<p>Pastels, that is chalk pastels, are easy and beautiful media for blending or creating translucent effects like smoke, as you know.   However, they are fragile and will blow away or fall off if not sealed.  Even then they will be sensitive to the environment, especially fingers.</p>

<p>That said, I'd bet you would be successful with a semi-permanent spray fixative.  You'll be able to go over it, if you must, but your smoke effect will gain longevity.</p>

<p>Because you may be working over graphite, the surface may have that greasy action, but be persistent.  Consider using pastel pencils.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T19:41:30.770Z
pastel pencils? That's a thing??
Aspen the Artist and Author
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-27T21:33:06.160Z
workable fixative will add back some tooth that should offset the slickness of the graphite.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T14:56:33.030Z
2017-09-09T14:56:33.030Z
Ace
<p>Can I use my chalk pastels to make a "Smoke" like effect? </p>

<p>Is it useful in drawings or should I just stick with pencils?</p>

<p><em>I use Canson sketchbooks</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-06T21:16:51.957Z
Can you post an image of the effect you're trying to achieve? It's difficult to exlpain a technique if we don't know what you're trying to do. :)
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-06T21:17:58.717Z
I want to add a slightly yellowing background, but with olive green smoke surrounding a character.
Aspen the Artist and Author
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-06T21:39:52.840Z
I'm trying to go for a more apocalyptic feel.
Aspen the Artist and Author
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-27T21:36:11.030Z
An effect like smoke is as much if not more about technique than the materials you use. Look at examples of smoke and fog in real life and in others artists' works to see how they do it. From that you can develop the look of smoke and such to match your own style.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-27T22:03:01.970Z
@rebusB But I did, and the ones I liked were using pastel chalks
Aspen the Artist and Author
<colored-pencils><chalk-pastels>
Pastel Chalks for smokey effect
Aspen the Artist and Author
# Pastel Chalks for smokey effect

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-06)

Can I use my chalk pastels to make a "Smoke" like effect?

Is it useful in drawings or should I just stick with pencils?

*I use Canson sketchbooks*

**Tags:** colored-pencils, chalk-pastels

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you post an image of the effect you're trying to achieve? It's difficult to exlpain a technique if we don't know what you're trying to do. :)  
> **username_0**: I want to add a slightly yellowing background, but with olive green smoke surrounding a character.  
> **username_0**: I'm trying to go for a more apocalyptic feel.  
> **username_2**: An effect like smoke is as much if not more about technique than the materials you use. Look at examples of smoke and fog in real life and in others artists' works to see how they do it. From that you can develop the look of smoke and such to match your own style.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 But I did, and the ones I liked were using pastel chalks  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-09-09. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Pastels, that is chalk pastels, are easy and beautiful media for blending or creating translucent effects like smoke, as you know. However, they are fragile and will blow away or fall off if not sealed. Even then they will be sensitive to the environment, especially fingers.

That said, I'd bet you would be successful with a semi-permanent spray fixative. You'll be able to go over it, if you must, but your smoke effect will gain longevity.

Because you may be working over graphite, the surface may have that greasy action, but be persistent. Consider using pastel pencils.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: pastel pencils? That's a thing??  
> **username_2**: workable fixative will add back some tooth that should offset the slickness of the graphite.  

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