Pastel

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Pastel is pure pigment, the same pigment used in making all fine art paints. All top quality pastel brands are permanent when applied to conservation ground and properly framed. Pastel that has not been sprayed with fixative contains no liquid binder that may cause other media to darken, yellow, crack or blister with time. Pastels from the 16th century exist today as fresh as the day they were painted.

The pure, powdered pigment, is ground into a paste with a small amount of gum binder then rolled into sticks. The infinite variety of colours in pastel, range from soft and subtle to strong and brilliant. The word pastel, in this case, does not refer to "pale colours" as it is commonly used in cosmetic and fashion venues.

An artwork is created by stroking the sticks of dry pigment across an abrasive ground, embedding the color in the "tooth" of the paper, sandboard, canvas etc. If the ground is completely covered with pastel, the work is considered a pastel painting; a work with much of the ground left exposed is termed a pastel sketch or drawing. Pastel is sometimes combined with watercolour, gouache, acrylic, charcoal or pencil in a mixed-media painting, but it is not compatible with oil paint. Pastel paintings reflect light like a prism. No other medium has the same color power.

Edgar Degas was the most prolific user of pastel and its champion. His protégé, Mary Cassatt, introduced the impressionists and pastel to her friends in Philadelphia and Washington, and thus to the USA.

Today, pastel has the same stature of oil and watercolor as a major fine art medium. Many of our most renowned living artists have distinguished themselves in pastel, enriching the art world with this beautiful medium.

Media

Pastel crayons or sticks, which resemble chalk, consist of pure pigment combined with an inert binder, such as gum arabic, gum tragacanth, or methyl cellulose. They are available in varying degrees of hardness, the softer varieties being wrapped in paper. The colors are simply drawn onto the artwork surface, usually paper.

The available pastel media can be subdivided as follows:

Hard pastels — These have a higher portion of binder and less pigment, producing a sharp drawing material that is useful for fine details. These can be used with other pastels for drawing outlines and adding accents. However the colors are less brilliant than with, say, soft pastels.
Oil pastels — These have a soft, buttery consistency and intense colors. They are slightly more difficult to blend than soft pastels, but do not require a fixative.
Pastel pencils — These are pencils with a pastel lead. They are useful for adding fine details.
Soft pastels — This is the most widely used form of pastel. The sticks have a higher portion of pigment and less binder, resulting in brighter colors. The drawing can be readily smudged and blended, but it results in a higher proportion of dust. Drawings made with soft pastels require a fixative to prevent smudging.
Water-soluble pastels — These are similar to soft pastels, but contain a water-soluble component. This allows the colors to be thinned out using a water wash.

Some artists protect their finished pieces by spraying them with a fixative. In all cases, the pastel drawing or painting must be framed under glass to further protect it from smudging, environmental hazards, humidity, and so on. Drawings in a book of art paper can be protected by separating the pages using laid paper.

Pastels can be applied on a surface with some tooth (usually consisting of finely ground pumice or marble dust) which holds the pastel color in place. This avoids or minimizes the need for applying fixative which tends to darken and dull colors.

Artists

The 18th-century painters Maurice Quentin de La Tour (illustration, right) and Rosalba Carriera were especially known for their pastel technique.

The 19th-Century French painter Edgar Degas was well known for his works in pastel, among other media.

United Kingdom artist Anne Sudworth works exclusively in soft pastel.

Contemporary American artists who use the medium of pastel include Larry Blovits, George Cayford, Wende Caporale, Ernie Centofanti, Tim Gaydos, Daniel Greene, Wolf Kahn, and Madlyn-Ann C. Woolwich. In 1972 the Pastel Society of America was founded to further promote the medium and those artists who make use of it.

Media

Artists

See also