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👉 Watch What Happens When I Make My Own Soft Pastel Surface with Clear Gesso

Monet Cafe' with Artist Susan Jenkins

66,374 views

Watch what happens when I make my own soft pastel surface—using a simple, affordable method that completely changes how the pastels respond.

In this video, I’ll walk you through how I create a DIY surface for soft pastels that offers beautiful tooth, flexibility, and a painterly feel—without expensive specialty papers. This approach is easy to try, budget-friendly, and works wonderfully for expressive landscape painting.

As the painting develops, I’ll also share additional tips and techniques for layering color, building atmosphere, and allowing the landscape to unfold naturally. If you’ve ever wondered whether making your own pastel surface is worth trying, this lesson will give you the confidence to experiment and see the results for yourself.

Settle in, paint along if you’d like, and enjoy the process.

Products Used in This Lesson
🛒 Amazon Idea List:
https://amzn.to/3YLs5Ps
Inexpensive Watercolor Paper from Walmart: https://tinyurl.com/sty2syb9
Latour Fixative by Sennelier: https://tidd.ly/3Zg5LO4

Other LInks:
Reference Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/green-mou...
My Painting as a Print: https://pixels.com/featured/moments-o...

✨ Just Starting with Soft Pastels?
Here’s my simple beginner supply list (no overwhelm):
👉 https://amzn.to/3Ndz94G
(This is the same simple setup I recommend to my beginner students.)

🎨 Art Supplies I Use & Recommend
Many of you ask what supplies I’m using in my videos. I’ve organized all my favorite pastel supplies, papers, and studio tools here so you can easily find what you need:

👉 My Amazon Art Supply Shop:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/monetcafe...

👉 Dick Blick Art Supplies:
https://tidd.ly/4o4rQcQ

(If you use these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — thank you for supporting my teaching ❤️)

BECOME A PATRON ON MY PATREON PAGE! 👇
➞ Patreon: SusanJenkins

BUY ME A COFFEE!! ☕️ Would you consider leaving me a small tip for this lesson? Your support helps me to bring more free content coming to this channel!! https://buymeacoffee.com/susanjjenkr

My AMAZON Shop / (for Many Products Featured in Videos) 👇
➞ https://www.amazon.com/shop/monetcafe...
(I earn money from qualifying purchases at no cost to you)

My Etsy Shop 👇
➞ https://theartofsusanjenkins.etsy.com

Visit my Website 👇
➞ https://www.susanjenkinsfineart.com

My Instagram Link 👇
➞ Instagram: susanjenkinsartist

My Facebook Page 👇
➞ Facebook: theartofsusanjenkins

Facebook Group 👇Monet Cafe' Art Group
➞ Facebook: MonetCafeArtGroup

Monet Cafe' Art Store (with Fun Tee Shirts and More) 👇
➞ https://monet-cafe-art-store.creator-...

#pastelpainting #pastelpaintingtutorial #paintinglessons #softpastel

20 Comments

@monetcafe Creator 8 months ago Pinned

Curious about the supplies I’m using in this lesson? I’ve listed everything below so you can easily explore or try this technique yourself.

Products Used in This Lesson:
🛒 Amazon Idea List:
https://amzn.to/3YLs5Ps

🎨 Inexpensive Watercolor Paper from Walmart:
https://tinyurl.com/sty2syb9

🖌 Latour Fixative by Sennelier:
https://tidd.ly/3Zg5LO4

Thanks so much for painting along with me—I hope this encourages you to experiment and enjoy the process. 🎨✨

@rattlersontheroof 6 months ago

I pray that Liquitex never stops making this clear gesso. I love it for oil pastel too.

@WarrenJBeattie 3 weeks ago (edited)

I got the new Sennelier hard pastel pencils, and realised I'd need some sanded paper to try them out on. The local art supply shop sells Clairefontaine Pastelgrain... starting at £75. Then I was reminded of Liquitex clear gesso, I remembered it's sandy texture, and the bottle I'd squirreled away for years is still good.

I was pleased to see the label says 'good for pastels', but this video is a much better confirmation of that claim. Also, excellent tip about fixative. I've tried that to get darker darks with charcoal, but I wasn't sure if serious pastel artists had a place for it. I can't argue with the results you get with those foreground flowers.

@athieliagriffin7957 8 months ago

Beautiful painting. If you want extra "tooth", try Waverly chalk paint. Dilute it with water, works great and comes in lots of colors. Happy painting!

@artistmcbrown98902 8 months ago

As always, another beautiful painting Susan. God bless you, your family and your artwork.

@martelhamilton7350 8 months ago

Absolutely gorgeous and a pleasure to watch.

@dollygrice677 8 months ago

I love your videos. Thank you for sharing this tip about clear gesso to make your own surface. I am petrified by my more expensive supplies.

@tracynonumbers 6 months ago

learned so much!
Thank you

@bonniedolata6342 6 months ago

Thank you for taking the time for us beginning pastel artists.❤

@momnnita 8 months ago

Love this painting. Congratulations on your new studio. Happy new year. God bless

@sheilagilleland4312 8 months ago

I love the Bees paper for several things. And Gesso, nothing better.

@Tranquil_Tiger74 8 months ago

SO beautiful 💚

@mjpete27 8 months ago

Hullo Susan, thank you for sharing your method with us! I do want to say NOT ALL clear gesso has grit like the Liquitex brand! I purchased a less expensive clear gesso that had very little grit! I solved the problem with pumice. Other people have used marble dust. I found pumice in a bag on Amazon much less expensive than the marble dust. I’m also going to mention that my homemade surfaces work better if they are firmer such as a Masonite panel or a mat board! Less chance of the surface or pastel cracking and flaking or falling off! Thank you for your continuing support of the members here on YouTube. I know most of us would love to be a part o your Patreon family! I supported several Artists on Patreon and will attest that they were all very generous and kind! I’m semi retired now so money is tight, much tighter! I’m able to create my own art but it can be harder to afford supplies without clients paying for my supplies. Bless you and your journey, thank you again.🙂