Basic Pastel Painting Color Palette & Materials

Pastel painting is the simplest and purest method of painting using pure color without the addition of medium - essentially, pastels are transparent watercolors. The advantage is that the painting does not suffer the effects of age caused by changes in the medium as in other methods such as oils. One disadvantage is its relative fragility, although if framed under glass and given normal care work paintings will stand the test of age as proven in Master paintings which have survived for 200+ years with their brilliant colors untouched by the years.

The keys to mixing pigments and achieving exactly the color you wanted is dependent on having a basic knowledge of color theory and experience - regardless of the medium you use for painting.


Manufactured pastels are sold in three grades: soft, medium and hard. Soft pastels are universally used and I suggest that you buy a variety of colors - medium and hard pastels can be more limited in number and color range because these are used of special effects only.


Basic Palette

White	Ivory Black	Light Red
Vermillion	Cadmium Reds	Alizarin Reds
Burnt Sienna	Phthalo Blue	Ultramarine Blue
Cobalt Blue	Cerulean Blue	Raw Sienna
Raw Umber	Burnt Umber	Burnt Sienna
Yellow Ocher	Cadmium Yellows	Chrome Green
Phthalo Green	Viridian	Mars Violet

Pastels are often sold in sets featuring a full range of colors or smaller sets within a color family, e.g., raw umber, burnt umber, burnt sienna, yellow ocher, cadmium yellow deep. Color mixing is done on your painting ground, so a wide range of pure color is recommended.

Painting Grounds: One of the beautiful aspects of pastel paintings is texture. Typical painting grounds include:

• fibrous drawing and watercolor papers with sufficient grain to be receptive to the pastel pigment
• pastel papers which have been specially treated to create a finish similar to fine sandpaper
• canvas or boards which have been prepared with a paint mixture containing pumice or silica or acrylic texture gels to give the surface some tooth - also available in art stores already prepared and ready-to-use
• vellum for detailed work using a higher proportion of hard and medium pastels

All papers should be acid-free to ensure the permanency of the painting. Papers are available in all weights but heavy papers will withstand heavier applications of pastels, more vigorous blending and are a more stable surface if you plan to include one of the water-media in your pastel painting.

Other Materials:

• soft hair brush to brush away excess dust from your painting
• kneaded eraser
• stiff, hog's hair brush
• paper blender, pastel shaper or soft brushes for blending

Fixative: A liberal spraying of fixative - available in a wide range of finishes such as matte, gloss or re-workable finishes will prevent the colors from dusting off. Spray your painting on a flat level surface such as a table or floor, in a well-ventilated area.

Toxicity: Use fixatives, and paint, adhesive or varnish sprays in a well-ventilated area or while wearing a respirator mask. Charcoal, graphite and colored pencils cause nuisance dust but pastels are hazardous. Use the best quality, least dusty brands. Use a soft brush to remove excess dust - blowing dust from your paper increases the risk of accidental inhalation of dust particles.