So let's talk about soft pastels: I purchased them around the same time I started with oil paint, but I only turned to them when I struggled with my early oil work. Landscapes in pastels were a bridge that allowed me to improve my abilities enough that they were transferable, and that's when I replaced oils with pastels. Looking back at these pieces, I'm a little sad that I've not touched these little sticks of pure pigment in so long. They will always be special because without them, my oil paint journey may never have started.