Pastels can be hard or soft. Soft pastels have more pigment and less binder, so they are easier to smudge and have brighter colors.Hard pastels can stay relatively sharp, so they are ideal for pastel artwork that requires tight detail. Hard pastels have less pigment and more binder than soft pastels.Pastel artwork can either be referred to as a “pastel”, a “pastel painting”, or a “pastel drawing”. 
                                                           MAKING 

1º Place powdered gum tragacanth into a glass jar, add water and mix to dissolve.  Close the jar and refrigerate it for at least 48 hours. The mixture will become a gelatinous solution

2º Place powdered pigment on a glass palette. Make a hole in the middle of the pile of pigment. Pour a very small amount of the gum tragacanth solution into the center of the pigment. Using a palette knife, mix the pigment and the gum tragacanth solution.

3º  Is necessary, add more gum solution. Mix thoroughly until the mixture reaches a doughy consistency.

4ºTo make a lighter shade of blue, add a pile of white pigment to the remaning blue pastel. Add a small amount of gum,  and repeat the mixing process.     

5º Mold the doughy pastel into a stick from. Place the pastel on absorbent paper, such as a paper towel. Allow the pastel to dry. You can create your pastels in any shape that you want, depending on what you might want to use it for.