Pesky Pastels: How to make Pastel Work easier! Model Horse artist, custom model horses
Hi there!
As a model horse artist myself, I know the struggle of working with pastels. The endless hours of wearing masks, the soft, powdery dust that slightly irritates your eyes while it stagnates in the air, and the odd hand ache from rubbing colorful powder on a tiny horse. Yet pastels trade the unpleasant experience for delicate textures, shading, and detail otherwise unobtainable. They play a critical part in model horse customization, and somehow, artist need to make the process work. Today we’ll explore 5 ways to make the pastel process easier and more pleasant. Let’s get started!
Using proper tools. If you’re using a tool you don’t like, it’s just going to make the process worse for both you, and the model. Make up brushes do a great job at applying the pastels and are often comfortable to hold. In a previous post, I went over the best brushes for pastels, so if you’re interested in that you can go check it out here: https://naturefoxes.com/blog/best-brushes-for-pastels-model-horse-artist-pastel-brush-recommendations
I also want to mention that if holding the brush is your issue, there are paint brush handle pads you can get, or if you have any vet wrap you can use that to create a non sliding grip.
Work in an environment that is quiet and avoid fans, air conditioning, or any other form of air movement to prevent the pastel dust from blowing around and spreading in the air.
Watch a show, listen to music, or a podcast on the side to make the experience more pleasant! I love doing that when I know I have lots of work to do!
Take breaks so the process doesn't become overwhelming.
Find your flow! The best way to make the process easier for you, is to find what you are motivated by, what you enjoy doing, and the way in which you enjoy working. There is no “wrong way to do it”.
Thank you for reading!
