Step 1: Gather your materials

Before you begin, gather all the necessary materials, including pastel paper or canvas, soft and hard pastels, a set of blending tools, a kneaded eraser, and fixative spray.

Step 2: Choose your subject

Select the subject you want to paint, whether it’s a portrait, landscape, or still life. Consider the light source and how it will affect your composition.

Step 3: Create a preliminary sketch

Lightly sketch your subject on the pastel paper using a hard (conté) pastel pencil or a charcoal pencil. This will serve as your guide during the painting process.

Step 4: Apply base colors

Begin by applying broad areas of color to establish the general tones of your composition. Use soft pastels in a linear motion and avoid pressing too hard on the paper.

Step 5: Blend with caution

With your blending tools (or even just your fingers), carefully blend pastel colors into each other to create smooth transitions. Remember not to over-blend; you want some texture in your work.

Step 6: Create contrast using hard pastels

For details and contrast between colors, switch to hard pastels. They allow you to add precision to smaller areas and enhance contrast by layering.

Step 7: Balance light and dark areas

Now that the main colors are in place, observe where light source meets shadow. Carefully build up dark areas with deep-colored pastels while keeping lighter areas bright.

Step 8: Establish textures

Consider how different textures appear in your subject and reproduce them using various strokes with both soft and hard pastels.

Step 9: Refine edges

Define edges by highlighting them with lighter shades of pastel. Be gentle when applying layers on top of one another to prevent muddiness in colors.

Step 10: Finalize details

Switch back to the hard pastels and refine smaller details in your painting. Pay attention to highlights, shadows, and delicate areas within the composition.

Step 11: Add highlights

Using a white or light-colored pastel, carefully accentuate the brightest portions of your piece to create a sense of depth and luminosity.

Step 12: Evaluate and make adjustments

Take a step back and evaluate your work. Make any necessary tweaks to balance colors, values, or details until you’re satisfied with the result.

Step 13: Apply fixative spray

To preserve your pastel painting, carefully apply a layer of fixative spray. Hold the can about one foot away from the surface and lightly mist it in even strokes.

Now that you have learned these 13 steps for painting with pastels, go ahead and practice to become proficient in this versatile medium. As you develop your technique, you’ll discover the beauty and expressiveness that pastels offer in creating stunning works of art.