Selecting the right soft pastel at Wet Paint can sometimes
feel overwhelming to the experienced artist as well as the first-time
customer. With eight lines of professional grade pastels and two lines
of student grade pastels, a question commonly asked is “Why
do you carry so many different kinds of pastels?”
The answer can be found in a conversation with Nikki Schlepp,
assistant floor manager. According to Nikki, each line is different
and each has its own special qualities. “Wet Paint carries almost
every professional grade soft pastel,” she says. “They all
vary in consistency, super-soft to very hard, and in color range, depending
upon which brand you use.” That’s why most artists like
to use a combination of different brands in responding to the needs
of their work. “Pastels that are soft, like Schmincke,
are going to be better for background washes and broad strokes,”
says Nikki. “The harder you get in consistency, the better the
pastel will be for detail work, like the Faber Castell.”
To better understand where each brand lies, small charts can be found
on each display.
Other qualities distinguish the separate lines. While most pastels
are round, like sticks of chalk, certain lines, such as Holbein and Cretacolor, have square sticks that enable the
artist to draw with a fine point and to use the flat edge in laying
down color. Other lines feature special strengths in certain colors. Unison is known for its deep-pigmented colors, which
makes it a popular choice. Daler-Rowney features a
beautiful range of purples, and Winsor Newton pastels
have a good range for portraiture. Art Spectrum, a
new pastel from Australia, features colors that reflect the Australian
landscape. Art Spectrum also makes the Large Studio Pastel, a big stick designed for larger works and backgrounds that allows the
artist to lay down large masses of color.
Nikki encourages artists to experiment with other brands, such as Sennelier or Rembrandt, because every artist’s needs are
different. “It really comes down to ‘what works best for
you,’” Nikki says.
If you have questions about the pastels available at Wet Paint,
be sure to talk to our of our knowledgeable staff.
