Pastel
Definition
This term refers to a medium made from powdered pigments bound with a minimal amount of binder, forming sticks that can be used for drawing and painting. Pastels are known for their vibrant colors and soft, velvety texture, allowing artists to create both detailed and expressive works.
History
Pastels have been used as an artistic medium since the Renaissance, gaining particular popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. Artists like Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt have used pastels to capture the subtleties of light, color, and texture, making the medium a favorite for portraits and scenes of everyday life.
Notable Examples
Edgar Degas
The Ballet Class, 1874
Edgar Degas
The Star, 1878
Key Artists & Movements
Key figures include Edgar Degas, whose pastel work The Ballet Class is celebrated for its delicate rendering of light and movement, and Mary Cassatt, an American Impressionist known for her pastel works like The Childs Bath, which explore the intimate moments of maternal care and childhood.
Techniques & Materials
Techniques involve the application of pastel sticks to paper, creating layers of color and texture that can be blended, smudged, or left with visible strokes. Artists may use different types of pastels, such as soft, hard, or oil pastels, each offering different possibilities for texture and color saturation. The use of pastels allows for a wide range of effects, from soft, delicate shading to bold, vibrant color, making it a versatile medium for both detailed realism and expressive abstraction.
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