I thought you might be interested to know what I use to create my pieces. Having taught myself over the last 3 years, it has very much been a 'suck it and see' approach.
My absolute essentials are my pastel pencils, of which I have 6 sets - This is unnecessary really! I tend to use browns, whites, black and oranges mainly., although the shades in a shiny black coated animal can have lots of purple and blue in them too.
If you are starting out I would recommend a small set with a selection of colours. Then, depending on what your preferred subject matter is, you will find what colours you use most. I was bought a whole set of varying shades of browns from vanilla to seal. Absolutely fantastic for the animals I do. These can also be purchased individually to replace those ones that get worn down quickly. The downside of the pencils is that the 'lead' is fragile and can break easily, making it very frustrating during sharpening.
Eraser - I use putty erasers for corrections. These lift any smudged chalk from the paper and erase any mistakes that happen. They are gentle on the paper unlike traditional rubbers, are cheap and last a long time.
Sharpeners - I have a normal double sharpener which is very handy BUT it needs patience and gentleness, otherwise the chalk will break and be wasted. In addition, I use a small sharp knife which you can get at any craft shop.
Smudgers - I believe these have a fancy name like 'torchion' but I call them smudgers. I use these for blending and generally pushing the chalk around. They are cheap and come in a variety of sizes.
Charcoal - always good for doing hair as it's much softer than the pastel pencils.
Paper - try a variety and see which suits you. I love cotton paper but velour and pastelmat are great to use.
Drawing board - mine was given to me by my Poppa when I was 13. It's a piece of plywood with my name on it, and I love it. Cheap and cheerful. It's big enough for A3 paper, leaving a healthy area around it. TIP - always use a board bigger than your paper so you fill the space.
Masking tape - Holds that pesky paper still while you work.
Tracing paper - Stops you smudging your work with your hand/arm. Also protects your work when you are not working on it.
Fixative - hairspray can be used but I use proper pastel fixative.
Soft pastels - I have a selection of these for larger areas and for bold highlights.
Good light - I have a brilliant artist's light. No more mixing yellow and white up on a dark evening now! (Yes that happened, my squirrel looked pretty sick in the daylight!)
Desk - I managed to find a drawing desk, with three angle settings, on eBay for £10. Have a look around if you want a desk. It doesn't need to be expensive. Save your money for good paper.
Don't over work your piece. Too much blending will ruin the picture.
And finally -
Drink - It's thirsty work, take a break, rest your eyes and have a cuppa!
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