Welcome,
Please read this first.
Let’s take a whimsical journey together with my Free 50-minute PanPastel Mushroom Tutorial! This lesson is a wonderful way to dive into the magic of PanPastel and get a taste of what this beautiful rich medium has to offer.
I often get asked if Pastel Ground or Clear Gesso can be used to create your own pastel paper, so I’ve decided to demonstrate these techniques in this lesson. While these products are wonderful for experimentation Pastel Ground and Clear Gesso can be great for lighter layers or using stick pastels, but they don’t allow for the deep layering and glowing vibrancy we create in my lessons. Plus, the rough texture can make adding fine details with pastel pencils tricky. If you have access to UART Dark 600 Grade sanded pastel paper, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try—it truly transforms the experience and results.
Don’t worry if drawing isn’t your thing—I’ve included the line art for this project so you can jump right into the joy of painting. My goal is to help you grow as an artist while enjoying the process every step of the way. And if this lesson sparks your curiosity, there’s so much more waiting for you in my full library of classes—or you can join The Pastel Insider for access to everything I offer, past, present, and future!
Thank you for trusting me to guide you on this creative journey. Let’s make something magical together!
Whimsical Mushroom Part 1
Whimsical Mushroom Part 2
Finished Line Art
These are already pre-sized for your convenience.
Value Chart
I love having this tool at my fingertips.
SUPPLY LIST:
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Suggested Pastel Paper: UART Dark 600 grade if you have access to UART paper, I highly recommend it—it’s worth the investment and significantly enhances your overall experience with the medium
If you’re unable to get UART paper, consider these alternatives:
Clairefontaine Pastelmat : This paper is popular with portrait / animal artist who have everything planned out first. It takes limited layers and you have to be conservative of how much PanPastel you apply as it will quickly fill the tooth. This will work ok with my lessons, but you have to keep that in mind along the way. It is a different experience vs the UART.
• Art Spectrum Colourfix : This paper is popular with artist mainly using stick pastels and works best with limited layers and planned out pieces.
Below are the supplies if you make your sanded pastel paper.
140 lb. Hot Press Watercolor Paper I’ve tried this technique on many different substrates and found that what matters the most is that it’s smooth and thick enough. I discovered wonderful results using the hot press watercolor paper; the matt board is another option. I’ve also seen wonderful results using sturdy black paper that can handle the application of the pastel ground or clear gesso without warping too much.
Black Paint: I used black gesso.
Golden Pastel Ground: I use this for the lesson, but you can also get similar results with the clear gesso. (needs to be clear as white and black don’t have the same tooth)
White, Black, Hansa Yellow, Perm. Red
PanPastel Sofft Tools - Mini Applicators, Pkg of 12
These Sofft Tools are worth trying out. They have been specifically designed with PanPastel and are made of special high-density foam. They allow me to create more detail than makeup sponges.
PanPastel Sofft Tools - Knife and Covers, No. 3 Oval (optional)
My favorite one is uni Kuro Toga .5