Pastels are a unique and beautiful art medium! This versatile medium is used for both drawing and painting. First being used in the 1920s, pastels have a rich classic history of use by artists across the world.
At Priscilla & Tiffany's Art Academy, we believe that playing and exploring pastel is a crucial step in the development of a young artist's skills. In addition to the development of skills in sketching and charcoal, pastel serves as a foundation for all artistic skills in our academy.
Pastels are similar to chalk sticks. The surface of oil pastel is less powdery than traditional chalk. Pastels are made by mixing a pigment and a binding medium. This binding medium is usually a non-drying oil, which is why pastels are usually referred to as oil pastels. Some are made with gum, wax, or a combination. Pastels will vary in hardness depending on the particular pigment and proportion of binder. We use a firm pastel stick in our studio.
Simply beautiful, open one of the boxed sets of pastels and you will see a rich array of colors, which seem to offer a direct invitation to the artist. Different artists will explore them in unique ways!