Diane Townsend Artists’ Pastels are hand-made soft pastels for artists. "I began making them in 1971 using a 17th century Italian formula from Rosabla Carriera translated for me by a conservationist in fine arts with whom I shared a studio. Artist and partner Judah Catalan and I have dedicated a total of 50 years refining this formula to create a smooth, flowing pastel that is as rich in pigment as possible. Pastels are essentially pigments lightly bound together with a binder and a variety of particles that aid in the application of pigments; as such, pastels are by nature a fragile medium- some are softer than others depending on the amount of chalk, clay, or other supportive materials added to the pigment."