Materials Archives - How to Pastel https://www.howtopastel.com/category/materials/ Info, opinion, and training on how to pastel with artist Gail Sibley BFA, MA Fri, 04 Oct 2024 01:00:18 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/cropped-cropped-HowToPastel-logo-1-32x32.jpg Materials Archives - How to Pastel https://www.howtopastel.com/category/materials/ 32 32 Unison Colour HQ – Where Handmade Pastels Come To Life https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/07/unison-colour-hq-where-handmade-pastels-come-to-life/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/07/unison-colour-hq-where-handmade-pastels-come-to-life/#comments Sat, 29 Jul 2023 17:14:01 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=27996 Gail shares her visit to the home of Unison Colour pastels in the UK. She’s in awe of the truly handmade nature of these pastels!

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/07/unison-colour-hq-where-handmade-pastels-come-to-life/feed/ 12 Packing for a Plein Air Trip to PACE https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/05/packing-for-a-plein-air-trip-to-pace/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/05/packing-for-a-plein-air-trip-to-pace/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 18:53:18 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=27630 Packing for a plein air trip shouldn’t be difficult. The problem is our tendency to want everything with us. Here’s how to pack light!

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/05/packing-for-a-plein-air-trip-to-pace/feed/ 6 Recycle UART Paper For Your Next Painting! https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/03/recycle-uart-paper/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/03/recycle-uart-paper/#comments Sat, 11 Mar 2023 00:55:02 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=26730 It’s easy to recycle UART paper making it perfect for the budget conscious (and earth conscious!) student. Gail goes through the progression of a piece done on recycled UART.

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/03/recycle-uart-paper/feed/ 26 What Pastels Should I Buy? https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/12/what-pastels-should-i-buy/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/12/what-pastels-should-i-buy/#comments Sat, 17 Dec 2022 01:01:49 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=21861 What pastels should I buy? This is probably the most common question I get from those who are just starting out in soft pastels. And it’s often followed by: I’m so confused!  It’s a simple question, right? But, the answer isn’t so simple. If you put this question of what pastels should I buy out to […]

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/12/what-pastels-should-i-buy/feed/ 4 Lightfastness In Pastels – D8330 – A New Standard https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/08/lightfastness-in-pastels-d8330-a-new-standard/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/08/lightfastness-in-pastels-d8330-a-new-standard/#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2022 05:07:17 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=22740 Lightfastness in pastels. Is this something you’ve given any thought to? I have. And I haven’t. To tell you the truth, somehow, I thought we already had a general standard for lightfastness in place. Schmincke pastels from Germany note lightfastness on the pastel wrapper – five stars mean excellent lightfastness, one star, definitely fugitive. But […]

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/08/lightfastness-in-pastels-d8330-a-new-standard/feed/ 111 Don’t Use This Tape To Attach Paper To Your Board! https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/03/dont-use-this-tape-to-attach-paper-to-your-board/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/03/dont-use-this-tape-to-attach-paper-to-your-board/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2022 20:12:35 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=19580 “Blue and green should never be seen” – ever heard that saying? It’s an oldie that generally applied to fashion and home decor. Personally, I could never understand it as I’ve always loved blues and greens together – think green trees against a blue sky!! BUT, I’ve found a place where blue and green really […]

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2022/03/dont-use-this-tape-to-attach-paper-to-your-board/feed/ 32 My Unison Colour Set and What Others Have Painted With It! https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/11/my-unison-colour-set-and-what-others-have-painted-with-it/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/11/my-unison-colour-set-and-what-others-have-painted-with-it/#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:55:09 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=18810 “I love the gorgeous colours in your Unison Colour set but I’m not sure if they will work for me.” I’ve heard this from a couple of people recently. So I poked a bit further and asked why they think this. Their answers: “I paint animals and I don’t see any browns and greys in […]

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/11/my-unison-colour-set-and-what-others-have-painted-with-it/feed/ 14 Paint Anything With My Set of Soft Pastels! https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/10/paint-anything-with-my-set-of-soft-pastels/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/10/paint-anything-with-my-set-of-soft-pastels/#comments Fri, 08 Oct 2021 19:33:29 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=18080 That’s a rather bold statement I realise but I mean it: Paint anything with this set of soft pastels! And the set I’m talking about is my brand new set of 36 pastels just launched by Unison Colour. It’s the one that’s taken me two years plus to develop.  So why did it take me […]

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/10/paint-anything-with-my-set-of-soft-pastels/feed/ 26 Do You Need An Easel? https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/04/do-you-need-an-easel/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/04/do-you-need-an-easel/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:06:35 +0000 https://www.howtopastel.com/?p=12978 Recently in our HowToPastel Facebook group, I read this question: “I’m a beginner and I am starting to gather the needed materials. Do I need an easel and what would you recommend?” (Thanks Dolores M!) And my answer is… Heck yes!!! Okay, you may be asking, WHY do I need an easel Gail? And specifically, […]

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]]> https://www.howtopastel.com/2021/04/do-you-need-an-easel/feed/ 46 How To Use A Viewfinder To See Colour https://www.howtopastel.com/2018/11/use-a-viewfinder-see-colour/ https://www.howtopastel.com/2018/11/use-a-viewfinder-see-colour/#comments Wed, 21 Nov 2018 21:36:51 +0000 http://www.howtopastel.com/?p=9875 I’ve just returned from teaching two different still life workshops to members of the Southwest Florida Pastel Society (SWFPS). I had an amazing time with a bunch of committed artists who were warm and friendly, and who put up with my insistence on them doing thumbnails! Naturally, I encouraged them to use a viewfinder to […]

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