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I bought a box of dry pastels to color in some images and I find them very pale and wishy washy. I would like to know if I can add a little bit of water to my brush to give it a little bit of umpf. Even the black that I put on looked washed out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Fran
__________________ Francoise
Grandparents are God's revenge on their kids
I use chalk pastels a lot. But I think the name says it all, really - pastels are not going to be strong, intense, vibrant colours like Copics. You'll get stronger colours if you use a paper designed to be used with pastels - something like Mi-Teintes, which has grain to hold the chalk. But then it will be harder to get a good clean stamped outline on. But the more chalk you use, then you'll need a spray fixative to hold it on, or it will tend to rub off.
I've used water and a brush on the cakes of chalk, but not with the pastels. It still gives a soft effect, though. Maybe you need to look into using some other medium for colouring with.
I have tried to use water with my pastels to create something like a paint before. It will intensify some colours but make sure it is not too thick as there is no binder to keep the thick layer stuck to the paper. It will start flaking if it is too thick. As a light wash, it creates an interesting chalky and creamy effect.
I usually use either a q-tip for a soft look or a Stampin Up blender pen on one small corner of the stick (so I can use the rest dry later) and 'pick up' the color then color like watercoloring.
On the other hand, I stumbled across a super cool technique ((new to me)) with chalks I'd never done before that I just LOVE... and I usually like more intense colors.
HERE is a a card I made. I used SU chalks and Dazzling Diamonds glitter.
The technique is outlined on THIS site and she calls it "Sugar Coated Images".
The 'Chalk Enhancer' fluid works really well for chalks. It deepens the color and you won't need to 'fix' it to the paper with a spray. It is true though, not all pastels are created equal. I have a small selection of very pricey pastel sticks, and they are dreamy, soft and smooth as butter, with bright, vibrant colors. The cheap ones, or even the ones designed for craft use just can't compare. But the Chalk Enhancer does help with most types of chalk.
:confused:Thanks for all the advice. I bought some blending stumps and have never used them yet. Do you use them with water? Dip the tip in water and then blend your chalk? Also, I know this is going to sound very stupid to you very experienced people, but as far as the diamond dust is concerned, how does it stay on? What is the mini ranger spray bottle used for then?:rolleyes:
Fran
__________________ Francoise
Grandparents are God's revenge on their kids
:confused:Thanks for all the advice. I bought some blending stumps and have never used them yet. Do you use them with water? Dip the tip in water and then blend your chalk? Also, I know this is going to sound very stupid to you very experienced people, but as far as the diamond dust is concerned, how does it stay on? What is the mini ranger spray bottle used for then?:rolleyes:
Fran
For the blender pens the "stuff" is already in the pen, just touch to whatever medium you want to use (ink pad, reinker, marker, chalk, watercolor sticks!) and color your image. It picks up color differently depending on the medium, so try it on a piece of scrap cardstock before you touch your image, just to be sure that the color is right for you. when you are done with a color, 'draw" on scrap paper until the color is gone and then go to the next color. It is a nice product and easy to get the hang of using it. Diamond dust or any glitter needs glue to stick. I have not used the glimmer dust product, so can't help there. Have fun!:-D
:confused:Thanks for all the advice. I bought some blending stumps and have never used them yet. Do you use them with water? Dip the tip in water and then blend your chalk? Also, I know this is going to sound very stupid to you very experienced people, but as far as the diamond dust is concerned, how does it stay on? What is the mini ranger spray bottle used for then?:rolleyes:
Fran
Blending stumps will move the color around but it won't make them bright and vibrant, it' will soften the color if anything. You could color directly onto the image with your chalk pastel then use the dry blender to smooth it out. I think you would need a fixative (like spraying it with hair spray) to keep the chalk on the paper.
I've never tried water with it but it sounds like it would create a bit of a "hot mess". Blender pens have a solution of alcohol and glycerin that help the pigment bond to the paper.
As for the diamond dust, you need a glue pen to put down adhesive wherever you want it to stick. There are lots of brands.
I tried to blending stump with colored Prismacolor pencils and like you said, it didn't do much. Just took away the pencil lines a bit. I will have to get a blending pen. Thanks alot.
Fran
__________________ Francoise
Grandparents are God's revenge on their kids
I tried to blending stump with colored Prismacolor pencils and like you said, it didn't do much. Just took away the pencil lines a bit. I will have to get a blending pen. Thanks alot.
Fran
Hi Fran, hang on a minute!!! There is a difference between Prismacolor colored pencils and Prismacolor chalk pastels and dry pastels.
Dry pastels are blocks of chalk that are in the form of a long skinny square, that's what I thought you had. You can color directly or use a blender pen.
If you have Prismacolor colored pencils then you need some odorless mineral spirits (Sansodor, Mona Lisa, Gamsol, etc.) or baby oil to dip your stumps into and that makes an awesome blending of the color and takes away the pencil lines. It also intensifies the color.
If you have prismacolor CHALKS in a pencil form, then the Odorless MSs won't help. For those you need to color your image, blend with a q tip and spray with hairspray.
I am getting you mixed up. I have both, the chalk in the long stick things and the Prismacolor pencils. I have been experimenting today, and so far I am not impressed with what came out. Mind you the problem might be the hand holding onto the pencils or chalk:p
Now I am looking online for instructions on how to emboss with a brass stencil with the cuttlebug machine. Any suggestions OH SMART LADY. I found different sites that tell you different things. Some say you have to use the embossing tan mat plus a shim. I don't have a shim, but I do have the mat and some fun foam?
Fran
__________________ Francoise
Grandparents are God's revenge on their kids
You can also try a Versamarker with chalks or pastels, it's like a versamark clear ink pad but in the form of a marker, I love using it with chalks, you'll get a more intense color then just the chalks alone plus the marker acts as a binder so no need to set them afterwards.
I was just on stamp tv and Gina K was showing how to use Chalk enhancer and a watercolor brush, when using chalks. It seemed to work real well. Will have to try and buy some. I will check out though the Versamarker. Do you know where I can find it?
Thanks for your help.
Fran
__________________ Francoise
Grandparents are God's revenge on their kids
I am getting you mixed up. I have both, the chalk in the long stick things and the Prismacolor pencils. I have been experimenting today, and so far I am not impressed with what came out. Mind you the problem might be the hand holding onto the pencils or chalk:p
Now I am looking online for instructions on how to emboss with a brass stencil with the cuttlebug machine. Any suggestions OH SMART LADY. I found different sites that tell you different things. Some say you have to use the embossing tan mat plus a shim. I don't have a shim, but I do have the mat and some fun foam?
Fran
Woo hoo, call me "smart lady" and I'll tell you anything;)!
You can use your brass embossing plates with the cuttlebug using a tan mat (you can try it with foam) and a shim. A shim is nothing more than a piece or two of scrap cardstock. Or I will sometimes use a piece of thin chipboard like from a cereal box.
Don't forget to get some odorless mineral spirits for those prisma color pencils, you will like that result!
Thank you OH SMART LADY I will try this today. I will also try the mineral spirits and give you some news on that. Maybe when I grow up, I will be just as great at doing cards as all of you talented people on SCS. Thanks again.
Fran
__________________ Francoise
Grandparents are God's revenge on their kids
I am nearly out of my chalk enhancer and would like to know if there is a recipe for making your own. I live in Spain and have not found anywhere that I can buy this. I bought my last bottle in the U.K but I am not sure where.Can anyone help me please?
Barbara
Hi Fran,
I do pastel paintings as a hobby. Using the sticks... Nupastels are the cheapest and the hardest but I actually like them... The more you spend the more pigment and the less binder there is and then generally the creamier and more intense the colour is. You can get some pretty virbrant colours even with the Nupastels though....
Try using alcohol to make a wash with your pastels. It is a technique used in painting called underpainting. You paint with the pastels and then wash over it with a brush of alcohol and you get a surface that is permanent. You may not get a more vibrant colour but you'll get a different effect that may look more like a watercolour painting. You could also try colouring on a scrap paper with the pastels and then picking some of the colour up with a boozey brush and see how that works as a painting technique. I've never tried that but it might work OK.
The more tooth in the paper the better for the pastels but the worse for the stamping. You could try stamping on some watercolour paper and then using the pastels. I use watercolour for my Tombow markers and it stamps well. Also the watercolour paper would be heavy enough to take the moisture associated with the alchohol wash.
I think I'm spelling alchohol incorrectly sometimes here. Must be tired. Better go to bed.
Hope that helps and hope you have fun with the sticks.
Regarding cardstock. I find that SU Natural or Confetti card stock work well with the pastels. They have a bit more tooth than their white or vanilla card stock, but still provide a smooth texture for stamping. I generally use blender pens to get a more vibrant color with the pastels, but it will still be softer than what you get with a marker.
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FS465
Hi Fran,
I do pastel paintings as a hobby. Using the sticks... Nupastels are the cheapest and the hardest but I actually like them... The more you spend the more pigment and the less binder there is and then generally the creamier and more intense the colour is. You can get some pretty virbrant colours even with the Nupastels though....
Try using alcohol to make a wash with your pastels. It is a technique used in painting called underpainting. You paint with the pastels and then wash over it with a brush of alcohol and you get a surface that is permanent. You may not get a more vibrant colour but you'll get a different effect that may look more like a watercolour painting. You could also try colouring on a scrap paper with the pastels and then picking some of the colour up with a boozey brush and see how that works as a painting technique. I've never tried that but it might work OK.
The more tooth in the paper the better for the pastels but the worse for the stamping. You could try stamping on some watercolour paper and then using the pastels. I use watercolour for my Tombow markers and it stamps well. Also the watercolour paper would be heavy enough to take the moisture associated with the alchohol wash.
I think I'm spelling alchohol incorrectly sometimes here. Must be tired. Better go to bed.
Hope that helps and hope you have fun with the sticks.
Lori
Definitely going to give this a try, it sounds cool.
As a teacher (now retired) we called them CrayPas. They are oil based. They are really not at all like chalks, if we're talking about the same things. They are more like a crayon, I'd say. Thus the need for an alcohol/oil based blender.
Dry Pastels
Patels
