Soft pastels can be carefully sharpened to a point.
Soft pastels are a colorful artistic medium, allowing artists to create soft washes of color that are especially suitable in landscapes. But when it comes to fine detail, soft pastels require careful handling. Most soft pastels are thick with blunt tips, making them unsuitable for fine lines. For detailed drawing, soft pastels should be sharpened. You should also plan ahead to avoid smudging your work as you create it.
Instructions
1. Draw details with new pastels, which usually come with sharp corners and ends. When you run out of new pastels, take the paper jackets off of the ones you wish to sharpen.
2. Use a sharp knife to cut larger pieces off the tip of the pastel. Hold the larger end away from you to avoid breaking off the tip of the pastel. Sharpen until a point begins to take shape.
3. Rub the point over a sheet of fine grain sandpaper, shaping it and sharpening it further. Test the point on a piece of scrap paper.
4. Hold the pencil lightly when you draw with the sharpened point. Too much pressure will cause the point to crumble.
5. Draw detailed sections at the end of your work on the piece. Even with sharpened pastels, small details can be difficult to achieve with this medium, and detailed work can be ruined easily.
