Pastels are crayons of various degrees of hardness. Impressionists, Expressionists, and modern Romanticists have all employed pastels in their art. Whereas earlier pastel art works displayed layered, bright landscapes in bucolic settings, later pieces infused this lightness with a dark attitude. Naturally muted and soft, pastels can prove very difficult for untrained artists to work with. What do pastels consists of? Basically, pastels contain chalk, several kinds of colored pigments, and at least one binding agent, like methyl cellulose, to hold everything altogether. The softest pastels are wrapped with paper to prevent smudging. The pastel color palette is instantly recognizable, even to non artists. Some artists who paint in other media with airy, light colors nevertheless get labeled as "pastel artists." There are a number of pastel media. Pastel pencils, which contain lead, can be excellent for adding minor touches and hard lines. Artists employ water-soluble pastels to touch up works and erase mistakes. Oil-based pastels tend to be fragrant, mushy, and intense in texture and color. Neophytes artists often enjoy oil pastels because they don't need to add thickening or fixing agents to these create oil pastel art. Hard pastels contain higher binder-to-pigment ratios than do soft pastels. However, both media can create brilliant, extravagantly colored works. Bear in mind that certain super-soft pastels may create dusty residue. If you are at all allergic to pollen, pet dander, or other aerosol contaminants, you may want to wear a scarf over your nose when you paint with super-soft pastels. |
