In the following Blog, Pastels in Landscapes, and Pastels in Portrait’s and WHY?, I will be giving a complete account, into the research I made, into the many types of Pastel Medium. I will be sharing a few Article names and Pastel sites, in which you, will need to search in, to inform yourselves, about the Pastel medium and all other interesting trivia on art. I will be creating, two paintings to share with you, in which I will be using, Oil Pastels and Soft and Hard Pastels. To show the way in which I use the pastels, these are my preference Pastel which are my favourite, and I use this form of pastels, all of the time.
Pastels are an art medium in the form of a stick, made up of pure pigment and a binder. The pigments used in pastels, are all used to produce all coloured art media, this binder is of a neutral colour and has a low saturation point. The colour effect of pastels, is the closest to a natural dry pigment, that you can get, over other coloured media.
Pastels have been used since the Renaissance, and gained in popularity in the 18th Century, when a number of Notable Artists made pastel, their primary medium. An artwork made using pastels is called, a pastel, or pastel drawing, or a pastel painting.
Pastels as a verb, means to produce an Artwork with pastels and as an adjective, it means Pale in colour. The pastels composition depends on the type of pastel and the type and the amount of binder used.
Dry Pastel Media, can be subdivided as follows-
- Soft Pastels–Most widely used pastels. The Sticks have a higher portion of pigment and less binder. The result is bright colours. The drawing can be easily smudged and blended.
- Hard Pastels--Have a higher portion of binder and less pigment. Hard pastels are traditionally used to create, the preliminary sketch.
- Pastel Pencils–Have a pastel lead. They are good for adding detail.
- Pan Pastels–Are formulated with a minimum of binder, in flat compacts. Pan pastels are applied with a micro- sponge tool. Pan Pastels can be used for painting the entire painting, or used in combination with soft and hard pastels.
In addition, pastels using a different approach, have been developed and manufactured.
- Oil Pastels–Have a soft, buttery consistency and intense colours. They are dense and fill the grain of the paper, and are a little difficult to blend, than soft pastels, but they do not require a fixative. They can also be spread across the work surface by thinning with Turpentine.
- Water Soluble Pastels–Are similar to soft pastels, containing a water soluble component. This allows the colours to be thinned out to, a thin, semi transparent consistency using water wash. The advantages are, they are easy to blend and for mixing of colours, and finally allow, a range of colour tint effects, depending on the amount of water used on the working surface.
Some interesting Facts, about Pastels?…
There has been some debate in art societies, as to what counts as pastels? The UK Pastel Society is the oldest Pastel society, and it states, the acceptable Media for its exhibitions. All Pastels–including Oil Pastels, Charcoal, Pencil pastel, Conte, Sanguine, or any Dry media. The emphasis, appears to be on, “dry media”, and the debate continues… ( The above information from the, Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia. )
What is the Artists choice, of genre, in order to choose and use the pastel media and, colours?…to suit the painting–In the, Artists in Pastel–you can view, what pastel Artists paint, and which media they prefer to use and why? It also has links, to blogs on all that is pastel. This site, is seriously, very interesting and informative, and I have to tell you, Motivational Too.
The Oil Pastel Painting I have placed in this section is, in the Religious Genre, I have chosen to complete this painting, in this medium, because I thought it was appropriate, to work in Oil Pastel Colours, for this specific painting. It is signed G. Angel, by me, because I did it for a forgotten Monument, for Friends, (for Their Grandparents), it signifies, G A, was here… the monument is a disgrace, and unkept.
Our Holy Lady, Oil Pastels, By Marie Crimi, 2018.
In the, ( Top Ten Subjects for Art, That Sells )–Seriously, have a read in this Article, very interesting. This article also gives the Artist, many insights in how to approach, your Art Career.
Famous Pastel Artists Through the Ages?–Historically, Pastels origins can be traced back to the sixteenth century, when Guido Remi, Jacopo Bassano and Federigo Barocci were notable practitioners. Rosalba Carriera, 1675–1750, a Venetian female Artist, was the first, to use pastels consistently. 1699–1779, Jean Baptise, Simeon Chardin, did portraits, with the hatching mode. Maurice Quentin de la Tour, 1704–1788, preferred the blended, velvety finish. Later, a galaxy of Artists including, Mengs, Nattier, Copley, Delacroix, Millet, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, are the most familiar names, all used pastel as finished work, than for only preliminary sketches.
Degas–Was the most prolific user and champion of pastels, raising the pastel use, to the excellent and full brilliance, of oil paints. His protégée, Mary Cassat, introduced the Impressionists and pastels, to her wealthy friends, in Philadelphia, Washington and to the wider United States.. Our Most renowned living Pastel Artists, distinguish themselves in Pastels, and Enrich the world in this glorious medium. ( In the ‘Pastel Society of America’ ).
The Modern Day Pastel Artist, and Their, Pastel, Art For Sale–Seriously, checkout Artmine--by Angora Gallery, Chelsea, NY—to see the Art, Blogs, and Pastel Artists, on this site, it is truly worth visiting, it gives you ideas and how to Cost, pastel art. It is very delightful and enlightening too…
A List of the most Expensive Paintings Sold…–This is a list of the highest known prices paid for paintings. ( From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia ). Do check this list out, and look closely at the paintings sold. The earliest sale listed ( Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers by Vincent van Cogh ), is from 1987, and more than tripled the previous record price, set only for two years, previously. The current record price, is approximately $450 million paid for, the Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, in November 2017.
Note also–the site—The Artnet news index: The World’s Top 100 Art Collectors for 2016, Part One…
Who’s shaping the Art World?, and where are the majority of the World’s Pastel Artists?–Go to the Facebook page—World Pastel Artists Net, to join this Artist Pastel Group. Also you get to see, some of the most amazing Pastel Art being made…
This is the beginning stage, through to the final Portrait, Pastel Painting that I have created using, the Soft and Hard Pastels, and the Brand I prefer to use are The MungYo, Pastels. These Pastels are affordable and excellent to use, in all pastel painting creations.
This is a drawing I have done in 2B Black Lead Pencil, on Acid free— Water colour paper by Creative Art, Mediums. This paper is great to use, it withstands, abuse by the Artist. This is a photo of me, on my birthday, a few years ago…
In this coloured stage below, I have painted a wash of Acrylic paints, Mont Marte–Silver Series–in colours-Lemon yellow, mixed with a little of the Yellow orange colour, to create the Background and the mood, colour for the portrait’s, preparation.
In this next picture, is the stage in which, I have painted all the picture in the MungYo, Soft, and Hard Pastels.
In this picture, I have completed the Pastel Portrait, using the Watercolour Pencils—Faber Castel, these colours, are easy to apply and give a professional finish, to my Pastel Creations.
Marie–Barbie, In Pastels, By Marie Crimi, 2018.
How to preserve and protect, Pastel Paintings?–Go to the Site: Pastel Society of America, and Read About Pastels, look down in the article and you see, how to: Fixing, Framing, and Unframed Work, Environmental factors, Humidity and Biodegradation, and Travel…
Is there Employment for the Pastel Artist?–Go to the Article—3 Keys to Making it As An Artist ( Without Starving ). I think the most important point, made in this article–is For the Artist to Have the Right Mind Set…
I think that I can conclude that Pastels are a diverse and amazing medium to use in creating and completing Pastel Art Paintings. I think if we take care in how we Display the completed Pastel Art Works, and Protect the pastel Paintings from Environmental factors, we will be able to enjoy, The Pastel Art for a long time. If you produce art in this medium, you could also make a good living, according to the articles, and sites, I have provided, for you to look into.
Thank you for visiting my Blog this week, See You ALL, next time… Have an Amazing Week. Bye. I am, art creations by Mariec.Art.
Fresh Paint--Perspectives--My Version 