Diane Townsend : Artists' Pastels : Soft Form

Diane Townsend Soft Form Artists’ Pastels are handmade soft pastels developed specifically for artists. Diane Townsend began making them in 1971 using a 15th-century Italian formula, translated by a conservationist she shared a studio with. This formula has been refined over decades to create a smooth, flowing pastel with a very high pigment content.

Designed to sit comfortably in the hand and suited to easel painting, Soft Form pastels are easy to apply and responsive as you work. The range includes both classical artists’ colors and vivid modern pigments, such as Naphthol Red and fluorescent hues.

The full range consists of 360 colors divided into solid, light, and dark shades, alongside 48 special colors including metallic, pearlescent, iridescent, and fluorescent options. Due to their high pigment-to-pumice ratio, these pastels are softer than some other brands, including Unison and Schmincke.