Cody Casey
Pan pastels are a relatively new crafting medium that combines the qualities of pastels and gelatos. They are expensive due to their high pigment content, but it may be possible to make your own at home. Basic pastels can be made using pigment, filler, and a binder, such as gum arabic, gum tragacanth, or diluted wallpaper paste. Recipes for homemade pastels suggest combining the binder with water, then mixing in the pigment and filler until the desired consistency is reached. While homemade pastels may not have the same coverage or application as store-bought pan pastels, they can be a fun and inexpensive way to experiment with art supplies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Basic Ingredients | Pigment, filler, and binder |
| Pigment Options | Powdered tempera or poster paint, leftover dust from bought pastels |
| Filler Options | Talcum/baby powder |
| Binder Options | Dissolve gum arabic or gum tragacanth in water, diluted wallpaper paste, damar resin mixed with white spirit or turpentine |
| Application Tools | Makeup sponge, foam clothespin, makeup applicators, special applicators shaped as traditional brushes |
| Cost of Store-Bought Pan Pastels | $80 for a set of 20 |
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What You'll Learn
- Pan pastels are expensive because of the high pigment content
- The basic ingredients of pastels are pigment, filler, and binder
- Dissolve the binder, mix in the pigment and binder, get the consistency right, roll out, and leave to dry
- Diluted wallpaper paste can be used as a binder
- Try cheaper options with pan pastel applicators before investing in pan pastels
Pan pastels are expensive because of the high pigment content
Pan pastels are a relatively new format for pastels, and they have gained a huge following. They are expensive because of the high pigment content. Artists' colours are often more expensive than others because certain pigments are rare or expensive to mine or produce. Students' quality pastels may contain stand-in pigments that mimic the colour of costlier natural pigments. When a cheaper pigment is used as a substitute, the word "hue" is added after the pigment name.
Pastels are made by mixing dry pigment with a gum binder and some filler to form a thick paste, which is then fashioned into sticks and allowed to dry. Cheaper and/or harder pastels will typically contain more binder and filler (in the form of chalk or plaster). Artist-quality pastels, on the other hand, tend to contain as much pigment as possible and very little filler, which is why they cost more and produce more intense colours.
Pan pastels have a lot less binder and the highest pigment concentration of any pastel product. The packaging protects the pigment, reduces waste, and allows for easy storage and transport. They are also popular because they are easy to blend, can be fully erased, and are compatible with other art mediums and surfaces. They create much less dust than soft pastels, making them cleaner to use.
The high cost of pan pastels has led some people to consider making their own. One option is to crush chalk pastels into a fine powder, which some people find easier to work with. However, this will not increase the pigment concentration, and the result will not be as vibrant as a high-quality pan pastel. Another option is to purchase a set of regular pastels, which can be significantly cheaper than a set of pan pastels. For example, a set of 72 regular pastels in a wooden box can cost around $45, while a set of 20 pan pastels can cost just over $80.
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The basic ingredients of pastels are pigment, filler, and binder
Pigments are ground into a paste with water and a gum binder and then rolled, pressed, or extruded into sticks. This paste is then rolled into a cylindrical stick (the crayon) and dried. The pastel stick can be used to create a pastel drawing by letting the stick move over an abrasive ground, leaving colour on the grain of the painting surface.
Hard pastels have a higher portion of binder and less pigment, producing a sharp drawing material that is useful for fine details. They are traditionally used to create the preliminary sketching out of a composition. Soft pastels have more pigment and less binder, so they are easier to smudge and have brighter colours.
Pan pastels are formulated with a minimum of binder in flat compacts (similar to some makeup) and applied with special soft micropore sponge tools. No liquid is involved. They are a 21st-century invention and can be used for the entire painting or in combination with soft and hard pastel sticks.
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Dissolve the binder, mix in the pigment and binder, get the consistency right, roll out, and leave to dry
To make your own pan pastels, you will need a binder and a pigment. Firstly, dissolve the binder. Popular binders include egg tempera and linseed oil. Egg tempera dries quickly and is free of harmful chemicals. To make it, you will need to separate the egg yolk with vinegar or lemon juice before mixing. Linseed oil, on the other hand, gives paint a glossy and transparent effect and can come in different colours and consistencies.
Next, mix in your chosen pigment with the binder. The pigment will give your pan pastels their colour. The more pigment you use, the more vibrant the colour will be. However, pigment is expensive, so be mindful of this when adding it to your mixture.
Now, you need to get the consistency right. You can use a solvent to adjust the consistency of your mixture. Turpentine is a commonly used solvent in oil paints, but it releases harmful vapours and decreases drying time. Mineral spirits are less toxic and odorous but more expensive. Acetone is inexpensive and the least toxic option, but it has an unpleasant smell.
Once you are happy with your mixture, it is time to roll it out. You can use a rolling pin to do this, and roll the mixture to your desired thickness.
Finally, leave your pan pastels to dry. Depending on humidity and other variables, this could take several hours or overnight. Once fully dry, your pan pastels are ready to use!
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Diluted wallpaper paste can be used as a binder
Making your own pan pastels can be a fun and cost-effective project. The basic ingredients of pastels are pigment, filler, and binder. The binder is what holds the pastel together as it is being used.
When making your own pastels, you will need to experiment with the ingredients and their ratios. Different pigments react differently to binders, so some will need a stronger mix to hold together, while others will only need a weak diluted mix. If your pastels are too crumbly, you need a stronger binder mix. If your pastel is hard and difficult to leave a mark, the binder mix needs more water or less binder.
Other suitable binders for pastels include gum arabic, gum tragacanth, damar resin, and beeswax. Natural binders such as sugar, milk, fig's milk, beer, ale, and honey have also been used in ancient recipes.
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Try cheaper options with pan pastel applicators before investing in pan pastels
Pan pastels are relatively new art supplies that can be expensive to purchase. A set of 20 pan pastels can cost upwards of $80, whereas a set of 72 regular pastels can cost around $45. The high price of pan pastels is due to the high cost of pigment, which is needed in large quantities to create the product.
Before investing in pan pastels, it is advisable to try out cheaper options with pan pastel applicators to see if you like using them. The Sofft Tools by GOLDEN are a range of reusable applicators with replaceable heads that can be used with pan pastels and water-based colours. They are designed for optimal application of PanPastel colours and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, including round, flat, oval, and point. The mini applicators, which come in a pack of 12, are smaller in size and do not have detachable heads. Customers have generally found these applicators easy to use, with one review noting that they "make my pastel work much easier".
Another inexpensive option for applicators is to make your own using inexpensive makeup applicators or sponges. For example, you can hot glue a makeup sponge into a bottle cap or use the foam on a clothespin. These DIY applicators can be used with soft pastels and oil pastels, and can be useful for blending.
Trying these cheaper options first can help you decide if you enjoy using pan pastels before committing to the more expensive investment.
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Frequently asked questions
The basic ingredients of pastels are pigment, a filler, and a binder.
You can use gum arabic, gum tragacanth, damar resin mixed with white spirit or turpentine, diluted wallpaper paste, or boiled oats.
You can use leftover dust from other pastels, or two tablespoons of powdered tempera or poster paint.
You can use half a cup of unscented talcum/baby powder.
