You’re interested in soft pastel, but perhaps getting started feels overwhelming? Maybe you’ve watched a few painting videos or have seen posts on pinterest, tiktok or instagram. Discovering the possibilities of this medium is exciting, but you’re not sure where to start.

There are so many things to consider (and it feels daunting)! What kind of pastel, what brands, what are the differences? What is sanded paper? Is this drawing or painting? Should I get the expensive sticks? What colors and pigments do I start with? How do I keep the painting from smudging?

Let me remove the overwhelm and make space for the romance of soft pastel to capture your heart too…

I spent countless hours making mistakes, spending lots of time and money figuring out the answers to these questions.

So, I created the book I wish I had when I was starting!

I wrote it just for you to help keep the spark of excitement alive as you dive in.

I wrote it so you won’t get lost in the weeds, feel frustrated, waste time, or waste money.

Everything I’ve learned to get started plus the methods I’ve found to work best for me are presented inside the pages. Your preferences will emerge, of course, and my hope is that this will give you an excellent starting place to explore and develop - minus the overwhelm.

This guide holds the answers to all of my most frequently asked questions and sources are linked all throughout to make it even easier.

I don’t know what your pastel journey will look like, but whether you are an artist trying a new medium, someone searching for a new creative hobby, or a person with aspirations to sell your work, you’re in the right place.

I am cheering you on!

-Valerie