Getting Started with Pastel Pencils: The Complete Beginner’s Guide
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If you’ve ever seen those dreamy, soft drawings and wondered how people make them look so magical, pastel pencils might just become your new favorite art tool. They give you the rich, velvety colors of soft pastels but with the precision of a pencil — no chaos, just pure creative joy.
Whether you’re brand new to drawing or you’re returning to art after a long break, this guide will help you start with confidence.
🎨 Why Pastel Pencils Are Perfect for Beginners
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easy to use
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Great control for details
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Beautiful, blendable colors
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No dust clouds like soft pastels
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Relaxing and beginner‑friendlyAll about Pastel pencils and pastelmat paper
🧰 Your Essential Pastel Pencil Starter Kit
✏️ 1. A Good Set of Pastel Pencils
Start with a set of 12 or 24 colors. Recommended beginner‑friendly brands:
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Derwent Pastel Pencils – soft and affordable
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Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils – premium, buttery smooth
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Faber‑Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils – slightly harder, great for details (these are my favorites!)
Here is the link 👉to the blog all about pastel pencils
📄 2. The Right Paper
Regular paper is too smooth — you need texture (“tooth”).
Try:
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Canson Mi‑Teintes – classic, budget‑friendly
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Clairefontaine Pastelmat – excellent for layering (I use only this but for the first beginning I recommend Canson)
🌀 3. Blending Tools
You don’t need anything fancy. Great options:
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Paper stumps (I use this ones always, its cheap an I have them for years)
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Cotton swabs
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Soft brushes
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Tissues
🔪 4. A Sharpener That Won’t Break Your Pencils
Pastel cores are fragile. Use:
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A craft knife ( Look at my 👉 youtube video)
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A pastel‑friendly sharpener
🩶 5. A Kneaded Eraser
Perfect for lifting pigment, creating highlights, and fixing small mistakes.
🎯 How to Make Your First Marks
Start by Playing
Don’t aim for a masterpiece. Try:
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Light vs. heavy pressure
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Layering two colors
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Blending edges
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Creating soft gradients
Pro Tips
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Work light to dark
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Work top to bottom
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Build color in layers
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Use a scrap sheet under your hand to avoid smudging
Here is the link👉 to tips
❌ Common Beginner Mistakes
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Pressing too hard
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Using smooth paper
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Over‑blending (everything turns muddy)
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Starting too dark
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Expecting perfection on day one
🐶 Make It Cozy
A warm drink, soft music, and maybe your dog or cat snoring at your feet — that’s the perfect pastel pencil vibe.
Your Free Pastel Pencil Starter Guide you will find below👇
💬 What Will You Draw First?
Tell me in the comments — I love hearing what inspires you.
With all my love,🩷
Arty By Esther
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