Tips & Techniques - Recycling Commercial Pastels

[llis]

You can make new colors from commercial pastels by taking two colors you already have and pulverizing them using a mortar and pestle to make powder. Then take the powder and add a little rubbing alcohol which disolves the glue and evaporates faster than water to make a paste. Take the paste and roll it into a new custom pastel. Once it is dry, use as you would any other pastel. Cool..huh... This is not my original idea but something I found in a book. Thought it would be useful to someone else..... it sure was to me.

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[AggieL]

Great tip! I haven't worked with pastels in years, but I have been wanting to get them out agian. This is something I definitely need to remember! Have you tried it? much luck????
April

[llis]

Yes!!!! I tried it and it worked great. You really can make your own custom colors this way. Also.... save the pastel chips and put them into little containers marked "Reds", "Yellows", "Blues"...and so on... then when you want...just crush and make a new pastel...

No telling what color you will get, and chances are you will not be able to duplicate exactly, but that is half the fun.

Also, the book said to save your pastel dust from off the ledge of your easel. It said that the dust would make wonderful browns and grays.

As much as I seem to be wasting here lately, I think I will try this "save the dust" tip in the near future and let you know.

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[sassybird]

WOW! I never thought of that. Do you roll the paste up in wax paper to dry?

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sass

[llis]

Sassy, The book I am reading says lay on newspaper to dry. I think the paper absorbs the excess liquid. Wax paper might be o.k. if drying time was not an issue.

These homemade pastels do not have a paper wrapper, but I've been thinking about taking some of the pastel paste and stuffing it down a paper straw. My thoughts were that then I could peel away what I needed, but this might not work. It would sorta make the pastel skinny and it would not have a square edge. Can anyone else think of a way short of cutting papers and using paste to keep the wrapper on? Wonder how cigarette wrappers would work? ---- anything to keep your hands cleaner and give a little support to the pastel stick.

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[Ohju]

That's a good idea! I never thought of that! Heck, I was using all of my pastels, til they're the size of a pea! Thanks!