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Hi there! Unfortunately, most fixatives/sprays that claim to "set" or "fix" pastels will cause more problems than they solve! Your artwork can end up being darkened/discoloured, leave spots/droplets from the spray, or the fixative doesn't actually "fix" anything Most pastel artists don't use fixatives for that reason If you use the supplies and techniques that I use (Clairefontaine Pastelmat with Pan Pastels and pastel pencils - sometimes a little bit of soft pastel sticks), there's no reason you need to fix your pastel paintings because there's very little dust fall off, it's archival/lightfast without it, and if you store/frame/post your artwork correctly, you won't have any issues 😊 When framing, I recommend using a matt/mount border so the artwork doesn't touch the glass and using museum glass (or UV-resistant glass) if you can because that will protect your work even further! Some artists also choose to add "spacers" between the mount/matting and the artwork so if there is any dust fall-off, it goes down the little gap where the spacer is rather than sitting on the edge of the mount/matt I store my artwork inside acid-free archival tracing paper pads of various sizes (A4 - A2 depending on the size of my artwork) so each piece is slotted between a sheet of tracing paper and you can lay the pad flat inside a draw/cupboard/under your bed. This way, the artwork won't move around or touch any other artwork! If you still think you would like to use a fixative, Spectrafix is one of the main brands that don't cause as much colour change (however, it still doesn't completely "fix" the artwork and can cause "spots/droplets" from the spray that you will probably need to cover up with more pastel) and as I mentioned earlier, it's not necessary to use a fixative)

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt Thank you very much for your explanation. Several people I asked didn't tell me. I actually don't want to fix it with fixative, I just want to leave it without the risk of staining it later during handling. But I've seen that fasteners ruin paintwork, it's already happened here. So I think it's the best, just like you said. it would be to frame it in a frame with glass on the front. I really thank you for the information. It's frustrating to see the beautiful, perfect paint job and the fixative ruin everything.

Hi, I have an old CZcams video about sharpening pastel pencils which is still quite useful! You can watch it here; czcams.com/video/eA7Q9jCtMtk/video.htmlsi=lkJBKWGu54DVnyyl

You're welcome, I hope you like it - it's such a versatile surface 😊

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt I got a small pad in the mail today. It does amazing things wet in wet. Can't wait to play with it this week!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad it was helpful!

Unfortunately, I have never come across any other paper that comes close to Pastelmat because it is a unique surface that is made with cellulose plant fibres, whereas most other pastel papers are sanded papers or cotton-based The paper makes a huge difference with pastels and you just won't be able to achieve the same results on other papers! Every other paper I have tried either produces a grainy-looking end result, the pastel doesn't "stick" to the paper so there is a lot of dust fall-off and/or it doesn't take enough layers of pastel When it comes to pastels, the only supply that I 100% recommend you purchase is Pastelmat. All of the other supplies (brand of pastels, blenders, pastel pencils etc) can be swapped to cheaper alternatives if you wish, but definitely not the paper as you just won't be able to achieve the same results If you are on a budget, I would still choose Pastelmat and maybe get a smaller set of pastels (you can blend them to make other colours) until you can afford to add more pastels to your set over time Although Pastelmat is a little more expensive than other papers, it's 100% worth it in my opinion 😊 If you compare it to the cost of purchasing a decent canvas for oil/acrylic for example, it is actually quite reasonable for the results you get with it

You're very welcome!

Thanks a lot 😊

Thank you so much!

Thank you 😊

Happy to help!

Thank you so much 😀

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt your welcome!

The images in the video are the reference photo, but I did actually do a pastel painting of it as well! You can find it on CZcams or my website 😊

Which brand did you use? Some brands are more opaque then others, and some have a "mixing white" (might be labelled with a different name) which is a more transparent white compared to a normal opaque white. Also, the more water you add, the more transparent/pale it will dry so try adding as little water as possible! I hope that helps! 😊

@KirstyRebeccaFineArt I have W&N, permanent white. I did saturate it rather with the water, I might give it another shot with the less water though! Thanks.

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video 😊

You're welcome!

You're welcome! I hope you have fun creating with your pastel pencils 😊

If you're interested in real-time full length tutorials where I list all the colours I am using, then you're welcome to check out my KR Fine Art Academy here 😊 www.kirstyrebeccafineart.com

Thank you so much! 😊

Thank you so much!

Hi, it is a personal preference! I understand what you are saying, and I would agree but only if I started my smaller artwork at low prices... however, I chose to price my smaller artwork at a higher price that isn't "ripping myself off" so that when I use linear inches, the price increase is not a drastic jump to get to the next size (like it would be for square inches) These are examples below (not my actual prices, but it shows what I am talking about) Linear inches (x + x) * 15 8 x 10 = $270 9 x 12 = $315 11” x 14” = $375 18 x 24” = $630 Average = $397.50 In this example, I feel like the smallest size is a decent starting price, and it’s not a huge jump to the next size. It doesn’t take me that much longer (and I don’t use that much more product) to complete something slightly larger so I want my smaller sizes to be a higher price to make up for that Square inches (x * x) * 1.5 8 x 10 = $120 9 x 12 = $162 11 x 14 = $231 18” x 24” = $648 Average = $290.25 In this example, I feel like my smallest size is too cheap, and my largest size is too expensive in comparison - and the average price is also much lower, even though my largest size is priced higher Again, it’s personal preference… but I would rather have my prices be closer together without a huge jump in between because it more accurately reflects how much time and product I am spending on the smaller sizes. I start my smaller sizes at a higher price because it takes me almost as much time to complete the artwork as the next size up. This also means my average price is higher, which means I am earning more overall I hope that makes sense 😊

Thanks ✌

I speak to another artist regularly (Bonny Snowdon) who has been in contact with Clairefontaine about this issue. Clairefontaine technically didn't change anything, but the problem is that they have an "acceptable variance" allowed in their manufacturing process... which means that some batches are rougher than others. I also find that some colours are rougher than others (the darker shades in particular feel rougher to me, whereas the white on the thicker board feels very smooth - I tend to prefer brown, dark grey, and sienna). In general, I can usually get a decent amount of layers/detail even on the batches that are too rough or too smooth, so I just deal with it because unfortunately, there still isn't a better alternative out there as this is a unique surface. I completely understand that it can be disappointing if you get a paper that is rougher or smoother than you'd like! All that being said, sometimes they actually do have genuinely "bad" batches that don't take many layers of pastel. If you notice a huge difference in quality, you may actually have a faulty batch and you can take some photos and email Clairefontaine who are usually pretty good at sending replacements 😊

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt thank you for this I emailed them pictures of the new vs old.

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt I use dark gray and the newest sheets I ordered have way to much tooth that I can not get my fine details.

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt they said there gonna replace my sheets

@@artofgarduno amazing! They are usually pretty helpful so hopefully, your new sheets will be better 😊

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you, I'm from South Australia 😊

Oh no! I only just saw them in store a couple of weeks ago so that is sad to hear! The closest option is the "portrait" version in the A4 size. Your pencils will lay from front to back rather than side to side like the original landscape drawers in the video, however, they will still fit nicely (it's just a different orientation) This is the link to the "portrait" option instead www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/j-burrows-desktop-file-storage-organiser-5-drawer-white-clear-jb5drawwe

Glad it was helpful!

Glad it was helpful!

Clairefontaine Pastelmat 😊

Thank you 😊

You are welcome!

Thank you 😊 Haha I'm trying to avoid blowing pastel dust, so I know how hard it is to stop doing that (it's automatic but also not a great habit to have 😅)

Your colour choices are not that important when it comes to realism - as long as you choose a colour that is similar (not too dark or too light) it doesn't have to be a perfect match! If you would like more in-depth tutorials where I talk through every stage of the process in real-time including listing the colours I am using while I am drawing (and also in the description) then my KR Fine Art Academy might be a good choice for you! There is a link in the description if you would like more information 😊

What kind of solvent is it? And have you used it with your coloured pencils previously? You may have better luck posting this question in a coloured pencil group on Facebook with a picture so people can see what you're looking at (it will make it easier than trying to describe it!) 😊

Which country do you live in? There is only one brand - Pan Pastel (it's by Golden Artist's Colours) I have a few links to some popular sites in a few countries on my website if you scroll down to the pastel section of my supply list here; www.kirstyrebeccafineart.com/supplylists

Thank you, I'm glad it's helpful 😊

There could be a few reasons for this but Prismacolor are wax-based pencils that are pretty opaque, so you could be filling up the "tooth" of the paper quickly which is not allowing your Derwent Drawing to lay on top very well because there's nothing for it to grip onto anymore. So you could try adding fewer layers of coloured pencil, or try layering with a very light hand so that you're adding many, many light layers of coloured pencil without pressing hard on your paper (this will ensure you're not flattening the tooth of the paper either) Another reason could be your paper choice! Sanded papers or papers like Clairefontaine Pastelmat have a lot more texture which allows you to add multiple layers of opaque coloured pencil, and it is much easier to add your white Derwent pencil on top with these kinds of papers You will have difficulty adding white highlights with the Derwent Drawing on top of papers that are very smooth like watercolour papers, bristol, velum, drawing papers etc, especially if you're using a wax-based pencil like Prismacolor without a solvent because of how much the pigment will "stick" to the paper and fill up the tooth If you're not a fan of solvent, they do have natural options like "Zest It!" which a lot of people use for coloured pencil instead of mineral spirits/solvent - so that's an option too! I hope that helps 😊

Glad you enjoyed it

Thank you, I don't plan to delete them, even though my older videos like this one make me cringe a little on the inside haha 😊

Thank you, and I'm glad that you're able to create via colouring books! This video is fairly old now, and I am still struggling to get back into things (improving slowly, though!) I have actually been using adult colouring books to help me stay creative over the last few years because my brain fog/fatigue/exhaustion/illness keeps me in bed a lot of the time. Colouring books have helped me stay sane and feel a little creative when I am unable to get up and create an actual piece of artwork from scratch so I completely understand 😊

@@KirstyRebeccaFineArt Yes - an artistic mind is mostly an highly sensetive mind - and soul. ✨️ We burn ourselves out, if we don't take "time off" , when we start to feel we must create, rather than want to... 🙄 Yes - to behave like a kid again, picking colours by feeling and just pic something by heart i the colouring book - was so much fun!!! 🫠 No thinking - just play & joy! 🎨