Some people have expressed interest in trying soft pastels, but the starting investment can

[LiberalLoner]

Be kind of daunting.

Karen Margulis has some wonderful videos on YouTube demonstrating a limited palette in soft pastels. This ends up being a relatively affordable way to explore soft pastel painting for anyone who might be interested.

[LiberalLoner]

1. I think if I were starting from scratch, knowing what I know, I would start with the

Rembrandt half stick collection of 120. It’s about a hundred bucks (not cheap, I know, but maybe doable for many here) and then some sanded paper. Sanded paper is more expensive than other pastel papers but it can be washed off, scrubbed, and reused. Plus it’s just easier to work on and less frustrating for a beginner.

The thing I like about Rembrandt pastels is they are artist grade, and are kind of medium soft. Meaning they will lay down nice swaths of color but they are also firm enough to draw fine lines.

[LiberalLoner]

2. Another idea, especially for those who like to do very precise work such as portraits,

Is to buy a small set of pastel pencils. A good way to kind of test the waters with soft pastel.

Pencils are user friendly, and tend to not create much dust (which can be a problem with soft pastels, they can really be messy.)

This artist does amazing work using pastel pencils. He uses Carbothello pastel pencils. A set of 60 will set you back by about $75, and you can then replace individual pencils as they wear out.

I hope this thread might be helpful for artists who are intrigued by pastels but wish to keep their initial investment down to less exorbitant levels.

[lunatica]

3. One real benefit for artists

is that you accumulate quite a lot of material to work with. Though an initial purchase may be a bit high the lasting power of the materials purchased can be available for years, if not decades with just small purchases as you go.

[LiberalLoner]

4. That's so true! 😍