Pastels
Artgod
bogus. I just wanted to put my two cents on the pastels. I read that one
person mentioned starting off with oil pastels instead of soft pastels. It
depends upon what you want to use them for. Personally, pastels were my first
material I used, and my first two years were devoted to them solely. The oil
pastels frustrated me. To wild, no control. Were as the soft pastels seemed
natural. When i did a portrait, I felt like I was applying make-up to the
sitter's face, except it was on nature.
Now the reason i I said depends upon what you are using them for is because the
Nu-pastel, my arch-enemy is a very good beginer's pastel. They are less
expensive then the good brands, and since they are harder, they are easier to
control, and less pigment is put on paper, whereas the same motion with a soft
pastel, you may find yourself with more pigment then what you had intended.
They are for beginers. Once you understand how your finger becomes the tool,
the methods, and what not, then I would sudgest checking out the soft pastel,
and certainly, but the Sellenier, of however you spell them. the best ones by
far. Once you understand those, you can easily tackle oil pastels. It is the
same idea, but instead of powder, you work with cream.
The idea is to learn control of the material, and while buying them, and
checking them out is the only way to go by far, you may find (like I did) allot
frustration in trying to master the oil pastel. (My first set I took a lighter
to them and melted them on paper and called it "Kissy face"). Three years
after being an artist, I again picked it up, and because of my mastery with the
soft pastel, I soon got comfortable with the oils (also I was working in oil
paints too, and used my fingers allot).