descriptions recommend it. According to its description, PanPastel can be mixed, layered and shaded without water or fixing, and you can correct mistakes with an eraser.

Rembrandt is intended for pastel paper and other textured papers. You’ll find a suitable surface in paper and drawing paper or among the sketchbooks. Oil and wax pastels have their own categories, Oil Pastels and Wax Crayons, and you’ll find the full range in Pastels and Markers.

Frequently asked questions

What is soft pastel?

Pigment with a small amount of binder – Schmincke states a minimum of binders, Bruynzeel a kaolin binder and Rembrandt a kaolin filler. It is sold as sticks, pencils and pans and can be blended and mixed directly on the paper.

What are pastel pencils for?

For lines and detail. KOH-I-NOOR GIOCONDA has a 4.2 mm chalk lead in cedar wood and is suited to fine lines and outlines. Bruynzeel Design has a 3.8 mm core which, according to the manufacturer, holds its point well and sharpens easily.

Which soft pastel set should I start with?

The Nassau 24-piece set is made for beginners and professional artists alike. If you want handmade pastels with a minimum of binder, start with the Schmincke MULTI PURPOSE 10-piece set, or PORTRAIT 15 pcs for portraits. The Essentials tin set contains both pastels and pencils.

What paper should I use for soft pastel?

Rembrandt recommends pastel paper or another textured paper. According to its description, the Nassau set works on paper, card and canvas.

Do I need to fix soft pastel?

With KOH-I-NOOR, Schmincke and Rembrandt, yes – their descriptions recommend fixative. According to the manufacturer, PanPastel can be mixed and layered without fixing.