About Pastels

INFORMATION ABOUT THE PASTEL MEDIUM

Misconceptions

Pastel suffers from a poor reputation largely because of a lack of knowledge about the medium. At times even the so called experts perpetuate this ignorance: I recently saw a general art book published in 1989 and written by an artist with a Masters Degree, which not only classified pastels merely as a drawing medium, but also described it as chalk. This characterization, is patently inaccurate.

First, it is true that pastel is a drawing medium. Traditionally it has been used for making sketches preliminary to a larger work. Few people realize that it is also can be used as a painting medium. Finished works of art can be rendered in pastels which are comparable to those done in other media.

Second, pastel is not chalk. There is an obvious similarity in appearance with the colored blackboard chalks that some of us may have used in grammar school. Colored chalk is a limestone substance impregnated with fugitive dyes. Though some pastels contain a small amount of chalk to make them abrade more easily, pastel must never be confused with colored chalk.

What are pastels then?

Another misconception is connected with the name - "pastel." In the past, so many pastels were done with a weak, delicate appearance that pastel has become synonymous with light, delicate tints. This was a matter of choice of colors by the artists rather than a necessity. Pastel does not, at all, refer to pale colors, as the word is commonly used in the fashion and cosmetic industry. They are made with exactly the same pigment used in making all fine art paints. Powdered pigment, mixed with a little water and a special binder is ground into a paste, rolled into sticks and allowed to dry. The name pastel comes from a French word pastiche, meaning paste. It is a painting medium with a full range of artistic possibilities. In the hands of a skillful painter with a knowledge of pastel's working properties, a complete range of colors, values, textures and techniques is possible.

Longevity

It is also a myth that pastels are impermanent because of the lack of light fastness. In the 1870's - synthetic dyes of brilliant hues were in wide use by prominent artists. Most of these dyes fade quickly when exposed to ultraviolet light. These fugitive dyes were still popular even as late as the 1940's. They were not only used in the making of pastels but also in the papers that were used as the painting surface. These dyes are no longer used in making pastels, but the reputation of impermanence still lingers.

Modern pastel is the most permanent of all media. When applied to a conservation ground and properly framed there is no danger of yellowing or cracking as in oils, they never require restoration, and they can last much longer. The cave paintings of prehistoric man in France and Spain which were painted using earth colors mixed with water, are considered the precursors of pastel painting. Some of these are more than 15,000 years old. A work done in pastel is fragile and can be smeared or damaged by rough handling, therefore it must be framed under glass, however, the painted surface is surprisingly sturdy.

History

Pastels can be traced back to the 16th century. Its invention is attributed to the German painter, Johann Thiele. A Venetian woman artist, Rosalba Carriera was the first known artist to make consistent use of pastel. Chardin did portraits with an open stroke, while LaTour preferred the blended finish. Thereafter, a galaxy of famous artists....Watteau , Copley, Delacroix, Millet, Manet, Renoir, Courbet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Whistler, Cassatt, Bonnard, Hassam, William Merritt Chase, Vuillare, .... just to list the more familiar names, used pastel in finished works rather than only preliminary sketches.

The French Impressionist, Edgar Degas was the most prolific user of pastel, and its champion. In 1988, Sotheby's sold at auction a Degas pastel, for $7,500,000!