I started using soft pastels in 2019. Never having used them before, initially I was somewhat at a loss to know how to use them, but just sketching with them reminded me of how much I used to enjoy art, and so I started reading everything I could find on pastel painting. After a bit of practice I discovered the sanded pastel papers allowing me to use layers of pastel and pastel pencil, and my love of pastel painting began. I use a variety of soft pastels, with pastel pencils on Clairefontaine pastelmat or Hahnemuhle velour paper.