11.9.2 Pan Pastels

Modeling Information

In the art world there are three types of dry pastel: soft, hard and pencil. Pan Pastel is considered a ultra soft pastel chalk, chalk is consider a hard dry pastel, and pencil is pastel with a waxy binder to hold the pigment together

PanPastel is a brand name for a dry adhesive binder and pigment. It comes in a cake-like form and can be applied like paint using a variety of brush type applicators. In railroad modeling Pan Pastels are generally used as the weathering layer on roadbed, locomotives,  rolling stock and structures.

PanPastel Color Range includes pure colors, tints, shades and extra darks. The color range specifics are coded within the item number as follows:

Pure colors (xxx.5)
Tints (xxx.7 and xxx.8) are pure colors plus white
Shades (xxx.3) are pure colors plus black
Extra Darks (xxx.1 and xxx.2) are pure colors plus more black

The WWSL.  

The WWSL uses the following Pan Pastels for weathering:

100.5 Titanium White	800.5 Black
380.1 Red Iron Oxide Extra Dark	820.1 Neutral Grey Extra Dark
380.3 Red Iron Oxide Shade	820.3 Neutral Grey Shade
740.3 Burnt Sienna Shade	820.5 Neutral Grey
740.5 Burnt Sienna	820.7 Neutral Grey Tint
740.8 Burnt Sienna Tint	840.1 Payne’s Grey Extra Dark
780.3 Raw Umber Shade	840.5 Payne’s Grey
780.5 Raw Umber	840.7 Payne’s Grey Tint
780.8 Raw Umber Tint

I started with a PanPastel Artists’ Painting Pastels Set - Drawing Colors, Set of 10 from Walmart. That set included a half dozen soft sponges and a makeup brush sponge for application and blending

I went to the Blick's Art Materials website and bought a PanPastel Studio Palette Tray - Holds 20 Colors and PanPastel Extra Lids - , Pack of 8. The tray and extra lids should (but probably won't) keep me organized!

Techniques

Dry Technique.  A soft brush with a PanPastel powder is applied them to the model surface as if it were paint. Blend with the brush to make color transitions, layer color and gradient tones and tints and hues.

Wet Technique. For the wet wash technique -  water to which 25-50% rubbing alcohol is added for best results. The.liquid is applied to the working surface and the dry Pan Pastel is added.

Resource

Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Modeling. Lester Brueur uses Pan Pastels extensively in his rolling stock modeling. You can find his specific weathering techniques by searching his posts by car type and railroad.

Peter Mumby,  Let's Try Weathering with PanPastels. (George Dutka's White River Division website)

Rob Manley Model Railroad Weathering Tips with Pan Pastel (Scenic Express website)

Earth Colors

Raw Sienna
Red Iron Oxide Shade
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber Shade
Raw Umber Extra Dark

Grey Scale

Black (800.5)
Neutral Grey Extra Dark (820.2)
Neutral Grey Ex. Dark (820.1)
Neutral Grey (820.5)
Neutral Grey Shade (820.3)
Neutral Grey Tint (820.7)
Titanium White (100.5)

Refrigerator Car Scale

Diarylide Yellow Extra Dark (250.1)
Orange Extra Dark (280.1)
Yellow Ochre Extra Dark (270.1)