Campo Santa Margherita, Venice, pastel on Ersta 713E paper, 14x20in. (36x51cm)
Pastel painting has been one of my favourite pastimes for a number of years. This is a dry medium where the sticks are manufactured by combining pigment, chalk and a binder. Water is added to allow the mixing of these elements, resulting in a stiff paste that can then be formed into sticks and dried.
The hardness or softness of the pastel can be determined by the amount and type of binder added. The addition of chalk to make the colour lighter can also have an effect on how soft the stick is.