# Pan pastels background **URL:** \ **Category:** Art Medium Discussion and Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pan-pastels-background/261 "2019-08-23T14:21:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tomee43](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/tomee43/32/162_2.png) [@tomee43](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/tomee43)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pan-pastels-background/261/1 "2019-08-23T14:21:51Z")
looking at the 2 birds Matt is drawing now one has the pan pastel background. They are expensive and im not sure i want to make that investment. Anyone have thoughts about leaving background without color and maybe talk a little about the properties. of pan pastel. They seem to waxy ,almost like shoe polish. Not sure about shaving soft pastel and trying to blend that. thanks tom ---
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pan-pastels-background/261/2 "2019-08-23T18:29:59Z")
Hi Tom! I am no expert, but I think you could experiment with shaving soft pastel and blending them. I am fairly sure that you would get a nice result, albeit a little different from the pan pastels Matt is using. I think I would not leave the background without color if you want a rich effect. If you have Pastelmat paper you could use a darker grey OR, use a Canson Mi-Teintes (rough side) in a contrasting color. I think that would give you a good result too. ---
**Author:** ![thevirtualinstructor](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/thevirtualinstructor/32/2_2.png) [@thevirtualinstructor](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/thevirtualinstructor)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pan-pastels-background/261/3 "2019-08-24T13:32:01Z")
Hi Tom, Yes, the PanPastels are expensive - very expensive. I only have a few colors for this reason and I only use them every once in a while. You can get a similar effect using just traditional pastels on this surface. The background won’t look as “atmospheric”. It will be a little bolder, but you can still blend transitions and get a softer look. ---
**Author:** ![Lizette](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/lizette/32/156_2.png) [@Lizette](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Lizette)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 5:08am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pan-pastels-background/261/4 "2019-08-29T05:08:22Z")
Hi Tom. I use pan pastels and love the no-dust property. It is not always easy to blend them too because it depends on the surface texture of the paper. What I do, especially when I don’t have the right colour, is to take a bit of the pan pastel powder and mix it with a stick pastel on a flat surface then use the sponge to apply that to the drawing. Doing it this way gives you a better indication of the final colour and blending the powder beforehand also allows you to apply it with a softer touch until you are happy with the colour and the intensity of colour you want to achieve. I would think it will also work with using only chalk dust too. ---
**Author:** ![tomee43](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/tomee43/32/162_2.png) [@tomee43](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/tomee43)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 6:25am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pan-pastels-background/261/5 "2019-08-29T06:25:47Z")
Blending the two mediums. That is interesting. I have been trying stick pastel on a practice page and blending has worked well with as you mention a soft touch. Thanks. Tom