Best Drawing Pastels in 2022

Last update: December 11, 2022

Are drawing pastels the same as chalk pastels?

Drawing pastels and chalk pastels are similar in that they are both made of pigment bound with a binder, typically gum arabic, and are applied to a support to create a drawing. However, there are some key differences between the two types of pastels. Drawing pastels are generally softer and more pigmented than chalk pastels, making them ideal for creating rich, detailed drawings. Chalk pastels, on the other hand, are harder and less pigmented, making them better suited for creating quick sketches or for blending and shading. Another

Are oil or soft pastels better?

If you are a beginner, then soft pastels are probably the better option as they are easier to control. However, oil pastels can produce richer and more vibrant colours so if you are more experienced then oil pastels may be the better choice.

Are pastels easy for beginners?

Pastels are a great medium for beginners because they are very forgiving. Unlike other mediums, pastels don't require any mixing or blending, so you can focus on getting the colors right. They are also easy to control and manipulate, so you can experiment without making too much of a mess.

Are you supposed to wet pastels?

Pastels are a type of art supply that come in a stick form. They are similar to crayons, but are made with a higher quality of pigment and less wax. This makes them much smoother and easier to blend than crayons. Most pastels are dry, meaning that you don't need to wet them before using them. However, there are some water-soluble pastels available that can be used wet or dry. These can be helpful if you want to create a more watercolor-like effect with your pastels.


Caran d'Ache Classic Neocolor II Water-Soluble Pastels, 15 Colors Review:


These are the face paints I use. They are FANTASTIC. I create a little puddle of paint in the palm of my left hand, then use a Neocolor stick to apply it to the face, hands, and other surfaces. The nicest aspect is that (unlike grease facepaints) these neocolors do not at all rub off on your outfit. The color is lovely and opaque. The fact that they are simple to clean off with a wet cloth or washcloth and water is another fantastic feature. For the color red, you might need to put in a little extra effort and use soap. I have both the large set and the tiny set. They are so great that I shall have a set for the rest of my life. Because my Caran D'Ache Neocolors are SO excellent, when I show up at a school play or function to conduct face painting, everyone sets aside the awful, messy grease paints and uses these instead. I generally have to split my in half to give to many people, but that's okay because the stage makeup looks amazing and doesn't rub off on the costumes!



Pentel Arts Oil Pastels, 50 Color Set (PHN-50) Review:


Although I am a novice when it comes to pastels, oil or otherwise, I thought this package was excellent, especially considering the price. The pastels' less-than-creamy consistency may be to your advantage if you're using them as an underpainting or if you want to give your artwork a different effect. Because of the pastels' patchy coverage, I did not award these five stars. Where the pastel did not completely cover the paper, there are little white specks visible. Because there were so many, it was challenging to smooth them all out. However, I have since used them for a different painting and have just changed my approach to address the problem (if you can even call it that). Since I'm just getting started with this medium, I'll probably check out some other brands first, but for now, I'd buy these again.



Pentel Arts Oil Pastel Set, 5/16 x 2-7/16 Inch, Assorted Colors, Set of 25 Review:


Although I am a novice when it comes to pastels, oil or otherwise, I thought this package was excellent, especially considering the price. The pastels' less-than-creamy consistency may be to your advantage if you're using them as an underpainting or if you want to give your artwork a different effect. Because of the pastels' patchy coverage, I did not award these five stars. Where the pastel did not completely cover the paper, there are little white specks visible. Because there were so many, it was challenging to smooth them all out. However, I have since used them for a different painting and have just changed my approach to address the problem (if you can even call it that). Since I'm just getting started with this medium, I'll probably check out some other brands first, but for now, I'd buy these again.



Prismacolor 27049 Premier NuPastel Firm Pastel Color Sticks, 24-Count Review:


On Facebook, I have taken part in voting-based art competitions. When I went back and looked, I saw that they frequently switched between different types of artistic mediums. I took part in two competitions: the first was any medium, where I used colored pencil, and the second was ink (I had some Pigma Micron pens around, luckily). Pastel and watercolor were the other two materials they have employed in competitions thus far. This gave me some trouble. No one I asked had used some of the less expensive pastels, but someone suggested these. I asked a few other artists whether they had. A few days later, Amazon informed me that they were available at a great price during a flash sale. Although having more would have been ideal (24 is still preferable to 12), I'm hoping I have enough to be able to make something for the upcoming event. I was able to create a decent eye study with my use of Prussian blue and Conte crayon experiments.More than 30 years have passed since I last used pastels, and the ones I did use were chalk pastels of the student grade that I had purchased for a child in one of those Christmas artist kits. I cringe when I touch pastel because of how chalky it feels. To the contrary, these pastels are a tad creamier than PrismaColor Premier ArtSticks. When you move them across the paper, some dust, but no crumbly material, etc., comes off.I was taken aback when I read that they should be used with water. I can't wait to experiment with these a bit more and perhaps even do more mixed media (I started out planning to learn colored pencil painting very well; the thing I used most when I used to create visual art was heavy-body acrylic paint with modifiers, etc.).



Pentel Arts Oil Pastels, 432 Piece Classroom Size Pack (PHN-12CP) Review:


Although I am a novice when it comes to pastels, oil or otherwise, I thought this package was excellent, especially considering the price. The pastels' less-than-creamy consistency may be to your advantage if you're using them as an underpainting or if you want to give your artwork a different effect. Because of the pastels' patchy coverage, I did not award these five stars. Where the pastel did not completely cover the paper, there are little white specks visible. Because there were so many, it was challenging to smooth them all out. However, I have since used them for a different painting and have just changed my approach to address the problem (if you can even call it that). Since I'm just getting started with this medium, I'll probably check out some other brands first, but for now, I'd buy these again.



Crayola Oil Pastels, Assorted Neon Colors, Gift for Kids & Adults, 12 Count Review:


I'm in love with these oil pastels! Perhaps because I half-expected wax crayons, I was genuinely taken aback by the quality, but Crayola truly outdid themselves here! An image of my daughter and I creating art using oil pastels and a black pen under a blacklight is included. The one issue is that the pastels are rather wide, making it difficult to colour inside the lines, but they're still excellent for the amateur artist!



Sakura XLP50 50-Piece Cray-Pas Expressionist Assorted Color Oil Pastel Set Review:


Beautiful, creamy colors that are simple to use.With the use of a colorless extender that must be purchased separately as well as the Shiva Richeson oilbar blender, several effects can be produced. Mineral spirits without odor produce excellent wash effects.Vibrant, pigmented, and simple to combine colors.White, Naples Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Pale Orange, Salmon Pink, Olive Brown, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Brown, Van Dyke Brown, Sepia, and black are included in this collection.For reference, I've included images of swatches from my sketchbook. I have laid down white from the set to the left of the color swatch. I used a color extender from the same brand line that I bought separately on the right.It was simple to work with them. To get even covering, I didn't need to apply much pressure as I moved the pastel back and forth across the page. The colors were effortlessly and beautifully, creamy, blended by the extender.The second image I've given provides a closer look at how simple it is to blend colors with the Shiva blender, the Expressionist colorless blender, a strategically placed finger pad, and a vinyl eraser.There are three grades of oil pastels from Sakura Cray-Pas:pastels for junior artists (academic students)Expressionist (severe beginner touching on artist grade) (serious beginner bordering on artist grade)Specialist (grade of an artist) These all combine and work nicely with one another.Some art supply businesses sell Expressionist and Specialist pastels separately. If you run out of a certain color, you might be able to buy it by itself. .com user Dick Blick permits this.Being able to include this in my art tools makes me very happy.These are things I'd suggest to a friend or fellow artist, or I'd give them as a gift to a high school or college student.And I'd purchase these once again.



Sakura XEP-050 12-Piece Cray-Pas Junior Artist Oil Pastel Set, White Review:


An excellent art tool for a very reasonable price! Our daughter loves to paint, draw, knot, cut, fold, and complete other art-related tasks, so we got some of these for her. She naturally uses up white and black pastels the fastest, so we were lucky to locate this for her!



Mungyo Non Toxic Square Chalk, Soft Pastel, 64 Pack, Assorted Colors (B441R078-7003A) Review:


My pastels arrived undamaged and were actually quite carefully packaged. In the box, there was a cover sheet and a foam cushion (see picture). Despite the little size of these pastel chalks, the pigment is incredible. I use these to paint a board every week to keep track of my pregnancy, not to draw with them (see picture). Considering that conventional chalk only comes in a handful of dull colors, they will be fantastic for that. Additionally, I have Pro Art Chalk Pastels, which I've been using for a while and adore. I actually used those pastels to create the illustration that is attached, but I'm using them again to accomplish the same goal. Just yet, I haven't used them to create a whole picture.They are so little that I will soon need to reorder, but I think it will be worthwhile because of the variety of hues. I sketched hello and a cheerful face just so you could see the pigment. Those hues are not available in normal chalk. Additionally, if working on a chalkboard, you will use them rapidly because you must press firmly and go over a location more than once for adequate coverage. I don't mind either, but you'll have a mound of chalk in the end (see picture).



Mungyo Soft Pastel 64 Color Set Square Chalk (US English Version) Review:


Despite the fact that this product only had one review, it was so thorough and favorable that we chose to purchase four sets of it! I am in no way dissatisfied! The hues are vivid. We also have a whole set of Master's Touch soft pastels available for comparison. Despite the Mungyos' small size, the color adheres quite nicely. I must have used a lot more of the MT stuff and worked extra hard to apply the color properly. And the chalk was all over the place! No such issue existed with the Mungyo soft pastels. There was a great deal less work, waste, and chaos. Most importantly, using the Mungyo soft pastels results in much better projects. These are tiny, as I previously stated. But there is less waste and clutter, and they aren't cracking or breaking at all. The range of colors is also quite useful. I'm very likely to purchase a number of additional sets of these to give to our children as Christmas presents this year. I can't even express how much I adore these! I'm really amazed!


Can I use watercolor paper for pastels?

Yes, watercolor paper can be used for pastels. The texture of the paper will hold the pastels in place and allow for easy blending.

Can you use a brush with soft pastels?

Soft pastels are usually used with a brush, but you can also use your fingers.

Do soft pastels dry?

Soft pastels do not dry on their own, but they can be sealed with a fixative.

Do you need a fixative for soft pastels?

If you plan on using soft pastels, you will need a fixative. A fixative is a clear coating that is sprayed on top of your drawing to protect it. Without a fixative, your pastels will smudge and your drawing will be ruined.

Do you need special paper for pastels?

No, you don't need special paper for pastels, but there are certain types of paper that work better than others. Smooth, heavyweight papers are ideal for pastels because they allow for even coverage and prevent the pastels from crumbling.

Do you use brushes with pastels?

I do use brushes with pastels, but I don't necessarily feel that it's necessary. It really depends on the effect you're going for. If you want a more blended look, then brushes can help you achieve that. But if you're going for a more textured look, then you can just use your fingers or a paper towel to apply the pastels.