Oil pastels??

[Beelzebrush]

Just a quick comment about scraping pastels... this is something that I've used regularly in the past to good effect. However, I bought some Vallejo weathering pigments a couple of weeks ago and overall I think these are a much better solution. The pigment seems much stronger and it seems to 'stick' better. Also, the colour changed little after being dullcoated.... I think I mave have given it a short blast of fixative first (or at least I was definitely going to)

Anyway, a useful comparison. I'll still use pastels too though.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Word of warning don't scrape the pastels while wearing a white shirt.....:laugh:

Ah go on, tell us the story! :smile-big:

Einion

Dozy beggar + Scrubbing Brush + Vanish = eventually clean shirt.

 

[Einion]

Quick thing on the difference between scraped pastels and pigment powders, the latter have the advantage of being nearly all pigment (or entirely pigment, depending on who they're from) so they might have/are likely to be stronger and to cover better. But it may not be obvious that just like with paint this isn't necessarily always desirable - even with pastel dust they're sometimes 'diluted', dusted on very lightly and/or brushed/wiped off afterwards, all to reduce their effect. These are generally used for the most subtle of touches, things that are tricky to do with paint.

And for anyone not familiar with them, pastels are available in a far wider array of colours (the largest selection in any medium) than dry pigments. The hobby-type pigments will of course focus on some basic dirt and soot colours, while with artists' pastels the selection is nearly endless.

Einion

 

[kirara]

If using shaved pastels (not cray-pas) would you fix the colors to the model with alcohol/solvent like you do with weathering pigments?

 

[Ghudra]

If using shaved pastels (not cray-pas) would you fix the colors to the model with alcohol/solvent like you do with weathering pigments?

Yes. You still want the color to adhere to the surface.

As Einion pointed out, one of the best things about pastels is the range of colors. Additionally, they are dirt cheap for what you get unless you go after the really high-end stuff. Try to get the same color range in regular artist's pigments and you will be spending heaps of cash.

 

[Einion]

If using shaved pastels (not cray-pas) would you fix the colors to the model with alcohol/solvent like you do with weathering pigments?

Alcohol maybe not over acrylics/vinyl paint, it might begin to dissolve the paint.

But you can apply them wet - they can have a tendency to repel water but with some effort you can wet them with water (a small addition of something to break the surface tension helps). Diluted into a simple wash they can be painted on like dirty water splashed on in the real world and then when this dries it leaves this great dust-like residue.

They mix with white spirits/mineral spirit more easily if anyone wants to try that.

Einion

P.S. Alcohol + water would definitely be worth trying - alcohol will wet a powder that strongly resists wetting with water. Once it's wet then water can be added in easily. This is a technique sometimes used when mulling paint by hand for some of the synthetic pigments that are very hydrophobic.

 

[pehyf]

I've been trying different oil pastels for a long period of time. Sennelier's worked for me best. This guys made a really good review on pastels, I've found it really useful