subject: Hard pastel sticks and pencils [print this page] Hard pastel sticks and pencils Hard pastel sticks and pencils
Hard pastel sticks are generally slim, rectangular sticks that usually measure about 14-inch square by 3 inches in length. They can withstand vigorous sketching without breaking because of their high clay content. They're great for making initial sketches, but you can also break off pieces and use them on their sides to block in color and develop a large portion of a pastel drawing. Because they hold an edge or a point well, they're good for detail work as well.
If you like to build up layers of linear hatching, hard pastel sticks are a good choice. Because they're larger than pencils, they can cover a lot of territory quickly, but they're small enough to use when working on more intricate areas of drawings.
Because they contain more clay than soft pastels and generally are smaller, hard pastels are less expensive than soft pastels. The higher clay content also makes them less brilliant (because they have less pigment).
All pastel pencils are hard pastels encased in wood, but you can't assume they're all the same density. Each brand of pastel pencils has a different level of hardness depending on the amount of clay included in the ingredients. Less expensive pastel pencils may be almost as hard as a graphite pencil, and other pencils are relatively soft. Though less expensive than softer pencils, harder pastel pencils aren't necessarily a bad choice for your work depending on what you need them for. If you're looking to maintain a point for detail or want to use a pastel pencil as you would a graphite pencil, a hard pencil may be a good choice. A softer pencil may work better for initial sketches or blending and layering with other pastels.
