Pastel Drawing Techniques

Understanding the Medium

Recognise the uniqueness of pastels as a blend of drawing and painting.
Comprehend the difference between soft pastels, hard pastels, and pastel pencils, each giving a different effect, with soft pastels being the most widely used due to their intense colours and easy blending.

Preparing to Draw

Use pastel paper with a good ‘tooth’ or texture, necessary for holding the pastel particles.
Consider starting with a light outline sketch using a hard pastel or pastel pencil.

Applying Pastels

Implement the feathering technique where pastels are lightly layered to produce delicate, soft touches of colour.
Understand the effect of the side-stroke or scumbling technique where the side of pastel stick is swept across the paper.
Try the hatching and cross-hatching technique, making a series of parallel lines close together for hatching, and using intersecting lines for cross-hatching.
Create smooth, seamless transitions of colour by blending either with fingers, blending tools, or even using the pastel stick itself.

Developing Tones and Textures

Learn to build up layers of pastel to create depth and intensity.
Introduce a variety of textures in your artwork by using different tools and techniques, such as stippling, sgraffito or using a kneaded eraser.
Work with contrast, by using both light and dark tones, to bring out volumes and contours.
Understand the concept of local colour (the object’s true colour in daylight) and reflected colour (the colour from influencing nearby objects).

Finishing and Preservation

Apply the fixative only when mandatory, as it might darken or alter the original pastel colours.
Treat your pastel works like a dry medium, and store them securely to avoid getting smudged.

Remember, working with pastels does not just involve drawing, but also painting with your fingers. Experimentation is crucial as it allows for the development of personal style and preference.