Soft pastels are a popular choice with a huge range of colours to choose from. Pastel sticks are made as soft as possible so as to stop them breaking apart. They produce a beautiful, smooth texture which is easy to blend with a cloth or your finger. Fixative sprays should be sprayed on finished paintings for longevity.

Hard pastels are tougher than traditional soft pastels but keep the same rich, creamy pigments needed for superior blending and shading. They are less expensive than soft pastels. Firm in consistency, these pastels can be used to produce broad, flat areas of colour and detailed line work with equal success.

Oil pastels are one of the most versatile art mediums you can use. Very different results can be achieved with a variety of techniques.