| "Brilliance of color, expression, spontaneity, versatility, an extension of one's fingertips." These are some of the reasons why the pastel media is so well liked by the artists who use it and why it has become more popular in recent years.Historically, the pastel medium as we know it has been used for over 250 years. Pastels in the form of colored chalks however, were first used in the Italian Renaissance by Leonardo da Vinci, later Michelangelo and Raphael used such color for their line drawings. In the 18th century, the medium was popularised by the Venetian artist, Rosalba Carriera, who used pastels extensively for portraiture. Many of the French Impressionists experimented with pastel techniques, particularly Edgar Degas in his paintings and drawings of ballet dancers. The Impressionists found pastel to be the ideal medium for exploring color, light, and expressing their individual styles. More recently pastel has been used by 20th century artists such as Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe, de Kooning, Kitaj, and Paula Rego.William Winsor and Henry Newton founded their business in 1832 with the invention of the moist watercolor. Their reputation for unparalleled excellence and reliability quickly grew, resulting in Royal Warrants and World renown. Ever since, Winsor & Newton have continued to innovate and invent new colors, processes, and packaging with the sole purpose of improving the variety and permanence of artists' colors.Using over 160 years of color making experience, Winsor & Newton have developed a new range of Artists' Soft Pastels, maintaining their commitment to supplying artists with the highest quality materials to suit every need.Starter Set includes 24 assorted colors, 10 A4 loose sheets of pastel paper, a pastel brush, and a putty rubber. |
