Chalk pastel
drawing is suitable for all ages.
Chalk pastels are a simple and versatile drawing medium suitable for all levels from beginning to advanced. Chalk pastel pencils are colored pigments mixed with a binding agent--such as gum or other substances--and molded into sticks that resemble crayons. Pastel drawings can be made on a variety of surfaces, such as paper, canvas or board. Pastel is a flexible medium that can be layered and blended easily to achieve beautiful and delicate painterly effects. Chalk pastels must always be finished with a fixative because of the delicate nature of the medium.
Instructions
1. Pastel pencils come in a variety of vivid colors.
Prepare a workspace by spreading cloth or newspaper underneath your paper medium. Chalk pastels are loose and crumbly, and they generate a lot of dust. Have paper towels or wipes close by to clean your hands and fingers. Fingers are a very effective way to blend color with chalk pastels, and your hands will get dirty quickly during the course of your project.
2. Use the broad side of the chalk pencil to create a background for your drawing. Get a feel for the flexibility of the chalk by erasing and redrawing, using pieces of felt or cloth. Chalk pastel colors are easily applied and easily removed, making this a wonderful medium for beginners.
3. Use your fingers to blend colors. Make stokes of different colors side by side and blend them together by rubbing your finger in between the strokes. This will blend colors and create delicate effects. Colors can also be layered on top of each other without rubbing to create sharper blends.
4. Sharpen your chalk pencil by rubbing it to a point using a spare piece of paper. The pencil can then be used for sharp, defined lines, which can be layered on top or beside the background color. Sharper more defined lines can also be used to create fine detail in your drawing.
5. Experiment with strokes of different pressure. The amount of pressure applied to the pencil on paper makes a big difference in the final effect.
6. Pay attention to how your strokes and layers appear on the paper that you are using. The texture of your paper will always show through the medium. This can lead to wonderful, dimensional effects for your final drawing. Learn exploit the marriage of color, medium and texture to create beauty and depth in your final work of art.
