How To Blend Soft Pastel

[@melanieopperman6688]

Emma you are so kind and Generous with your knowledge. I can only imagine how spoilt your patrons over on Patreon are. I was watching your tutorial from 8 months ago about *How to analyse colour temperature* what an eye opener I understand colour mixing with paint but suddenly with pastels everything went out the window and thought I need all the pastels, it was so encouraging to hear that it can be done on a budget with fewer colours. You have simplified my colour shopping choices immensely and reminded me to really look at what I've got first. And even today it is interesting to see which tools work on various papers, but that finger tips are free. Keen to give some of these ideas a go next time.

[@1gabhriel]

I have tried cotton buds but much prefer using my fingers. I love it when your dogs make it into you filming, such beautiful creatures

[@camaslindbeck1985]

Hey I’m just getting into pastels and love it. Your videos are very helpful. The medium is messy, but I love the pigments and how it can cover up all the “grain” that is left behind by using colored pencils

[@barbarascott1774]

Thanks Emma once again for all your tips and advice, pipe insulation and car shami cut to a size that suits you

[@momasan2]

Aside from your beautiful instructional videos and your spectacular art, I ALSO love your long-haired Dachshund! My father had two sweet, black and tan longhairs when I was growing up! One was named Schnookie, the other was called Karlshun (sp?) - beautiful dogs.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you! Love the name Schnookie for a dachshund.

[@rayfischer9608]

Completely effective tutorial, I had always just used my hands, so when you said that, I had a huge smile on my face, also ALL those tips , Paper is a key part, make up sponges, etc... Thank you Emma, Double plus good. I found for finest detail Prismacolor makes a colorless blender (PC1077), works great.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you liked the video. Hands make great blenders!

[@loissemanek1715]

I love your work so much. Keep doing these videos they are inspiring to another artist and I pick up some tips here and there. Thanks

[@michaelklein5242]

Very helpful, and by coincidence, I just received my Sofft blending tool in the post today. Looks like I picked a good one! Thank you!

[@londongenral]

Emma you can use straws for the small make up tool, cut ut to the size you require. keith chaplin.

[@scottgabriele1215]

I also use angled erasers to blend or feather my lines. You can actually cut into the angle on a eraser with a razor blade to create a comb effect, than press and drag away from your painting to create grass, feathers, rock edges & angles, …

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Great tip. There is so much can be done with the pigment once it's on the paper to manipulate it into place, or create texture.

[@MihaelaRizon]

Thank you, Emma! 😊🤗

[@Jennifer-wr9si]

I have the tool in 7:10 - wood handle, red rubber tips - and I have no idea how it works. It seems to actually lift the pastel off the surface rather than blending/moving...

[@EmmaColbertArt]

I find that with a lot of blenders which is why I prefer my fingertip over them all. Doesn't seem to lift as much pigment.

[@katrikinnunen8969]

You're such a good teacher and I've learned a lot about how to create dimension to my own pastel paintings with your desire to make those backgrounds also interesting! Those make-up applicators are great for the feeling of the tool in the beginning, but the eyeshadow tools are often a little bit off with the texture and how they absorb pigments and apply them on your paper. I would recommend to buy those panpastel tools just because they perform so much better and don't really cost that much. Also they do include them with those panpastels. I bought that painting set and there's sponges etc. included, all I have to do now is to buy those changeable sponges and in the beginning maybe few applicators as well so you don't have to change that sponge between your values. That Unison animal collection is perfect!!! That's the most perfect palette to work with! Thank you for that! :)

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thanks for such wonderful feedback! I'm proud of the Unison set as I too still use and love those colours. I agree about the Sofft blenders. For all they cost, they are well worth it and most enjoyable to use!

[@dianaromig732]

Excellent info! God bless you for sharing your gift of painting!

[@johnsmall4318]

Another great video thanks Emma! I don't see the product links though?

[@carolhestand2561]

Thank you!

[@jeremiahwhitney5875]

best for finger blending on sandsd papers..liquid bandage painted on finger tips, or for extended work , a light coating of super glue. Can peel both off after session

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Great tip!

[@vdxx]

Thank you Emma , i learned a lot. I love your dog , the cutest baby

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thanks for watching. Wee Brocci is blind in one eye now and totally deaf, but it does not stop her getting into trouble :-D

[@vdxx]

@@EmmaColbertArt Oh poor thing. So beautiful of you to take care of this dog. How wonderful to know that there are some really kind and caring people like you. She deserves some good time and healthy love in her life! Bless you !

[@KaitlinGiada]

Thank you so much for this video Emma!! You are my new favorite artist. I’m definitely going to start following your patreon because I’ve already learned so much from your KZbin videos 😊

[@joannschoenleber813]

Emma thank you sooo much!! I actually think that I can happily share something with you since you give so much I hope I can explain this well: ok are you familiar with the material on the inside of sweatpants?? It’s soft and nappy. I cut pieces of this and wrap tightly around bbq skewers wrap with rubber bands. This material can do amazing blends and can be loaded like a pastel paintbrush!!! When done just wrap clean piece onto skewer!! Pastelmat atlittle harder to blend until 3 layers…. Emma you’re the best!! Hopefully you can try this some time! 🤩🙏🤩🧑🏻‍🎨

[@EmmaColbertArt]

What a brilliant tip! I think if you are creative you can use many things as art tools. You just have to see the potential. Thanks for the great idea, maybe some viewers will give it a go!

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Emma, I am so interested in using the pastel pencils for moving the similar stick pastels that have already been applied to the surface! I was surprised that you did not include Karen Margulis’s pipe insulation technique for blending! I am not sure if she originated it, but she is the first artist I remember seeing use it! It is just the black insulation that keeps pipes from freezing and is available in most hardware stores, even at Walmart’s hardware section! I have found that it works great on the sanded paper and avoids sanding off your skin from your fingers, it does work well on other surfaces too! Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas, tips and techniques with us. You are truly inspirational and so generous with your knowledge, a real joy to watch as well! Please take care, be safe and have a lovely day!

[@EmmaColbertArt]

I've heard a few people mention Karen's technique. To be honest I don't have time to watch other artists' videos so I don't always know what they're up to! But glad of comments like this to pass on more suggestions!

[@mjpete27]

@@EmmaColbertArt Happy to pass good ideas along! I recently learned that Karen learned it from Terry Ludwig at a workshop Karen attended! so it originated from a person that truly knows their pastels! Karen does to, Yet I am still marveling at this new to me medium! You attain such fine details and I am honestly trying to get away from that particular ascetic, Yours is the style I used for many many years in my pet portraiture, I believe that is why I find your art so attractive and truly amazing!

[@michep.169]

thank you

[@Mockingbird7504]

How would one clean all these tools? Just with water or..? Are there techniques how to clean the sharpened rolled paper blenders? I tried pastels, however I have a huge problem with getting dust all over my desk and smudges on my work. In case you already have a video on how to clean the tools though, I apologise. I am new to the channel 😊

[@EmmaColbertArt]

I'm a bit lazy when it comes to cleaning tools haha! A soak in some soapy water and then rinsed is about as much as I do for some of the sponges. Even then, I often just have different blenders for different colours. Literally just a dirty muddy one for dark colours, and one I keep for lighter colours. If the dust from pastel bothers you try a different more smooth paper. I find Pastelmat probably creates the least amount of dust. And the slightly harder pastels are probably better. To be honest there are a lot of factors that will affect how much dust you create, but there are definitely things you can do to limit it and a damp cloth nearby is always a useful tool!

[@SUSSDUE]

Thank you so very much for this video, it was such a help! I have been looking at those pan pastel tools but not been sure if one can use them for paintings made w pastel sticks, but now I will try. I wonder about blending with fingers, I read somewhere, that one should not do that as it sort of dulls the pigments, but your paintings are so lovely, bright and full of light, so apparently blending pastels is no problem, or is it when one does it with a heavy hand that dulls them? So lovely to see your beautiful studio friend! I love dachshunds and have at least one, some times all, of my three wire haired ruffians keeping me company in the studio, making a nest under the blankets on the day bed!

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Yes I think the blending method is key. I blend lots in the lower layers but often either leave my top marks untouched, or just a light rub or tap to soften marks. I'm always trying to maintain the vibrancy but also love how it mixes together on the paper. I've grown up with dachshunds. Lovely that you have 3 to keep you company in your studio!

[@SUSSDUE]

@@EmmaColbertArt Thank you for the advice! Dachshunds are just the best dogs ever with wonderful personalities, you always know what a dachshund thinks- the look says it all!

[@SUSSDUE]

@@EmmaColbertArt Thank you for the advice! Dachshunds are just the best dogs ever with wonderful personalities, you always know what a dachshund thinks- the look says it all!

[@mobilhome1824]

Hi Emma, Schmincke sandpaper claims that it doesn't need fixative. Is this true generally for other brands of sanded pastel papers too?

[@EmmaColbertArt]

It really depends what they mean by 'needs'. I don't actually use fixative on any paper. Rather I frame behind glass. Fixative will never make it completely smudge proof and it changes the colours. I have an article about fixative at pasteltoday.com/2022/12/23/using-fixative-emma-colbert-shares-her-opinion/

[@art-alchemy]

OMG, the black and white dog looks like my dog!

[@y2taner429]

i love how you first explained why. when i cl icked the video i was like that looks cool, but why would i want to do that. xD

[@kristelscheepers193]

Hi Emma...I'm using mostly every blendingtool you've shown in this video. I've heard some people use the rubber end of a stylus pen (? Don't think I've spelled it right) I've never tried it before, have you?

[@EmmaColbertArt]

No I haven't but I think it's quite a rubbery texture on those? Would work on certain papers I think

[@ArtandKitchen_]

Fav is finger. Other blenders remove the pastel.

[@catkin54]

Cotton buds?