Pastel - an enduring medium. What is it about pastel that has captivated, engaged and inspired countless artists through the ages? Since the Renaissance, pastel has become renowned as a medium of endurance, as it does not contain the liquid binding agent that causes other media like oil, acrylic and watercolour to crack, change colour or consistency with age. As it's a dry medium, it has to be protected either by the use of spray fixative, or, ideally put behind glass in a frame. As pastels have an unusually high pigment ...
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Pastel - an enduring medium. What is it about pastel that has captivated, engaged and inspired countless artists through the ages? Since the Renaissance, pastel has become renowned as a medium of endurance, as it does not contain the liquid binding agent that causes other media like oil, acrylic and watercolour to crack, change colour or consistency with age. As it's a dry medium, it has to be protected either by the use of spray fixative, or, ideally put behind glass in a frame. As pastels have an unusually high pigment content they also keep their jewel like brilliance over the centuries, provided they are kept out of direct sunlight. Pastels are made from pigment, chalk, gum Arabic and distilled water, mixed into a paste which is rolled into sticks then left to dry naturally. Once the liquid content has evaporated, they are ready to use. There are various densities of pastel, varying greatly from brand to brand but usually the most highly pigmented will give the softest butter-like consistency that many artists love to work with. Pastels were first used in the 16th century and became increasingly popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, with artists such as Degas, Renoir, Lautrec and Whistler, to name but a few, creating wonderfully enduring drawings and paintings in pastel. It was however, Venetian artist Rosalba Carriera, who had pastels made for her from pure pigment - sometimes even experimenting with pigments mixed with crushed sea shells! She produced amazingly life-like portraits in pastel and became the 'go-to' artist to have one's portrait painted by. She certainly helped bring pastel to the forefront as a new medium for the artists of Europe. At present, pastel appears to be enjoying a renaissance and a resurgence in popularity with many pastel societies springing up worldwide. I hope this book and it's beautiful paintings will inspire the reader to explore this wonderfully expressive medium.
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