Pastels

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I use my fingers a lot Glorianny and am a firm fan of baby wipes!

I love pastels too. Carry baby wipes to clean your hands if you use them outdoors. Have you tried scraping a little off onto the paper and rubbing it with your fingers rather than using the stick on the paper, gives a different result. I always use hairspray. My GD asked to borrow some recently " I know you have lots because you use it to fix your pictures." Doesn't say much for my hair!

This is a fairly recent pastel that I'm very proud of. I can see how much I've improved since my first attempt. I agree about hairspray darkening it, however I try to plan for that.

Hair spray was always used at art school as fixative was too expensive for poor art students. I think Elnette was favourite

I think the only problem with hairspray is that it darkens the colours more than the proper fixative does. That hasn't stopped me using it though. I love pastels, the pigment goes straight fro my hand to the paper without a brush or pencil getting in the way (I always have been messy!)

I never set my pastel pictures . I was advised by an art teacher that a sheet of grease proof paper paper-clipped to the top protects them if they are kept in a box. Mine are about 18 years old and have survived well, despite a few house moves. I prefer pastel pencils and Ingres paper. I heard that hair spray is good but have never tried it.

Lovely pictures

How are you setting your pastels. ? Hair spray is good and much cheaper than the stuff you buy in art shops.

Beautiful pictures , I’ve never tried pastels but I love the effect they give

Lovely pictures.
I haven’t used pastels but hope to give them a try some time.
At the moment I am doing a drawing course and also trying watercolour painting. I’m loving it.

I don’t know about having the time to paint, I just wish I had an ounce of creativity or artistic ability. Totally lacking in that department, I’m in awe of your talents Grandmabatty and Greyduster, they’re both just lovely.

I know it's different but I was amazed at a recent art show where the lady was using liquid watercolours. no wishy washy stuff the paintings were almost photo quality. I really wish I could have time to paint.
your pastels are very nice too.

Thanks for the advice. I'll have a look.

If you haven’t already tried it, treat yourself to some Ingres paper. Great for pastel work.

Greyduster I love your pastel! The water looks so alive. And the reflection is fantastic. I used black mounting card. I do rough ones on pastel paper which is white, but the black background made the flowers pop.

Both lovely ?

May I ask, what sort of paper did you use?

I think they’re both beautiful ?

Grandmabatty that’s lovely! I have tinkered with them in the past but they’re not my favourite medium. I still have some, lying low in a tin of ground rice - a quick shake cleans then up beautifully. Pastel pencils are good. This is the only one I ever did that I considered was worth wall space.