FAQ

A soft pastel is an art medium composed of pure powdered pigment and a binder, typically gum arabic, which holds the pigment together in a stick form. Unlike chalks, which are made from lime and dye, soft pastels have a higher concentration of pigment and less binder, resulting in a softer, more crumbly texture. They are known for their intense color and are commonly used for blending, layering, and creating painterly effects. Soft pastels come in various sizes, including whole sticks, half sticks, and thick sticks, and are available in a wide range of colors. They are often used on textured paper or card and can be blended with fingers, a paper stump, or a color shaper.

There are many brands and varieties of pastels and painting surfaces out there. My preferences evolve with my changing needs in the studio and out in the field. I prefer to keep things simple by relying on the following principles:

• Archival Material Quality

  • Make paintings that will outlast me and my future grandchildren.

  • Acid-free materials to prevent discoloration.

  • Seal painting surfaces (front & back!) and seams in framing to better avoid warping and water damage.

• Mediums

  • Artist grade pastels. Typically I use Rembrandt and Sennelier pastels for the bulk of my work.

  • Sometimes other mediums are used as well like acrylic or watercolor for underpaintings, or perhaps charcoal and pastel pencils for detail work.

• Painting Surfaces

  • The texture and quality of a surface serve as the foundation for a pastel painting and can make all the difference. Pastels are essentially a fine powder with a little bit of grab almost like makeup. The surface pastels are used on need to have something for the pastel to grab onto- and the best surfaces can take layer after layer of pastel - especially with a light touch.

  • When going for a creamy, precise painting my go-to is an Ampersand Pastel Board.

  • To make custom sized work or just to save money- I also make my own panels with tempered hardboard panels available at home improvement stores. In America 4’x8’ panels are the backbone of the entire construction industry. Hardboard panels made of eucalyptus pulp and mush can serve as a very inexpensive painting surface. To prep it, it needs to be sealed on both sides and then a gesso with grit is applied to the front painting surface (sometimes with color tints).

Yes! I’m currently accepting a limited number of commissions. If you have a specific place or mood in mind, I’d love to talk about creating a custom piece. You can start the process by reaching out here.

Not yet. Check out my smaller originals or join my mailing list to stay in the loop for any future sales or print releases.

Feel free to let me know which pieces you’d really like a print of. I’m open to making limited print releases and open edition prints in the future.

Absolutely.

I drop new paintings monthly. Join my mailing list to get notified.

I sell originals directly to you on my website.

Some of my originals are available in galleries and for those you must go through the gallery to make a purchase.

My studio is not open to the public - but I often share behind-the-scenes images and process videos on my personal Instagram. @kevinszuch