Mea Compares Water soluable Wax Pastels vs Water soluable Pastel Pencils

[MaryAnne Long]

Even though I have a Pastel Encourager for Pastels topic and one for Watersoluable pencils,
I put these both together in one topic so you could compare them.

Water soluable Wax Pastels Caran D'Ache  84-piece set

Details

Water soluable Pastel Pencils  Faber Castell 36-piece set

Details

Even with over 120-colors available to me between both sets, I did not find a green I really liked.

As for the wax pastels, they are smoother to use.  The pencils are really scratchy.

I used Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media 140 lb. paper.  (I LOVE this paper, especially for line and wash.)

Maybe I will try them again on watercolor paper because I really wanted more texture.  But, the good thing about the Mixed Media paper is that it is so smooth, I could wash off mistakes quite easily.  The bad thing is that it is so smooth, I had trouble getting the colors to stay on the paper, especially the sky.

I used a barely damp brush (Escoda PRADO Barcelona Alvaro Castagnet) 8, 10, 12 to blend the colors, working very slowly, so as to keep the shapes I had laid down with each color.

Bottom line - It was a nice way to multi-task while watching a football game. (Patriots won - yay).  I honestly don't know which painting I like better. 

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

aloha

mea

[Val]

  This is a tricky one, there are things I like about both! I prefer the rock texture in the Pastel Pencil, but I prefer the water in the Wax Pastels. As you say not too fussy on the greens.
If you laid some red on the green wax pastels, would you be able to blend it enough to dull it down a bit? Keep in mind I have no idea what I'm talking about with the wax pastels. 

[MaryAnne Long]

Val,
Thanks I'll try the red lightly over the green.
 
I had nightmares last night about the reflection (shadow?) of Mokoli`i on the water. I tried to show the light coming from top right, so the shadow cast on the water should not be the shape I have it.  And if it were a reflection, shouldn't it have the color of what it is reflecting?

I need to study this more.

aloha

mea

[Val]

The reflection is not really affected by the light direction. The reflections are based on where the viewer is situated. Yes the reflection would reflect the colouration of the object being reflected.

The shadow/cast shadow is opposite from the light source.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse the issue.

[MaryAnne Long]

Thanks, Val.  Yes, your explanation is helpful.

aloha

mea

[Happychappy]

    Good job Mea, I like them both, some parts better than others in each one as Val pointed out.  I like the vibrancy of the first one but it would be difficult to choose one over the other.


Patricia

[MaryAnne Long]

Thanks, Patricia.

Today I gave away the wax pastel version to a young couple I met today at my senior citizen art class.  They had escorted one of my seniors to the class.  The future husband had just returned from deployment with the U S Army in Kuwait.  They are getting married in March.  They seemed thrilled to get it.

aloha

mea

[Val]

That's so nice of you Mea, a first pre-wedding gift!

[linley.plester]

Of course the young couple were thrilled.  And I love the vibrancy of the wax pastel.

[Happychappy]

Bless you Mea for your kind heart.   Patricia

[MaryAnne Long]

Thanks, Val, Linley, and Patricia.

I do art to make people happy, me included.

aloha

mea