Dick Blick Art Materials
www.DickBlick.com - Online Art Supplies
Pastels
I have used many different types of pastels and more brands seem
to be coming out every year.
Pastels are not cheap so if you are
beginning, I would recommend buying a set of  nu-pastels. They
come in a wide variety of colors and you won't need take out a
second mortgage on your home. Nu-pastel is one of the hardest on
a scale from hard to soft. I would then purchase individual soft
pastels to save some money. There are many brands to chose from
but a few good standards in the medium soft range are Girault and  
Rembrandt. Unison is another excellent choice with a wide range of
colors. On the softest side of the range I love Sennelier and
Schminke. They have been around along time and keep on
improving their color range. I am a kid in a candy store when looking
at a well stocked display of pastels so select a few from each to get
started and as many as your budget will allow.
For all brands of pastels,
pastel papers and boards
I recommend the following link
Artist Supplies
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