Pastel is pure pigment, the same pigment used in all art media. It is the most permanent of all mediums when applied to conservation ground and properly framed. Pastel has no liquid binder that may cause the surface to darken, face, yellow, crack, or blister with time. Pastels from the 16th century exist today, as fresh as the day they were painted.
Pastel does not at all refer to pale colors, as the word is commonly used in cosmetic and fashion terminology. The name “pastel” comes from the French word “pastiche”, or paste. When the pure, powdered pigment is mixed with a binder of water and gum tragacanth, it forms a paste, which is then rolled into sticks. The infinite variety of colors in the Pastel palette range from soft and subtle to strong and brilliant.
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