Hard pastels differ from soft pastels in that they have more binder and less pigment. Because of this, they are stronger and do not break as easily as soft pastels, but they also do not have the brilliance of color that soft pastels do (the brightness of the color decreases as the amount of gum or binder increases). They also come in a more limited range of colors than soft pastels.

These pastels are often used for sketching or drawing the subject of a pastel painting. You can then overlay them with soft pastels to complete your picture. I use them most for creating find lines in a pastel picture. They are ideal for drawing details, as they can be sharpened to a point with a blade or emory board. The brand I usually use are Nu Pastels by Prismacolor, though there are lots of other great brands out there.