Blue Earth

Offering an impressive color 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.

 

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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.

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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. 

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Watercolour

Fine pigment suspended in a binder, which can be thinned with water. Watercolour dries quickly and is easy to apply using various techniques.

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Pastel

Painting with pastel is the closest thing to painting with pure pigment. Pastels come as oil pastels, soft pastels and hard pastels.

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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 organize its pastels by hue, value, and intensity. The pastels follow a traditional color theory approach, where each pastel set is arranged in a color wheel format. This system allows artists to easily select the right shade and value, while each pastel stick is carefully labeled for easy identification.

Blue Earth sets are organized within each box according to a seven-value scale, progressing from dark to light. Colors 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 color science, providing artists with tools that are as reliable as they are inspiring.