Our NEW Designer PanPastel Set

We have been working with the PanPastel team to develop our second designer set, and we could not be more excited to share it. We handpicked seven of our absolute favorite colors, including four newly developed colors from PanPastel and three of our most-used pastels. We could not leave them out! Every color coordinates beautifully with our crepe paper line, and the set includes three Sofft sponge applicators for different techniques.

Choosing Your Tools

Each applicator gives you a different effect, and having a few on hand is a great technique in itself.

Sofft sponges come with the set in three shapes. They are a bit stiffer, which helps you press a lot of color into the paper very quickly.

Blending brushes are our favorite for crepe paper. The thick bristles push the pigment right down into the grain lines, a bit like a makeup or ink blending brush. They come in a set of sizes, from a large brush for covering many leaves at once down to small brushes for tiny touches of color.

Paintbrushes give you the softest, most controlled application. Reach for a small paintbrush when you want just a whisper of color in one precise spot.

All of these wash and reuse beautifully. More on brush care below.

How to Color Each Type of Paper

We use PanPastel on crepe paper, cardstock, and frosted paper, and each one takes the color a little differently. Before you start a project, cut a few scraps and give your colors a test. Lay your pieces on a paper towel or a plastic mat so the powder stays off your tabletop.

Double-Sided Crepe Paper

Tap your brush into the pan, then brush the color on and blend it up the petal or leaf. It is all about blending. Always follow the grain line of the crepe so the pigment settles into those tiny creases. If you picked up too much pigment, tap the brush edge or swipe it on a paper towel before you apply.

Heavy Crepe Paper

Heavy crepe has more grain, so press a bit harder and really work the color in. The variation you get is so beautiful.

Extra Fine Crepe Paper

Extra fine crepe is delicate, so use a gentle hand. Tapping the color on works wonderfully here, especially for subtle touches like the centers of hydrangea blossoms. Brush lightly if you brush at all, so you never tear the paper.

One more crepe tip: color your crepe before you stretch it, then set the color and stretch or curl afterward.

Cardstock

Cardstock is a flat surface, and PanPastel is what brings it to life. A wash of color adds depth and dimension that plain cardstock just cannot give you.

Frosted Paper

Frosted paper has a lovely, subtle sheen, and it takes PanPastel beautifully. We love adding a warm orange to flower centers on frosted blooms.

Techniques We Use Again and Again

Wash a leaf in a new shade. Our silver dollar eucalyptus starts as a dark yellow-green crepe, and a generous wash of Chromium Oxide Green Light shifts it to that soft, sagey blue-green you see on the real plant. Do not aim for an even coat. The variation is what makes it look alive.

Vary every leaf. On our salal leaves, we start at the base and brush with the grain, leaving some of the paper color showing through. Make the points darker on some leaves and leave others lighter so no two look the same.

Blend two colors for gradients. For foxglove petals and tulips, start with one color at the base and blend a second color into it. Work back and forth between the two until you cannot see where one stops and the other begins. PanPastel comes in so many shades of the same color that ombre gradients like this are a dream.

Add red to green leaves. A touch of red pastel at the base of a leaf, worked upward, adds unexpected depth. Try it. It is a little unexpected and a lot beautiful.

Layer and mix. You can layer colors right on the paper or blend them as you go. Just get in there and play. It is what gives these flowers their fine art touch.

Sealing Your Colors

Once your PanPastel is on the paper, it mostly stays put. When you want it to stay for good, reach for Krylon UV-Resistant Clear spray.

• Spray after your flower is fully assembled, never on loose petals. They will blow away!
• Take your flowers outside or to a well-ventilated spot, consider a mask, and give them a light dusting. Once dry, add a second light coat if you want extra hold.
• We like the gloss finish on leaves, since real leaves often have a sheen, and the matte finish on petals.
• The UV protection also matters for color fading. Lilac and pale pink crepe papers will fade in sunlight over time, and a light coat of this spray holds their color much longer.
• Making something that will be worn or handled, like a flower crown or lei? Spray, let it dry, spray again after assembly, and let it air out for a day before wearing.

Caring for Your Brushes

Wash your brushes with a mild soap between colors. A red-tinted brush dipped into green will give you a muddy brown, and nobody wants that. In a pinch, swipe the brush thoroughly on a paper towel between colors. After washing, lay your brushes sideways to dry so water never pools at the base of the bristles. Pooled water lifts the glue, and then bristles start falling out, just like makeup brushes.

PanPastel Questions, Answered

Can I use Mod Podge to seal PanPastel? Be careful here. Mod Podge wets the pigment, and on a heavy application it can shift the color. Always test on a scrap first. For most flowers we reach for the Krylon spray instead.

My PanPastels arrived broken. Can I fix them? Yes! Broken pans press back together beautifully. Watch our bonus video below for the full repair method.

Which green is best for eucalyptus? We love the new Chromium Oxide Green Light. It was the color we always felt was missing. Phthalo Green Tint still earns its spot in our studio for other eucalyptus varieties, so if you own it, keep using it.

Does PanPastel work on regular cardstock? Yes. Add a fixative spray to seal the color and you are set.

Will the color rub off on my hands? A little, if you rub a finished piece, but not much. Handling actually blends the pigment into the paper nicely. Seal with spray for pieces that will be touched often.

Want to Go Deeper?

This lesson is just the beginning. In our Crepe Paper Flower Foundation Series, Lia walks through coloring techniques including markers and colored pencils as well as out tried and true techniques for making beautiful like like paper flowers. It is free for everyone.

BONUS VIDEO: How to Repair Broken PanPastels