Pastels! For me, it's a love/hate relationship. I just love pastels for their color and ability to blend. Hate is such a strong word, but I "dislike" pastels for...I bet you were thinking messiness? Oh yeah, they are messy, just check out Montana's picture below......but I dislike a pastels need for having to be fixed. If I don't spray them with a fixative, the beautiful, blended colors will go right down the hallway on the person who was just a bit too close to the bulletin board display. From my experience, all good fixatives lay down a barrier over the pastels which does put the chalk in its place, but it also dulls the color or causes it to somewhat disappear....now that I REALLY dislike. I tried a new workable fixative this year that did not change the color much at all, but it sure didn't do a great of keeping the chalk from smearing. :(
Below, you should find more images of the students at work on their abstract animal pastel work. If you want to see all of the work, it can be found at the address at the bottom of this paragraph. With a little luck, you might be able to click on the address and it will take you there. If not, please copy and paste in your web browser...or click on the Artsonia tab at the top of this webpage. Enjoy!
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=588896