Making Soft Pastels by Hand (1/10)
Author: Phyllis Franklin, Contributing Editor
Another advantage of being able to make pastels is that you can make your pastels as soft or as hard as you would like them to be. Commercial pastels have to be made hard enough to withstand breakage during shipment. Because you do not have to concern yourself with shipping you can make softer pastels that are more yielding and do not dig into the under-layers as much as the harder pastels do. The paint quality will be richer, and the colors more intense. The softer the pastel, the easier it is to make thick layers of color. Light colors can be applied with real impasto effects, which are especially brilliant with soft pastels. Knowing what goes into your pastels is another advantage. You can be the quality control technician. Use the best ingredients available, and only proven permanent pigments, safe binder, and preservatives to prevent mold. Keep your supplies and tools clean to prevent trash contamination. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Old Clothes to wear, plastic table cloth 2. Dust Mask, disposable gloves 3. Notebook for formulas and adjustments 4. Glass or non-stick Work surface 5. Measuring Spoons and cup, spatula, 1/2 tsp. & 1 drop graded dispenser 6. Ivory Clear dishwashing detergent, water Work Clean,when gloves get too dirty you can throw them out, when tools get dirty, wash and begin with clean tools and work surface. 8. Putty knife, (forming knives are nice) 9. Sponges, paper towels, babywipes, 409 10. Storage bottles for binding solutions 11. Dry pigments, Binder, preservative 12. Newspaper, plastic wrap 13. A bucket half full of water for clean up and rinsing off the tools. 14. A sense of humor!
Making soft pastels is a time-consuming messy job but well worth all the trouble when you are successful making that one special color that you have not been able to find anywhere else. You can create your own custom pastel sizes that fit your hand and the techniques you like to use. Not only that, you learn a great deal about color during the process and can make them cheaper than buying commercial pastel crayons.
7. Pigments, and precipitated chalk