I started using soft pastels in 2019. Never having used them before, initially I was somewhat at a loss to know how to use them, but just sketching with them reminded me of how much I used to enjoy art, and so I started reading everything I could find on pastel painting. After a bit of practice I discovered the sanded pastel papers allowing me to use layers of pastel and pastel pencil, and my love of pastel painting began. I use a variety of soft pastels, with pastel pencils on Clairefontaine pastelmat or Hahnemuhle velour paper.
A strawberry roan pony in Unison soft pastels on pastelmat paper ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Snow leopard in Unison soft pastels on pastelmat paper ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Coal-tit on pastelmat in soft pastels and pastel pencils ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Fennec fox in Unison soft pastels on pastelmat paper ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Barn owl in Unison soft pastels on Pastemat paper ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved A friend’s cat, painted in Unison pastel on Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper. Based (with permission) on their photo. ©Helen Jones 2023, All rights reserved Redstart in Unison soft pastels on Pastemat paper ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Lynx in soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat ©Helen Jones 2022, All rights reserved Nuthatch in Unison soft pastels on pastemat paper ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Pine Marten (from a holiday cottage in Scotland that the pine marten used to visit) painted in soft pastels on Hahnemühle velour ©Helen Jones 2020, All rights reserved Otter in soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat ©Helen Jones 2022, All rights reserved Robin in soft pastels and pastel pencil on Pastelmat ©Helen Jones 2024, All rights reserved Badger in soft pastels on Hahnemühle velour ©Helen Jones 2021, All rights reserved Puffin in soft pastels on Hahnemühle velour ©Helen Jones 2022, All rights reserved Fox in soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat ©Helen Jones 2021, All rights reserved One of our old rescue cats, painted in soft pastels on Hahnemühle velour ©Helen Jones 2020, All rights reserved Seal pup painted in soft pastels on Hahnemühle velour ©Helen Jones 2021, All rights reserved Eagle owl in soft pastels on Art Spectrum Colourful paper. Painted from my own photos. ©Helen Jones 2021, All rights reserved