Pastel Colors

Generally refers to light colors with medium saturation. The term derives from pastel crayons, which consist of a chalky, colored pigment mixed with a binding substance. Though the advent of pastels dates to the Renaissance, their popularization is generally credited to Rosalba Carriera in 18th-century France. The grace, soft focus, and powdery finish of her society portraits may explain why both the technique and pastel color palette have often been perceived as soft, dainty, or associated with the “feminine”.