Making Pastel Sticks

I've been packing for days for my move to Montana.

So I needed a little fun.

While packing I came across the little containers that I pour the dust into that collects at the bottom of my painting.  There were about 9 little tins of various shades of grey.

It was time to turn them into pastel sticks.

All you need is a few tablespoons of pastel dust from your painting process. - the stuff that accumulates at the bottom of your paper

 (or on your shoes if you forgot to put a catcher under it.)

I keep mine in these nifty little containers with see-through lids so I can see what the color is in that tin.

Put the pastel dust in a bowl and stir with a spoon, crushing the solid bits that are not dust yet.

Or you can use a mortar and pestle to grind it up evenly.

Then add about a teaspoon of distilled water and stir.

You want it to be barely wet.

Form it into a ball.  - use gloves for this step.

Then roll it out on a paper towel into a cylinder or chunk.

 Then let it dry.

The resulting sticks are great grayed tones. 

 I can't wait til they're dry to try them out!

                                      
                                      The cigar box that holds my dust collection.  

                                 Have you tried this?  How did they turn out for you?