Blue Earth
Offering an impressive colour selection, Blue Earth use only lightfast, high density mineral pigments in the manufacture of their soft pastels. The pastels are almost square in shape and are on the very soft end of the hardness scale.
PENCIL & DRAWING SALE
Oil
Lustrous and versatile, oil paint is made using finely ground pigment particles suspended in drying oils. Choose from over 2,000 variations of colours.
Acrylic
For reliability and versatility, it’s hard to beat acrylic - no other paint offers as much variety of texture, viscosity, or room for customisation.
Watercolour
Fine pigment suspended in a binder, which can be thinned with water. Watercolour dries quickly and is easy to apply using various techniques.
Pastel
Painting with pastel is the closest thing to painting with pure pigment. Pastels come as oil pastels, soft pastels and hard pastels.
Blue Earth: Artisan Soft Pastels from Minnesota, USA
Blue Earth is celebrated for its finely crafted soft pastels made using lightfast mineral pigments. These pastels have exceptional softness and a near-square shape, making them popular among pastel artists who demand precision in their work.
Founded in 2012 by artists Jim and Ross Pollard, Blue Earth pastels are made in the town of Blue Earth, Minnesota, located at the confluence of the east and west branches of the Blue Earth River. The town takes its name from the local Dakota term makato, meaning ‘blue earth,’ after the unique blue-green clay found along the riverbanks.
Blue Earth organise its pastels by hue, value, and intensity. The pastels follow a traditional colour theory approach, where each pastel set is arranged in a colour wheel format. This system allows artists to easily select the right shade and value, while each pastel stick is carefully labelled for easy identification.
Blue Earth sets are organised within each box according to a seven-value scale, progressing from dark to light. Colours are further refined by intensity, with the brightest hues placed in Column A and complementary shades in Columns B, C, and D.
Handcrafted in a restored 1890s building, Blue Earth Pastels reflect a commitment to tradition and craftsmanship. They combine a rich artistic heritage with colour science, providing artists with tools that are as reliable as they are inspiring.