A pastel (US: / pæˈstɛl /) is an art medium that consists of powdered pigment and a binder. It can exist in a variety of forms, including a stick, a square, a pebble, and a pan of color, among other forms.
pastel, dry drawing medium executed with fragile, finger-size sticks. These drawing crayons, called pastels, are made of powdered pigments combined with a minimum of nongreasy binder, usually gum tragacanth or, from the mid-20th century, methyl cellulose.
When mixed with water, pastel forms an opaque paint-like substance that may be applied by brush to produce accents and highlights. Artists can further vary the texture by employing a combination of soft and hard pastels in the work of art.
pastel (countable and uncountable, plural pastels) Any of several subdued tints of colors, usually associated with pink, peach, yellow, green, blue, and lavender.