Blending the strokes and layers of soft pastels is a very important step while pastel painting as the colors are not premixed on palette unlike paints. Blending is used to create thoroughly solid areas with smooth and soft effects. Artists use fingers as well as side of their hands to blend the pastels but it makes hands dirty and one has to wash them frequently to avoid soiling the colors of the artwork. There are some more tools available for neat blendings such as paper stumps, tortillas, clean rags, micropore sponges, brushes, and cotton, cotton buds/ earbuds. Each of these tools gives different blending effects to the drawing.

Blending with Brush:


Blending with Paper Stumps/ Tortillas:


Blending with Cloth/ Rag:


Blending with Fingers:


Blending with Cotton/ Cotton Buds:


Blending with Sponge: