A brief history and description of soft pastels.

Pastel is an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment.
The pigments used in pastels are the same as those used to produce all coloured art media.
Soft pastels are of a better quality than hard pastels producing a brighter and fresher looking painting.
For my portraits I only use the highest quality soft pastels including Sennelier, Unison, Schminke, and Daler Rowney to name but a few.
I find soft pastels the best medium to portray the soft effect of a dogs fur and character.
Pastels were first mentioned as an art medium by Leonardo da Vinci as far back as 1495.
During the 18th Century pastel became very popular among artists as a medium for portraiture and has continued to this day to be popular for its vibrant colour and permanance. The 19th century French artist Edgar Degas was a favourite of using the medium and many of his works in pastel can be seen today displaying the same fresh colours as the day they were painted.
Unlike other mediums pastel paintings will last for many centuries without cracking or fading.