Pastel

Pastel

Definition: Pastel is a drawing and painting medium composed of pure pigment combined with a minimal binder, allowing for rich, vibrant colors that are applied directly to a surface. Unlike paints, pastels are deposited through marking motions rather than brush strokes, producing soft, blendable textures.

Types of Pastels

• Soft Pastels: High pigment content with a soft, powdery texture. Ideal for blending and layering colors.
• Hard Pastels: Firmer sticks for detailed work and fine lines.
• Pencil Pastels: Encased like colored pencils, combining control with pastel texture.
• Oil Pastels: Contain an oil-based binder, offering a buttery consistency suitable for layering and blending.

Techniques

• Blending with fingers, tortillons, or blending stumps to create gradients.
• Layering colors for depth and vibrancy.
• Fixatives can be applied to prevent smudging without altering the color intensity.
• Often used in combination with other media such as charcoal or ink for mixed media effects.

Surfaces

• Pastel Paper - textured paper designed to hold pastel pigments.
• Sandpaper or textured boards for increased pigment adhesion.
• Canvas primed for pastel application in specialty works.

Applications

• Fine art portraits and figure studies.
• Landscape and plein air studies due to portability and immediacy.
• Illustrations, sketches, and preparatory studies for other art forms.

Related Terms

• Passe Partout
• Pastel Paper
• Plein Air
• Charcoal