Glasspaper is the surface I prefer to paint on but due to its abrasive nature, it is usually very hard on the fingertips!

I frequently suffered from sore fingers after painting before I discovered Colour Shapers and, when running my pastel workshop there were invariably two or three people who did not heed my warning and had to resort to the first aid kit.

When the pastel colour is applied to the glasspaper in broad strokes, it leaves a strong, even texture which is displeasing so the pastel has to be blended. Using a Firm size 6 Flat Chisel Colour Shaper to blend the pastel on the abrasive paper, I can achieve an effect very much like oil painting. I do blend the pastel with my fingertips for large areas with little detail, but for a more precise marks the Colour Shaper's flat edge is ideal. It is also excellent for creating sharp edges, graduating the colour and moving the pigment from one area to another.

Soft pastel sticks, by their nature are a little clumsy and difficult to handle for intricate detail. In this picture 'Meadow' I used the smaller size 2 Flat Chisel Colour Shaper to tidy up the chimney pots and windows on the building. Blending the colours on the roof of the building was achieved by simply drawing the colour in the direction of the slope of the tiles. Under the eaves where there is a strong shadow the Colour Shaper is useful to soften the base of the shadow. Once the pastel is applied it is easy to manipulate with the Colour Shaper.

Using the Colour Shaper has encouraged me to experiment with more abstract passages in my landscape paintings especially in the foreground as the random marks achieved with Colour Shapers can be very pleasing.