Having worked with pastels for years and teaching drawing at a university level for thirty years, I can add to this discussion. The gist of it is, you get what you pay for. Pastels are basically pigment (color) and binder (usually gum Arabic). The best brands use lesser amounts of binder and more pure pigment, the cheaper ones use less pigment and more binder. Think of kid’s sidewalk chalk – they’re mostly binder and very little pigment.
Hard pastels are great for artists to use and create detail, they can even be sharpened to a point. Most pastels are soft and allow for blending effects similar to oil paint. (This is why painters for centuries have used pastels in tandem with their painting, from Chardin, to Degas, to Wayne Thiebaud today.)
Schminke and Sennelier pastels are hands down the best. The colors are intense and lush. You will pay more for these brands, however. If you don’t shop there already, check out:
http://www.dickblick.com
http://www.utrechtart.com
http://www.danielsmith.com
Below are the brands I recommend from best to not-so-great or student grade:
Best:
Schmincke (soft)
Sennelier (soft)
Medium:
Rembrandt (soft)
NuPastel (hard)
Student Grade:
Alphacolor (soft)
Yarka (soft)
Hope this helps.
John
