How To Make Small Details in Soft Pastel

[@melanieopperman6688]

Emma, I have to tell you, I've been showing my 3 year old nephew some of your tutorials and he asks questions about the colour choice 'why the trees so dark' and then when the picture develops then he is happy that the trees are becoming green and lighter. He shouts out the colours each time you select another pastel- here's to the next generation of soft pastel artists. And another special thank you from me, I took courage and dove in on first pastel attempt with a gift for a friend (portrait of her doggie on velour) I love it, I'm hooked I love the sculptural quality of pastels. Thank you for your tons of advice

[@ElizabethBattle]

This is so helpful. Thank you! I accidentally knocked my box of Paul Rubens pastels off a table, and several shattered; but I collected every bit I could, and I find those tiny bits really helpful at times, especially when I am creating mini paintings. :)

[@notclagnew]

Thank you for the comprehensive walkthrough, I’m a beginner and it’s really encouraging to know that every piece can be used - even the tiniest bit of white.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you for commenting! Especially the tiniest bits of white!

[@enricopalmieri6338]

Hi Emma, I love your videos. I've been doing painting for over 70 plus years. I have only worked in pastels for 5 years now and I love them. I have found that using a decent cigar cutter works great when creating smaller pieces of workable pastel, regardless of the softness. I'm a photo realist like you, lol. Enrico

[@EmmaColbertArt]

You're not the only cigar cutter pastellist out there then :-) I've had this recommended before, thanks!

[@1DaTJo]

Hi Emma, This video is so encouraging. Thank you! I bought lots of top quality pastels and pastel paper, but the pressure I put on myself when the single sheet of paper cost $7 AUD is ludicrous. I feel like I have to create a masterpiece every time. You’ve helped me realise that the equipment is meant to be enjoyed and to be used without worrying. It’s just what I needed to learn so, again, thanks so much! 💕

[@machonacho0075]

You are one of the most underrated artist I've ever seen keep up the good work

[@suzanneboily5224]

Thank you we learn so much from you thanks

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@loissemanek1715]

I can’t get enough of your videos they saved me a lot of money. I hope you keep making these I enjoy them a lot and your beautiful work. Thanks for your tips.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Glad to hear that! Thanks

[@suzanneboily5224]

Your amazing to watch we learn

[@snatchbloock]

I'm both an oil paint and pastel artist. I usually travel with my pastels My favorite substrate is sanded paper or board. These surfaces bite a lot of chalk so sharpening is important. I carry sandpaper of different grits for sharpening pastel pencils to fine points for photo-like paintings. When my large sticks lose their edge, I usually rub the ends on 400 grit sandpaper a few times and they are good as new. A little less messy and keeps my paintings cleaner.

[@MultiRusty50]

Thank you Emma This is very helpful. You go out of your way to explain everything. Brilliant

[@saturnsorbit698]

Thank you for this video! I am new to using pastels and it's so fun! I noticed it was difficult to make details w my newer pastles and knew I would have to break them down, but I was scared to! But this video gave me the courage to ♥

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Go for it! Every speck of dust is useful stuff :-)

[@gmanneringgm]

Thanks good ideas and very helpful you have inspired me to use pastels . I have Essential tremors I love the feel of pastels . Hope the spelling is OK

[@pinkpet25]

This video really helped me to understand not only the benefits of using pastel sticks rather than pencils but your detailed explanation and particularly how you encourage with positive comments over what one might perceive as the downsides of pastel stick usage all the more why I watched twice! You’ve convinced me to feel I must be bold and use them more, learn them, practice with them as these sticks have far more usage than I imagined. Thank you Emma.

[@momasan2]

I love your videos, Emma! A little tip I have to "sharpening" soft pastels to create a straight edge or a fine point, is to shave them lightly with an exacto blade.

[@raginighag6595]

Thank you so much for your very useful informative videos, many of them ,I have watched it several times, like the way you talk or teach. God bless ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you for commenting!

[@CAZZIEK321]

I really wish I had made a colour record/chart, before I removed the paper. You live and learn.

[@patrickhawkins5566]

Hello Carole,how are you doing hope you’re doing great

[@FIZZGIG-RARF]

Thank you! This video helps alot❤

[@williamjames5033]

very helpful and money saving.

[@anniedarkhorse6791]

I can tell you really love your pastels. Thanks. I learn a lot from your videos.

[@hollyhorn2759]

Thanks for this helpful video, Emma.

[@nitroxdiver11]

Great Video, I always have trouble with details using pastel sticks.

[@johnsmall4318]

Brilliant. AND well explained. Thanks so much ❤️

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Emma...you sound each piece of pastel...a piece of Gold...so precious...this preciousness is very contagious to all of us😅

[@PursuingHeaven]

Oh Emma thank you so much, for what you said about "when its time". I just got myself my first box of high quality soft pastels for my birthday-Jack Rickeson homemade 120 soft pastels, and they are so beautiful and I just CAN"T take off the wrappers quite yet-they are so pretty. Since this set is mainly for my underlayers I am just going to work around the pigment until as you said "its time" to break it up. Right now I just can't, but I will eventually when I used them a bit. I am so in love with my pastels ;)

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Hope you've made some progress by now! I don't break all my pastels when I buy them. Only as it's necessary. Then it's satisfying! Good luck :-)

[@anettedouglasdotter]

Thank you so much for this video, Emma! 🌟 So scary to break those pretty new ones - but it is a shame not to! It is exactly as you said - a painter needs more than one size of paintbrushes! 👍

[@lisafroment856]

You are so wonderful and a great to teach us this important info. I’m new to pastels and this helps so much!

[@lisahodgson7126]

I’ve just gotten started with pastels. Started my first piece last night and I’m already in love with this medium. Your vids have been the most helpful I’ve found on KZbin! Thanks for all your info! Have you anything on skillshare?

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thanks so much for the comment. It's lovely to hear when the videos have helped someone. The platform I'm on is Patreon. www.patreon.com/emmacolbert. You can browse the tutorials library on my own site at www.emmacolbertart.com/patreon without signing up.

[@cdusen]

Yep. Brilliant. I can hardly wait to drop another box of pastels.

[@kelliyeowell5691]

So helpful. I've been painting with acrylics, so I'm excited to try these now :)

[@neelneoutube]

Beautifully explained, great video.. thank you..👍

[@maria-luisatrinidad2694]

Hello Emma thank you once again! Really appreciate your videos and ways of teaching, have been following you for quite a while. Wishing you the very best for 2022! Maria-Luisa

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you Maria-Luisa!

[@suzannw9098]

Thank you Emma. This is so helpful. I always feel like I have to resort to pastel pencils for the finer detail but the color range is limited. I'll use your technique, it seems like such a better option.

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Emma....I was obsessed with pencils till now....now I learnt how I could richer pigmented soft pastels for details too.thank you🙏

[@reganbothma5435]

Really good video and explanation.. thank you.

[@lisabennett5078]

I'm wondering if you ever have clean fingers? Thank you so much for this, I've only done 3 pastel paintings but hadn't figured out how to create a clean line yet. I don't have pastel pencils yet. Going to subscribe to your Patreon channel, you're such a dedicated instructor!

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you Lisa! I sometimes remark on how clean my fingernails look after being in the sea or something. Doesn't happen very often. They usually have some hint of pastel on there!

[@mariettawarkentin2799]

Thank you!

[@realartdrum]

Wow...Thank You Emma!

[@davejones732]

Hi Emma, thank you for sharing your passion. I tried the Hannah Muller velour paper-using Rembrandt Pastels and I had a lot of the pastel fall off, is this normal. I paint with the paper on a flat surface would an easel make it better and are some Pastels better to use on Hannah? Thanks Sla'inte!

[@nicolasuarezfernandez5116]

Excellent video Emma, many thanks 😊

[@johanneberube6682]

Thanks a lot 🌹 You're very talented

[@eugeniufetescu5082]

Bravo !!! ❤️ your work!!! Very useful tutorial. Thank you.

[@hardy5288]

great advice as always.

[@sylvieepinette250]

Thank you so much for these very useful informations

[@jumanas4012]

is it ok to mix pan pastels with pastel pencils for animal portrait ?

[@maryellenking1863]

Love your tutorials, Emma. What type of pastel paper do you like for detail work?

[@EmmaColbertArt]

I'm loving Pastelmat these days. I love velour too, but Pastelmat is the one if you want tiny details.

[@carmenmcnally3729]

Hello, your work is epic. I have a question. Because your fingers may get covered in pastel from using different colours. What do you do to keep your work clean, pastels colours getting mixed

[@EmmaColbertArt]

In a way I don't keep everything clean. Often my fingers are a bit dirty when I change colours. The main thing I try to do is keep one finger for blending light colours and one for dark. That's a habit. Then of course I'll get up and clean my hands when they get too dirty to continue!

[@tinafisher]

brilliant!

[@philadelphiahairsalons5450]

At 5 min., 15 sec. in EMMA explains WHY she Likes 'Unison' pastels -- which are QUITE COSTLY .. but They 'break' more easily -- So u can USE better. *One can DO better Marks, and so it's probably worth it. *AT 6 min 25, she shows How turning a PASTEL STICK on its Side is useful to quickly Block out an area on your Paper.

[@philadelphiahairsalons5450]

ALSO: the Half- Stick can be used for drawing Fine LINES, or For blocking.

[@cyndih4720]

Do you ever use colored pencil for details?

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Yes the pencils are so useful for the very smallest details. I have a video comparing them with soft pastel sticks and explaining why I like using the sticks as much as possible kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXu9fJysnM9_ndU

[@MiroslavSunjkic]

Let me ask you something. One of the things that has always bothered me about pastels is that you can never really fix them. When you make such small, fine details in pastel, doesn't it bother you knowing that it's not fixed and that one touch can ruin it? How do you get over it?

[@christineschafer1484]

I like painting with pastels very much, but this is a problem for me, too, especially with pastelmat. With velour paper it is a bit better

[@ladybird169]

It gets fixed after it is finished.

[@DesignInNature]

I know this is an old comment. But I hope that by now, experience has helped you moved on from your fear of smudging your finished work. In general, IDEALLY pastel is framed under light weight, antiglare glass that is separated from the paper surface by about half a centimeter. Pastels from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries have survived to this day just as vibrant looking as the day they were made. Check out the pastel portrait work by Maurice Quentin De Latour, or Elizabeth Vije Lebraun. Now, amateurs like myself who can't frame every sub-par painting I make usually resort to taping a sheet of acid free glassine paper over the pastel work. You can either keep 5 or 6 works like these inside an art folder and lean many such folders against the wall. Alternatively, you can stack literally hundreds of works protected by glassine paper without any worry of smudging. Just remember to take GOOD quality pictures of each work before taping it up with glassine. No need to be handling a finished piece just to show friends and family. High quality pics take care of that. I hope that helps.

[@Малюнкиолівцями]

👍

[@wulfseig1864]

Yep, just call me snappy.