- Видео 33
- Просмотров 49 225
Hidden Seashells Studio
Добавлен 23 апр 2017
This channel is for all artists (aspiring to professional) for tips, product reviews, tutorials, unboxings and all things artsy
Prima marketing Prima confections vintage pastel lightfast, Prima marketing watercolor lightfast
In this video view the results of my lightfast test of Prima Marketing confections watercolor set called Vintage Patels
Просмотров: 197
Видео
Lightfastness test on Prima marketing confections currents, Prima marketing confections watercolors
Просмотров 2933 года назад
In this video I revisit my swatches of the Prima Marketing Prima confections Currents set. These have been in full New England sun for almost 5 months!! Check it out Here is the link to the original video of me painting these test stripes!! Prima marketing confections watercolor set currents, currents watercolor set, art philosophy current ruclips.net/video/P7enPVQGr0s/видео.html
White oil paint comparison, titanium white vs flake white, flake white vs warm white, Old Holland
Просмотров 2,1 тыс.3 года назад
Here is my white oil paint comparison video! Let’s take a look at and compare Old Holland titanium white, Charvin extra fine flake white and Utrecht warm white!! Enjoy
Charvin extra fine cezanne oil paints, charvin extra fine oil paint, oil paint review, oil paint set
Просмотров 8513 года назад
In this video I unbox and review the Charvin Extra Fine Cezanne inspired set of oil paints! Enjoy
A taste of Charvin oil paint set, charvin fine oil paint review, charvin oil paint, charvin review
Просмотров 1,1 тыс.3 года назад
In this episode I swatch out each paint from the Taste of Charvin fine oil paint set. Enjoy watching the beautiful colors
Watercolor deer tutorial, loose watercolor techniques, watercolor paint along, deer painting
Просмотров 1,4 тыс.3 года назад
In this video I take you step by step in a real time tutorial on painting a watercolor deer. Enjoy!! I am using: Strathmore 400 series watercolor paper Winsor and Newton cotman pans and schpirrer farben watercolor pans Happy painting!!
How to varnish an oil painting, gloss vs satin finish gamvar, how to use gamvar, Gamblin gamvar
Просмотров 8 тыс.3 года назад
Here I show you my process for varnishing an oil paint with gloss and satin gamvar varnish. I then show you how the final result looks once dried! Hope you enjoy!
Mijello mission gold lightfast test, lightfast watercolors, best vibrant watercolors, watercolor set
Просмотров 4943 года назад
Here is the result of my precious video where I swatch out each color of my new Mijello Mission Gold watercolor set (link below) www.amazon.com/Mission-Gold-Water-Palette-Colors/dp/B00BFCGF2O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1I4AWU7251HFA&dchild=1&keywords=mijello mission gold watercolors&qid=1630786370&sprefix=mijello&sr=8-3 Enjoy!!
Lemon still life, still life oil painting demo, cobra water mixable oil paint, oil painting tutorial
Просмотров 3923 года назад
In this third and final part of a three part series I show you how to create a still life using Cobra water mixable oil paints. Enjoy!
Glass bottle oil painting tutorial, cobra water mixable oil paint review, painting glass with oil
Просмотров 1803 года назад
Glass bottle oil painting tutorial, cobra water mixable oil paint review, painting glass with oil
Real time painting Cobra water mixable oil paint, still life painting tutorial cobra water mixable
Просмотров 3493 года назад
In this video I begin a multi part series of painting this still life using solely the starter set of cobra mixable oil paints. In this episode I will focus on the background of the painting! No mediums were used in this video and only water was used to clean my brush!! Thanks for watching
Cobra water mixable oil paints review, water mixable oil paints, safe oil paint, royal talens cobra
Просмотров 1,1 тыс.3 года назад
Cobra water mixable oil paints review, water mixable oil paints, safe oil paint, royal talens cobra
Prima marketing confections vintage pastels watercolor set, vintage pastels unboxing and review
Просмотров 1283 года назад
In this video I unbox and swatch out samples of the art philosophy Prima marketing watercolor set called vintage pastels! Stay tuned for the results of the lightfast test!! This set is perfect for limited palette studies in dusky rose and vintage floral paintings, or really anything!! Enjoy :) Want to buy it? Here’s the link www.amazon.com/Prima-Marketing-636722-Confections-Pkg-Vintage/dp/B07K7...
Prima marketing confections watercolor set currents, currents watercolor set, art philosophy current
Просмотров 4413 года назад
In this video I unbox and review the Art Philosophy Prima marketing Confections watercolor pan set called Currents. This is made up mainly of blues and greens and is a great set for any artist that likes painting water and seascapes. Here is the link to the Amazon store where you can purchase this set. Prima Marketing Prima Confections... www.amazon.com/dp/B07TK27FZP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share En...
Eagle painting in watercolor, beginner watercolor tutorial, how to make a loose eagle in watercolor
Просмотров 473 года назад
Here I create a quick and loose sketch in watercolor of an eagle in flight. This is not about perfection but more about being loose and improvising with no paper towels and making lots of small mistakes. This is one of my less prepared videos as I am on vacation but it is a good lesson in learning that you can paint pretty things even when the conditions are less than perfect :) Watercolors: wi...
Hard pastels vs soft pastels, real-time landscape tutorial in soft pastel and hard pastel, nupastel
Просмотров 4,5 тыс.3 года назад
Hard pastels vs soft pastels, real-time landscape tutorial in soft pastel and hard pastel, nupastel
Cat drawing time lapse, how to draw a cat in pastel, Siamese cat using pastels, pastel time lapse,
Просмотров 1713 года назад
Cat drawing time lapse, how to draw a cat in pastel, Siamese cat using pastels, pastel time lapse,
Daniel Smith watercolor vs Mijello Mission Gold, watercolor comparison, watercolor tube review
Просмотров 1,4 тыс.3 года назад
Daniel Smith watercolor vs Mijello Mission Gold, watercolor comparison, watercolor tube review
Watercolor eye tutorial, how to draw a dogs eye in watercolor, watercolor dog, how to paint an eye.
Просмотров 1053 года назад
Watercolor eye tutorial, how to draw a dogs eye in watercolor, watercolor dog, how to paint an eye.
Watercolor bird tutorial, real time watercolor bird painting, how to paint birds in watercolor
Просмотров 373 года назад
Watercolor bird tutorial, real time watercolor bird painting, how to paint birds in watercolor
Charcoal drawing of seashells, time lapse charcoal drawing, drawing process for beginners, charcoal
Просмотров 2003 года назад
Charcoal drawing of seashells, time lapse charcoal drawing, drawing process for beginners, charcoal
12 Shades of grey oil paint review, oil paint review, best oil paints for beginners, acrylic paint
Просмотров 6063 года назад
12 Shades of grey oil paint review, oil paint review, best oil paints for beginners, acrylic paint
Comparison and review of oil paint brands: Gamblin, Utrecht, Old Holland, Winsor Newton, Rembrandt
Просмотров 23 тыс.3 года назад
Comparison and review of oil paint brands: Gamblin, Utrecht, Old Holland, Winsor Newton, Rembrandt
Time lapse pastel painting rat terrier, pet portrait time lapse, how to draw a rat terrier, pastel
Просмотров 1983 года назад
Time lapse pastel painting rat terrier, pet portrait time lapse, how to draw a rat terrier, pastel
Pet portrait time lapse in pastel pencil, prismacolor nupastel pet portrait, hard pastel dog drawing
Просмотров 283 года назад
Pet portrait time lapse in pastel pencil, prismacolor nupastel pet portrait, hard pastel dog drawing
Beginner pastel painting of a rose, botanical pastel drawing, pastel pencil flower drawing part 3
Просмотров 363 года назад
Beginner pastel painting of a rose, botanical pastel drawing, pastel pencil flower drawing part 3
Beginner pastel painting of a rose, botanical pastel drawing, pastel pencil flower drawing part 1
Просмотров 433 года назад
Beginner pastel painting of a rose, botanical pastel drawing, pastel pencil flower drawing part 1
Beginner Pastel painting of a rose part 1
Просмотров 343 года назад
Beginner Pastel painting of a rose part 1
White nights watercolor review, semi moist watercolor review, St. Petersburg watercolor, Nevskaya
Просмотров 1353 года назад
White nights watercolor review, semi moist watercolor review, St. Petersburg watercolor, Nevskaya
Real time golden eagle pastel painting, golden eagle drawing, eagle portrait, wildlife art in pastel
Просмотров 693 года назад
Real time golden eagle pastel painting, golden eagle drawing, eagle portrait, wildlife art in pastel
What do you recommend, semi hard or sofr mungyo oil pastels for beginner
@@Iromomoo depends on the look your going for! I love semi hard for realism or soft for more loose and “painterly” drawings! Both are a great investment 😊
@hiddenseashellsstudio7552 TYSM✨️
I prefer Grumbacher over Windsor Newton and Gamblin, but all are very good.
I love the thickness of old holland. And gamblin is my 2nd favorite because they are also more stiff. Good for studies. Both are great for folks who love using mediums
This is not flake white !!!
It looks like Gamblin is just as good as Old Holland but it's better to work with.
@@gabrielfox5017 it’s a personal preference! I think Old Holland is very thick as they are meant to be mixed with oil in the ratio that best compliments your work. Gamblin is more workable out of the tube so I prefer it since I rarely combine more oil with my paint. Would you rather work with a toothpaste consistency or mustard?? Totally your choice 😊
Can I put a gloss layer over a satin one? didn´t liked the satin finish, want more glossy finish.
@@armandogavilan1815 I recommend mixing the two in a ratio that suits you or just stick to 100% glossy, only one coat is needed and you don’t want to risk having the painting turn cloudy, that happens occasionally!
This video was so helpful! Thank you 🙂 I just ordered a set of the Rembrandt! I use Langridge normally and I’m so happy with it. I’m hoping the Rembrandt will be similar.
@@Nekkas I’m not familiar with Langridge but Rembrandt is so creamy and wonderful, definitely a reliable brand of paints 😊 happy painting
I cringed when I saw you touching the paint without gloves! Oil paints are very toxic, some more than others, so please protect yourself by wearing gloves. And god forbid your young children accidentally touch the paint. You don’t have to believe me so please do some research to protect your health.
Old Holland oil paints are expensive because it has more pigments instead of a lot of fillers, which is what student grade paints are mostly fillers, in the long run you will pay more for cheaper oils, while still having plenty of Old Holland tubes left, that's all we use and without solvents, when you paint thin layers with Old Holland, you can if need be go back over a section that's already painted 2 days ago and paint over it, because the linseed oil they add to the pigment drys the paint pretty fast. But if you're doing impasto it's going to take some time to dry.
Use soap and water to get the oil paint off your, never put solvent on your clothes, it's not good for you. The best thing at the time of you doing this video is stop recording wash out the oil paint, and come back with another shirt on. If I get paint on my hands I use soap and water and 90% to 100% of the oil comes off, depending where it touches your skin.
I don’t understand how can you compare it if they are just different whites this is misleading
They are different shades of white, titanium, flake and warm are all different whites. In order to see the differences it is best to compare them side by side 😊
JERRYSARTARAMA...$12 BUCKS ;OIL OR ACRYLIC.. GREAT PRICE GREAT PRODUCT
Useful video. Thank you!
How long after the painting is finished should you wait to varnish?
I wait until it is dry to the touch atleast. This varnish is actually a little flexible allowing for expansion and contraction of the paint underneath so that you don’t have to wait months and months as other varnishes recommend.
@@hiddenseashellsstudio7552 Thank you. I bought a painting that is a few decades old. There is flaking on the left side of the painting. Small flake specs. I will paint over them with matching paint and then varnish.
Great video, it was really well explained. Thank you 🙏
Do you prefer satin or gloss? I noticed the comments saying the satin produces a white film
I have noticed a white film which has absolutely scared me, a second coat a few days later actually solved the problem! I do prefer satin but sometimes I use gloss, depends on my mood 😊
very nice.
every art student should learn to neutralize their colors and make shades, tints and greys, as well as browns of all sorts. This could save some time I suppose, but if the paint is softer than mayonaise, its pretty cheap, bad stuff. I will take the extra time and make my own tinted greys instead.
It’s important to know how by mix colors and understand some color theory but sometimes it’s convenient to just buy the tube, especially if it’s a color you want a lot of and do not want any variation!
It's pretty soft and not strongly pigmented. I bought some for fun while in art school and used it on a painting and I'm sad to say that it's faded to the point where I can only barely see any of the colors now, after about five years! I don't recommend this set. It's easy to mix your own grays and then you can make them whatever shade you wish. If you use a lot of it and therefore prefer to buy it, Payne's gray is sold by pretty much any oil paint manufacturer including Michael Harding and Williamsburg, so there's no need to buy a lesser quality brand.
I have tried so many brands of oil paint, all artist grade and most of them are considered to be the best. Utrecht is so good that I just can't justify buying a much more expensive brand. There is one exception, however. I also use Mussini because they smell so good.
I thought my big tube of burnt sienna from utrecht was totally awesome, I just love it, even though there was oil at the top of the tube, just squeeze it out untill it comes out nice. I have never splurged on old holland, but I am to the point where I am getting alot more fussy, and just tossing out tubes of paint that I dont like. Utrecht made the grade, Im not doing winton or any student grades any more. No gamblin 1980, no lukas, definately no cheap brands. Gamblin and rembrand both look pretty nice, the gamblin was surprisingly thick which I like
your choice?
Utrecht and Gamblin!
Dawn dish soap will get it out of clothes
You use solvent or oil for thick paints. People buy them cause they are more pigmented which means you need less paint to cover object, less layers. You never buy it to be more oily... which means more fillers than pigment.
From this video you can tell you have no clue about oil paints. If color is transparent depends on color not on brand. Some are always half or transparent. You talk empty talks
Beautiful painting!!!
Watching again and again this fantastic movie, it would be fantastic if you returned to YT and resume making your excellent videos, You are excellent.
I just tried the Satin varnish on a painting as a test and it dried pretty mat and my colors look dull now even like a white film. Then I searched here and found your video. I think I'll try the gloss varnish next time and see. What I was looking for was at least a varnish that smells nothing.
Some varnishes can be removed, just do some reading and do a test patch before. I have had the white film appear on paintings too
@@hiddenseashellsstudio7552 That's what I did.
I just took this out of my cart this morning because the price increased.
Oh bummer… it’s less than $18 on Jerrysartarama.com today!! These have been a really nice accompaniment to my other higher end paints.
How about that! They are on Super Sale right now for $13.99. I got the oil and acrylic sets and tried some of the Try It Buy It items too.
JERRYSARTARAMA...$12 BUCKS
As far as stiff paint goes, I like heavy bodied paint that I can still spread and mix tones easily. When the paint is too stiff from the tube, it takes too much time to add my "oil mixtures" and blend the color and tint I'm seeking. I mostly paint in the range of 32"X 24 canvas, approx 6 paintings per month. I have an abstract going, an impressionist landscape and some science fiction of sorts going at one time. I like the oily paint when I need to mix quick and cover a large area. I like it really stiff while taking my time mixing the perfect highlight or detail tone. I love the cheap low pigment raw umber and Paynes gray for quickly bringing down my greens. "Just a little dab will do ya" Having to keep adding expensive paint because you over did the raw umber ends up having to mix too much paint and a waste. Except when toning down a violet, I like a high quality, high pigment cad orange. My go too paints most often are artist pro grade Winsor Newton and Ultrech on sale at Blick. I'm not big on pre mixed colors. I like mixing my own, especially those highly varying pinks and greens. A high quality yellow ochre is a must on my pallet. It needs to be medium body and quick but not too wet. I have a mix of turpentine, linseed oil and mineral spirits on hand when needed. I also use a mix of Liquin Light Gel with a bit of mineral spirits on early layers for quicker dry time. Sometimes I just want to add a bit of paint thinner instead of oil for a nice flat wash. I would advise to experiment with all paints and additives and not get too selective. The way you find out is by painting and painting and more painting!
She has no clue about painting in oils
Great easy to follow and understand how to varnish oil painting. Really appreciate when there are so many opinions on this issue to come across one video that is right to the point with easy to understand instructions. Glad I came across this!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes sometimes you just have to try out different options to see what works for you, but this is the most straightforward way I have found 😊
Curious to see a test with a varnish. Varnish of course is not for everyone's taste cause it can change the colours a bit, but also could give UV protection. And to be honest I like how varnish changes the colours a lot, especially when added on thick layer. There is acrylic based ones that claim it doesn't yellow over time as well. They add up to the cost though.
That would be an interesting test. I always use a spray varnish on all my commissions and no one has ever complained about fading over time 😅
Utrecht is hard to beat for the value. I've been using Utrecht for years and it's consistent in quality. Although I've never had a problem, Blicks customer service is top notch.
I whole heartedly agree. I used to think that I needed to use “top shelf” brands or my paintings would somehow be inferior. I actually prefer the consistency of brands like Utrecht and Rembrandt and never has a customer ever asked what brand of paint I use and my paintings continue to sell 😊
@Hidden Seashells Studio that's fantastic! I just picked my brushes back up after a 7 month hiatus. I like your channel. I wish you continued success.
@@jasonnye1436 thank you! My season for putting out videos has come to an end, perhaps more in the future! Good for you for blowing the dust off the brushes! It’s wonderful to create, and I also wish you success in all of your artistic endeavors
paint that separates oil mostly is because it doesnt have stabilizers in it- the highest quality usually doesnt have those.
Try Blockx oil paints from Belgium next time. They dry slowly but I love them, and they are a family company that has been around since forever :)
I heard that with WMOils, sum stay tacky if you use water to thin them. It's suppose to be better if you use the thinning mediums made for them? And use the ones by same brand as the paint.
I have had no problems thinning with water and also no problem varnishing with my preferred brand 😊
26:53 I am a fan of using fixative, but, doesn't your fixative eats/dissolves parts of the thin light layers? Do you paint a thicker layer of white or any light pastel layers?
Truthfully I haven’t noticed a real difference over time between those I have fixed and those I have not. Initially it looks darker but as it dries it seems to lighten again. I have not noticed any eating or dissolving. I only would make a thicker layer if for example I REALLY needed coverage over something (like a thick band of peach over a darker brown)… hope that make sense 😉
A way to stop all the oil from coming out is to store them upside down and all the excess oil will go to the back of the tube.
If you're going the non toxic route, Rublev's Mixing White and Lithopone are good mixing whites that don't have the embrittling zinc oxide. They also have an array of lead based whites, as well as some other lead based historical hues.
There is also lithopone white ( PW5) from Lukas available where I'm living. They call it " opaque white". Maybe I should try it, as an alternative, to replace, at least partially, the other whites I'm using ( W&N's flake white hue & Titanium white).
@@dimitrispapadimitriou5622 yeah give it a shot! I didnt know lukas had a lithopone!
I just purchased this set and found that many of the tubes had hardened at the top and I had to pierce through the solids to get to the paint. The colors seem good, but they don't layer well. They do mix well enough. I would use them as a final layer in spots. Doing a whole painting with them, only, was challenging. As you said, it was a bit oily.
Is oxgall absent in mijello watercolors?
I believe it is not in their ingredients, but you can add your own
Hi! I arrived at your channel looking for videos of Charvin oils. Do you like them? It looks that all of them leak some oil, I don't like that, although they say it is not a sign of bad quality... Regarding Old Holland titanium white, I find it yellows badly. I did a test chart comparing several brands of oil paint and actually all the ones containing linseed oil yellowed (darkened) to some degree. Now only use whites containing poppy or safflower oil.
I do like Charvin oils, they have a great selection of colors and are very affordable. I personally do not use any oil in my paintings and so paint on the oily side is fine with me, it’s just up to your preferences. Old Holland paints are generally thick as there is a higher pigment to oil ratio. I haven’t noticed any yellowing in the titanium white but I usually only use it to mix! Thanks for your input, it will be helpful to others
Usually you just need to let the paintings sit in sunlight/sunlit areas to bleach the yellow out. Don't store your paintings in dark or dimly lit rooms. Linseed oil forms the strongest paint film of the drying oils, which is why premium brands will use linseed oil when the industry is trending towards safflower oil. I would only use a safflower white on the final layer to maintain paint film integrity throughout the painting. You might try a bodied oil/stand oil medium, too, as those will yellow less and form a strong paint film. Liquin original is also a great medium for minimizing yellowing while forming a strong paint film.
This was a really well executed benchmark test for mass-tone and covering power, and we thought the commentary on the paint body was excellent. Utrecht Art Supplies still crafts paint at the same Brooklyn workshop as before we partnered with them, using the same formulas, along with some important new collections like Cadmium Free Oil Colors. The Utrecht team did ask us to explain something about the philosophy behind the formulas, and why some colors develop a bead of unbound oil at the top of the tube. We think the best place for modifications to be applied is on the artist's palette, so Utrecht has traditionally been really conservative where paint components other than pigment and oil are concerned. When paint settles in storage, the pigment will shed a little oil, unless an additive like aluminum stearate is included to bind it up. (A few brands hold finished paint to settle before tubing in order to reduce oil shed in the tube, but it's an expensive measure that results in a high cost for the artist.) Excessive use of stearates can make the paint more dull and dry in appearance, especially in lower priced paints where it's used as a filler, to stretch a small amount of pigment. A little oil at the top of the tube indicates that fillers are not present, and that the paint is in good condition (not oxidized in the tube). As other comments have indicated, massaging the tube to reintroduce the oil or blotting the first dollop on paper are effective techniques.
Thank you for that explanation, viewers will find it very helpful, as will I. Utrecht continues to be my favorite oil paint brand, all of the colors are so very vibrant and of the highest standard of professional quality. Thank you for commenting
Granulation.
Good vid 😁 Just starting off in pastels. I bought a limited range of colours, soft by Unison and hard (very hard!) by Cretacolor, plus something in between (Inscribe). I noticed with the hard pastels that it was quite difficult to make a worthwhile mark (on pastelmat) and then noticed that they appear to have a shiny coating straight out of the box. They were easier to use with that coating removed. Is that the norm for hard pastels, or did I buy a particularly cheap brand? Thanks, and subscribed 😊
I do notice that some brands of hard pastels do have almost a clear coating that inhibits the pastel from creating a mark… I have noticed this a lot with generals colored chalks and even some Blick pastels. My solution is to gently rub off this coating with sand paper and it all goes away! Let me know if there is any particular video you would like to see as I will be creating some new ones soon
@@hiddenseashellsstudio7552 Thanks for that 😁 An impressionist style landscape in pastel would be nice, something like Bob Richardson (but without the rain) 😁
Thank you for your thorough report-you addressed all my concerns about their color fastness, especially when used as a bottom layer. I, too, purchased Mungyo semi hard brand to broaden color choice and love the feel.
Me too! It continues to be my favorite brand for hard pastels! Glad I could help :)
How long before varnishing an oil painting? THANKS
It depends because different paints dry at different rates. You may use the gamvar varnish once it’s touch dry because it dries flexibly allowing for curing of oil paints to continue underneath it. My paintings get varnished 2-4 months or so after completion
Thank's a lot, and just let me tell you that you are nice and pretty.
I got Gamvar Satin and after being completely dried for 48 hours it remains tacky..I applied the thinnest layer possible, reduced it with Gamsol, but nothing helps. Any advice?
Hmm.. do you live in a humid place? I would try putting it into a box that can close or put something over it so it can completely dry regardless or air conditions. 48 hours seems like a long time but try giving it another day or so, perhaps it will..
@@hiddenseashellsstudio7552 I live in London, I'd say it's reasonable here, definitely not tropical 😁 I decided to put the painting next to the heater and see if it helps..I've been reading some artists have this problem though and it seems there's no way to fix it. Some say it might signify your varnish is expired, like you bought it expired from the shop without knowing..sigh
🙄 sorry to hear about that… perhaps but some new gamvar and repeat the process on top of the existing varnish. Multiple coats shouldn’t hurt
Some pigments require more oil than others. Also, one must remember that the pigment is in suspension in the oil (it is not disolved in it!!!); therefore, they will separate if left too long on the shelves, and a bunch of oil will come out when first squeezed. This is actually a good sign, as it shows that there is no suspension agent in the paint, meaning that the tube contains more pigment. Just let the excess oil soak into some paper towelling-it takes more oil to grind a pigment than to bind it. Oil paints are complicated.
Well said! Paradoxically, some of the lean pigments (requiring less oil to disperse) tend to give up more oil than the fatter ones, which can really blot up a lot of vehicle
One thing that might have happened is that it’s oily cause sometimes the oil separates from the ping and when you get an old tube or if your colors sit in the tube for a long time they will separate
Who’s. Thank you so much for explaining and showing me the difference. I’m in love with hard pastels. Can you put soft over hard pastels? Can you put pastels over dried oil paints. I love what happens. But is it sound. How do I preserve them on canvas. Ordinary varnish. Help if you can.
I love hard pastels too :) they are great for more detailed work, I create a lot of animals and these are great for that. You can layer soft over hard and vice versa, I have done both in my work I suggest playing around on a separate piece of paper first!! The paper type has a lot to do with how your layering will work out. I use drawing paper which is only good for a couple of layers and so at a certain point the paper will not accept anymore layers no matter which pastel I use. I say all art is “sound” if you love doing it and it comes out to your liking. Many artists believe there is only one way to do something, but that’s not true! I preserve my pastel work on paper using a fixative from Grumbacher, I have used others and they are great! Grumbacher is a good name and is widely available in the USA. I’m not sure about canvas but as long as you use a SPRAY varnish it should be good. Keep in mind even with the best fixative you should never touch your pastel work, it will always be smudgeable, get it behind glass :)