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| My Studio Pastel Sets |
A follower wrote to ask how many pastels I have. To be honest, I've lost count... but it is a lot. The studio sets are all sorted by value ( 9 different values in the studio set), ( as compared to 6 values in the travel set) . The full sticks in the studio are also sorted by hue ( see right side of photo). The broken smaller pieces are also sorted into nine values but all the hues are mixed together in each value pile (You can see the broken set clear plastic organizer on the lower left of the picture).
Whenever I purchase a new pastel stick I immediately decide what hue it falls into then test it against the others in that set until I figure out it's value by making a wide swatch with the side of a known value then dragging the new one through it. If I can't see the edges when I squint the value is close... (Sometimes I also use red lens sunglasses to check for value differences.) Once I have decided on the new stick's value, I label it with its product # and value on a 1/2 " white label which I wrap around one end of the stick. When a pastel gets used down to that label, I know it is time to order another of that product#, before I move the remainder into the broken pile.
It took me a long time to get this organized but the effort has paid off over and over again in terms of being able to quickly find the hue and value I need.
