Pastel on Cold-Pressed Watercolor Paper
From left to right: Tip, end, side
Pastels are made from a combination of chalk, pigment and a binder (usually gum tragacanth) that has been formed into sticks or pencils. The binder holds the pigments together, but pastel needs a paper with a lot of tooth to remain on the suface.
Hard pastels are usually rectangular. Because they contain more binder than soft pastels, they tend to break less often and emit less dust. Sharpened hard pastels are great for linework. Turned on their sides, hard pastels can be used to create broad areas of color, a useful technique for applying the initial layers of color for a picture.
Soft pastels tend to be rounder than hard ones and usually are enclosed in a paper sleeve to help prevent breakage. Because they have less binder, soft pastels create more dust and are more easily broken.
Pastel on Cold-Pressed Watercolor Paper
From left to right: Tip, end, side
Pastel on Bristol Vellum
From left to right: Tip, end, side