Armadillo Art and Craft Soft Color Shapers Clay Wallet Set, Size 2

These flexible tiny spatulas in different shapes allow you to achieve amazing results with pastels- securing the in place, sliding them over to "meld" with adjacent colors . As you know you can't blend soft pastels because it produces a muddy mess but you can "hatch " leavens narrow spaces between strokes and applying the color that will mimic the one you're after in the bare furrows . It's hard to do with the thick half inch wide (ok thaT's an exaggeration but they are thick and unwieldy ) but with these applicators you can easily and smoothly glide the colors beside each other. They beautifully spread the pigments over a desired area without the loss inherent in using your finger or tissue or those awful sponges on a stick. These and a set of your favorite brushes and you're painting like you've done it all your life, in a new medium you might have no familiarity with, and will discover fun and spontaneous creativity again. I'd say pick a diameter, I prefer the thin ones 0s and 2s but love the wider 6s too for broader areas or your work, and allow yourself some wholesome, guiltless joy.

Excellent color shapers for pastel pencils.