Best Soft Pastels for Beginners
A simple guide to choosing your first pastels
Soft pastels are one of the most immediate and expressive mediums you can work with. There’s no drying time, no brushes, no solvents, just pure colour in your hand. They’re brilliant for beginners because you can focus entirely on shape, value, and colour without worrying about technique getting in the way.
But the moment you start looking at pastel brands, you’ll notice a huge range of textures, shapes, and price points. Some are buttery and delicate, others are firm and precise, and the difference between “soft” and “hard” pastels isn’t always obvious when you’re starting out.
This guide keeps things simple. It focuses on the pastel ranges that beginners actually use and trust, and explains how they differ so you can choose the set that suits your way of working.
But the moment you start looking at pastel brands, you’ll notice a huge range of textures, shapes, and price points. Some are buttery and delicate, others are firm and precise, and the difference between “soft” and “hard” pastels isn’t always obvious when you’re starting out.
This guide keeps things simple. It focuses on the pastel ranges that beginners actually use and trust, and explains how they differ so you can choose the set that suits your way of working.
L - R Hard Pastels: Derwent & NuPastels - Soft Pastel: Unison
Soft vs Hard Pastels - Full stick vs Half Stick: What’s the Difference?
Hard pastels contain more binder, so they hold a sharp edge and behave more like a drawing tool. They’re used for sketching, underdrawing, and adding crisp details. At the professional end, Conté and Faber‑Castell Pitt are the firmest and are known for their control and clean lines.
Soft pastels contain far more pigment and release colour quickly. They’re used for expressive marks, blending, and rich, atmospheric passages. Schmincke is the softest professional pastel, with Sennelier close behind, and both are chosen for their intense colour and buttery feel.
Pastels made for beginners usually sit somewhere between these extremes. They’re soft enough to give satisfying colour without pressing hard, but firm enough to stay controllable on the paper. This middle ground makes them easier to learn with than the very soft professional brands and far more enjoyable than the very hard drawing pastels.
Soft pastels usually come in two formats: full sticks and half sticks. They’re made from the same material, but they’re designed with different types of work in mind. Full sticks are useful when you want to make sweeping marks or cover larger areas of the paper. For beginners, half sticks are often the more practical choice. You get more colours for the same price, and the smaller size makes it easier to experiment with different types of marks without feeling precious about the materials. They’re also less intimidating; breaking a pastel in half is something most artists end up doing anyway, simply because the shorter length gives you better control.
Soft pastels contain far more pigment and release colour quickly. They’re used for expressive marks, blending, and rich, atmospheric passages. Schmincke is the softest professional pastel, with Sennelier close behind, and both are chosen for their intense colour and buttery feel.
Pastels made for beginners usually sit somewhere between these extremes. They’re soft enough to give satisfying colour without pressing hard, but firm enough to stay controllable on the paper. This middle ground makes them easier to learn with than the very soft professional brands and far more enjoyable than the very hard drawing pastels.
Soft pastels usually come in two formats: full sticks and half sticks. They’re made from the same material, but they’re designed with different types of work in mind. Full sticks are useful when you want to make sweeping marks or cover larger areas of the paper. For beginners, half sticks are often the more practical choice. You get more colours for the same price, and the smaller size makes it easier to experiment with different types of marks without feeling precious about the materials. They’re also less intimidating; breaking a pastel in half is something most artists end up doing anyway, simply because the shorter length gives you better control.
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The Most Popular Beginner‑Friendly Soft Pastel Brands
The following four ranges are consistently chosen by beginners because they’re reliable, easy to control, and sit in the low‑to‑mid price bracket. Each one has its own character, so the choice comes down to how you prefer your pastels to work for you.
1. Mungyo/Inscribe pastels
Inscribe Soft Pastels are the firmest of the four, making them ideal for beginners who prefer a pastel that holds its shape and gives very controlled, deliberate marks. They’re noticeably drier and harder than Rembrandt, which means they don’t produce the same rich, velvety coverage, but they excel at crisp edges, fine lines, and layering without filling the tooth too quickly. Compared with Faber‑Castell, they feel slightly grittier and require a touch more pressure, yet they remain far more pigmented and reliable than the ultra‑cheap chalky brands. Their firmness makes them a great choice for anyone who wants maximum control and a slower, more structured learning curve.
Inscribe Soft Pastels are the firmest of the four, making them ideal for beginners who prefer a pastel that holds its shape and gives very controlled, deliberate marks. They’re noticeably drier and harder than Rembrandt, which means they don’t produce the same rich, velvety coverage, but they excel at crisp edges, fine lines, and layering without filling the tooth too quickly. Compared with Faber‑Castell, they feel slightly grittier and require a touch more pressure, yet they remain far more pigmented and reliable than the ultra‑cheap chalky brands. Their firmness makes them a great choice for anyone who wants maximum control and a slower, more structured learning curve.
2. Koh-I-Noor Toison d’Or pastels
Koh‑I‑Noor Toison d’Or pastels have a silky, medium‑firm feel that sits between Faber‑Castell and Rembrandt, giving beginners a smooth laydown without being overly soft or fragile. They’re more refined and slightly softer than Inscribe, offering better opacity and easier blending, yet they still hold an edge well enough for fine lines and detail work. Compared with Rembrandt, they’re a little firmer and less intense in colour, which can actually help beginners avoid over‑applying pigment too quickly. They’re a great choice for anyone who wants a pastel that feels smooth and responsive without tipping into the softness of professional ranges.
Koh‑I‑Noor Toison d’Or pastels have a silky, medium‑firm feel that sits between Faber‑Castell and Rembrandt, giving beginners a smooth laydown without being overly soft or fragile. They’re more refined and slightly softer than Inscribe, offering better opacity and easier blending, yet they still hold an edge well enough for fine lines and detail work. Compared with Rembrandt, they’re a little firmer and less intense in colour, which can actually help beginners avoid over‑applying pigment too quickly. They’re a great choice for anyone who wants a pastel that feels smooth and responsive without tipping into the softness of professional ranges.
3. Rembrandt Soft Pastels
Rembrandt Soft Pastels sit at the higher end of medium firmness, giving beginners a noticeably smoother, richer laydown than Inscribe or Faber‑Castell, but without tipping into the very soft, crumbly territory of professional brands like Unison or Sennelier. They offer stronger opacity and a more refined texture than Koh‑I‑Noor, yet they still hold a crisp edge well enough for fine lines and controlled details. This makes them an excellent choice for beginners who want a slightly more luxurious pastel that still behaves predictably, lasts well, and doesn’t overwhelm with softness or price.
Rembrandt Soft Pastels sit at the higher end of medium firmness, giving beginners a noticeably smoother, richer laydown than Inscribe or Faber‑Castell, but without tipping into the very soft, crumbly territory of professional brands like Unison or Sennelier. They offer stronger opacity and a more refined texture than Koh‑I‑Noor, yet they still hold a crisp edge well enough for fine lines and controlled details. This makes them an excellent choice for beginners who want a slightly more luxurious pastel that still behaves predictably, lasts well, and doesn’t overwhelm with softness or price.
4. Faber‑Castell Creative Studio Soft Pastels
Faber‑Castell Creative Studio pastels sit comfortably in the middle of the firmness scale, offering a smoother, more opaque laydown than Inscribe while still being firm enough for clean edges and controlled strokes. They’re less rich and buttery than Rembrandt, but they’re also less demanding, making them a very forgiving option for beginners who want predictable results. Compared with Koh‑I‑Noor, they feel slightly denser and more solid, which helps new artists build confidence with pressure control and layering. This balanced feel makes them a strong all‑rounder for anyone who wants a dependable, medium‑firm pastel that behaves exactly as a beginner needs it to.
Faber‑Castell Creative Studio pastels sit comfortably in the middle of the firmness scale, offering a smoother, more opaque laydown than Inscribe while still being firm enough for clean edges and controlled strokes. They’re less rich and buttery than Rembrandt, but they’re also less demanding, making them a very forgiving option for beginners who want predictable results. Compared with Koh‑I‑Noor, they feel slightly denser and more solid, which helps new artists build confidence with pressure control and layering. This balanced feel makes them a strong all‑rounder for anyone who wants a dependable, medium‑firm pastel that behaves exactly as a beginner needs it to.
Important: Check for the ACMI label (AP or LP) when buying pastels. These products have undergone extensive toxicological testing before they are granted the ACMI certification seal.
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Pastels and Pastel Pencils: Where Should You Start?
When you’re first starting out, soft pastels are the most straightforward place to begin. They give you instant colour without much pressure, they blend beautifully, and they let you concentrate on the fundamentals, shapes, values, edges, rather than wrestling with the material. A mid‑soft student set is perfect here: soft enough to feel rewarding, firm enough to stay under control.
Hard pastels aren’t essential at this stage. They’re a bit more like a drawing tool, great for sharper lines and sketching in your initial shapes, but you don’t need them to learn the basics. If you later find you enjoy a more structured approach, you can add a small hard set, but it’s very much an optional extra.
Pastel pencils are even more specialised. They’re designed for fine detail, whiskers, eyelashes, tiny highlights, and many styles of pastel work never need them at all. If you bring them in too early, they can actually hold you back, because you end up relying on the pencil point instead of learning how to control edges with the pastel itself. Once you’re confident blocking in shapes and blending with the sticks, pastel pencils can be a handy finishing tool, but they’re not something every artist needs.
Hard pastels aren’t essential at this stage. They’re a bit more like a drawing tool, great for sharper lines and sketching in your initial shapes, but you don’t need them to learn the basics. If you later find you enjoy a more structured approach, you can add a small hard set, but it’s very much an optional extra.
Pastel pencils are even more specialised. They’re designed for fine detail, whiskers, eyelashes, tiny highlights, and many styles of pastel work never need them at all. If you bring them in too early, they can actually hold you back, because you end up relying on the pencil point instead of learning how to control edges with the pastel itself. Once you’re confident blocking in shapes and blending with the sticks, pastel pencils can be a handy finishing tool, but they’re not something every artist needs.
Final Thoughts
Choosing soft pastels as a beginner doesn’t need to be overwhelming. The key is to start with a medium‑firm pastel that gives you control, lays down colour smoothly, and doesn’t crumble or behave unpredictably. The four brands in this guide each offer a slightly different feel, so beginners can choose the experience that suits their confidence, budget, and working style. What matters most is finding a pastel that supports learning rather than fighting against it. With the right tools in hand, beginners can focus on exploring colour, layering, and mark‑making, and enjoy the process of discovering what soft pastels can really do.
