Pastel is called “dry” or “dry” painting, applied on paper with special chalks of different colors. They are made of chalk, pigment substances and binders, soft to the touch. In another way, pastel pencils are also called dough for their soft consistency. Each color in the set has many shades, delicate and smooth transitions from one tone to another. Therefore, pastel painting is used more where the mood of the picture and the reflection of a certain atmosphere, the transfer of a rich color scheme are important.
Subtleties of the picture
How to draw with pastel, is it difficult to learn this? Yes and no. On the one hand, everything is quite simple: I applied several strokes to the canvas or paper, which are rather thick or, on the contrary, weak, light, and rubbed them with my finger or a piece of blotter. Rubbing, combining, you can shades of the same color or different, and until the borders between the tones disappear completely. On the other hand, the pastel painting technique is such that first the general background of the picture is made, the volume is achieved by
mixing colors and tones. And then, on top of this layer, individual details are drawn with a pencil with a thinly fixed core, more precise, due to which the elements of the picture acquire texture and visibility. Those. when you start drawing with pastel, you need to think over the plot of the work, composition in general terms, and in the smallest “gadgets” and “cogs” in advance.
Tips & Tricks
- In addition to the usual pencil, small details and objects in the picture are outlined by the so-called pastel sticks.
- If you need to make a sketch, a sketch, on which a pastel image is then applied, a colored pencil is also taken for this . With a dark base, light is used - white, pale yellow, etc. When light - exactly the opposite. This is the peculiar secret of how to draw with pastel. When the artist works, the entire pencil then gradually disappears, only what the author needs is visible. This is convenient because pastels and pencils complement each other, combine well.
- The pastel is not only dry, but also oily. Their main difference is that when dry it is easier to create a variety of color transitions. Oily is not suitable for this. Retouching it is also unsuitable.
- Learning how to draw with pastel, you should pay attention to the nature of drawing strokes and lines. They should be jerky, but light, thin, so as not to be pressed into the paper, so that they can be erased with an eraser, if necessary.
- You must select the appropriate basis for creating the picture. Fine sandpaper is suitable for it if the drawing is supposed to be made in a small format. Before you draw with pastel, you need to choose a material whose texture would be quite pronounced. This suede, and cardboard, and watercolor paper, and canvas. The texture is needed in order to hold the pastel particles well: on a completely smooth surface they will crumble.
- Another secret: when the picture is finished, the image should be fixed either with a special tool or with regular hair spray. It must be sprayed in small portions, gently, from a distance of 25-30 cm.
There are still a lot of tips and recommendations on mastering the technique of pastel drawings. If you work hard on yourself, you can soon achieve positive results.