Soft Pastel and Choosing Paper

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="yes" overflow="visible"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="no" center_content="no" min_height="none"]Soft Pastels are somewhat messy and can be an unforgiving medium. I have completed pictures using soft pastels in the past and if you are able to control them, they can look stunning. However from a teaching point of view, this is something that I probably would not do.Now onto the paper for soft pastel, I would not use the Sand Coloured Ingres pastel paper by Fabriano at all. The Polychromos pastel sticks work ok on the Ingres paper but if you are going down the soft pastel route go into your local retailer and discuss it with them. They would have a whole range of papers to choose from. I think the Ingres paper would be too fine and Soft pastel tends to skim off its surface.I would recommend choosing a slightly rougher surface. I seem to remember velour pastel paper being good for soft pastel and also Canson Mi-Teintes paper might well work. This paper doesn't work so well for pastel pencils as it has little bubbles on it. Another choice would be Colourfix paper as it has a sand-papery surface. If you want to try soft pastels then we sell a set of 24 Soft Pastels from Faber-Castell in our online shop.What's your experiences with Soft Pastel? Is there a particular paper you recommend? Let us know in the comments below.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]