Break into the piggy bank - there is a full set of Roche's on eBay - Page 3

tuscanni · #31 04-30-2012, 11:42 PM

I see that someone bid on and won this pastel set on ebay.
So....whats the big deal about these pastels anyways???
ANN

adventureartist · #32 05-01-2012, 12:46 AM

They are handmade,
They are from France,
They are really awesome,
They are uber expensive,
We all(or almost all) WANT THEM!

jackiesimmonds · #33 05-01-2012, 03:59 AM

How do you know they are awesome? Have you tried them?

I have, and found them harder than Schminke. not awesome. They were just uber expensive pastels, hand-made, yes, but so are many others.

If I was loaded, I would buy every stick of Schminke and every stick of Ludwig. I prefer a creamy, softer pastel.

But even if I did, it would NOT MAKE ME A BETTER ARTIST. Too much emphasis is placed on having certain materials. By all means, buy the best you can afford...but be discerning. Try them, find out what you like, but don't buy just because they are the most expensive on the market.

I have been to art materials shows - demonstrated at them - and been horrified to find that people ask exactly what is being used, and then they buy it, clearly hoping that if they have exactly that stick in exactly that colour they will paint exactly like the demonstrator.

Just doesn't work that way.

A good artist will be able to make his or her painting "glow" or sparkle using regular materials, through an understanding of art and techniques and colour and all the other things which make a painting special.........but pastels which "glow in the box" (!!!)..... Let's get real here folks!

japonaise · #34 05-01-2012, 11:17 AM

Applause, applause, Jackie! I cannot tell you how much money I have spent of stuff that was demonstrated or included on an art class supply list only to eventually sell it or give it away. That's not to say the the supplies or gadgets were not valuable - just not for me. If I only could recoup all of the time, money and effort spent buying stuff that was not "the magic bullet." It really IS a matter of time, talent, practice, practice, practice, and the use of materials/equipment that suit one's skills.

PS: Some day, I would to try a Roche - just to see what it's like.

Jason1616 · #35 05-01-2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackiesimmonds

How do you know they are awesome? Have you tried them?

I have, and found them harder than Schminke. not awesome. They were just uber expensive pastels, hand-made, yes, but so are many others.

If I was loaded, I would buy every stick of Schminke and every stick of Ludwig. I prefer a creamy, softer pastel.

But even if I did, it would NOT MAKE ME A BETTER ARTIST. Too much emphasis is placed on having certain materials. By all means, buy the best you can afford...but be discerning. Try them, find out what you like, but don't buy just because they are the most expensive on the market.

I have been to art materials shows - demonstrated at them - and been horrified to find that people ask exactly what is being used, and then they buy it, clearly hoping that if they have exactly that stick in exactly that colour they will paint exactly like the demonstrator.

Just doesn't work that way.

A good artist will be able to make his or her painting "glow" or sparkle using regular materials, through an understanding of art and techniques and colour and all the other things which make a painting special.........but pastels which "glow in the box" (!!!)..... Let's get real here folks!

Jackie, you are absolutely spot on with that observation. I couldn't have put it better!

I agree, after testing a set of Roche half-sticks I didn't particularly care for them myself. I like the softer pastels too.

Jason

SandyB · #36 05-04-2012, 06:19 PM

Hi Ann,
For each artist there are going to be brands of pastels that work especially well for his or her technique and chosen brands of paper. To your question about what makes these so special; I find them just the right hardness for the way I work and the pigments are very well saturated. I don't use them everywhere in a painting, just where I think they will have the most impact. They are a treasure among my tools.

bluefish · #37 05-04-2012, 06:33 PM

like Jackie and Sandy state......it's a personal preference.......some people drive a Lexas while others prefer a BMW......but to pick up the groceries, a Chevy will do......

I'm happy as long as they have a "brownish fuchsia".......been awhile since we were there!

'blue

adventureartist · #38 05-05-2012, 02:00 AM

Um yea, I have a set and yes I like them very much and oh well, to each his own. Variety is the spice of life!

I also drive a wild looking car too, a bright yellow FJ Cruiser with 30 modifications, but that's how I roll.

chuas2 · #39 05-05-2012, 10:42 AM

Roll on, Drusilla! I'd love a set of Roche's!
Kris

adventureartist · #40 05-05-2012, 09:06 PM

Start with a few, like chocolate, savor them and decide if you want more!

robertsloan2 · #41 05-14-2012, 01:15 AM

Yep. The nice thing about the really expensive ones is that they all have so much character. I like having a wide variety of techniques available. If I could afford that set, even at that discount, I could also afford a whole lot of others.

What I have now, I'm filling in around the edges. I can think of some good reasons to have more Roche' pastels but I'd never give up my Pan Pastels or my beloved Unisons, or that beautiful set of Winsor & Newton that I use for medium-soft ones.

Roche' have their own place among my techniques. To me they're worth the money but would not become my only pastels - though if I could afford that, I know I could seriously afford larger ranges in some other favorites too.

karenlee · #42 08-11-2012, 09:09 PM

Sorry to drag this thread up again, but I just got a couple of Roche pastels from The Fine Art Store. Of course the price is ridiculous, but those are the richest colors.... we are so lucky today to have such a great variety of manufacturers and types of pastels to choose from. Thankfully no one needs to go without satisfactory materials.

adventureartist · #43 08-13-2012, 09:09 AM

Good for you!

You are really going to enjoy those pastels. I still stand by my statements that the Roche Pastels are the finest color available. I love and use all of the other brands (and I DO buy and use a LOT of the other brands, and make no mistake they are very very good quality) as "workhorse" and foundation tools, but Roche have a saturation that is special.

Colorix · #44 08-13-2012, 10:24 AM

I've probably said this before... I find the Roché pastels really cool, but they are *different* in how they perform, so there is a bit of a learning curve (as there is with any new paper or pastel stick which is different).

I really like how their lights are not so chalky, but more rich in colour -- so I'm willing to learn how to handle them well. And it is really exciting to be able to have the same variety of strokes that Degas had! As he used Roché.

Potoma · #45 08-13-2012, 11:02 AM

My first thought was, "Wow! That shipping is incredibly reasonable." It's under $20. How could that be?

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