Sit down with a blank sheet and a box of pastels; the world just shuts off. It is the poetry of color meeting subdued intent. Perfectly expressing this style whose whole emphasis is on peace, healing, and tranquility through soft pastel hues, “Harmony Pastel Art” in Japanese, or “諧粉, encapsulates Pastels, then, let emotions flow in ways oil, acrylic, or even watercolor often cannot. Pastel sticks look nearly living, just waiting for your heaviest sigh or lightest touch. Helpful hints!

What produces pastels with a soft edge? It all comes down to the granular pigment, floating in the air and stroked with your fingers across paper. Smudging color to create atmosphere seems very innocent, almost young. History notes that Impressionists ran wild with pastels in search of vanishing daylight and subdued emotions. The shine and softness these colors acquire? It turns out to be the high pigment to binder ratio. With a single stroke, you compress the life out of itself to create a velvet-like finish that is difficult to equal both technically and emotionally.

Not always shouting are soft sentiments. Sometimes they just hang about like dew. Pastels glide under your hand and capture the smallest flutter of feeling; they will not oppose you. Pastels just fit your ideas if you wish to paint a tranquil morning by the window or an embrace. It’s hardly surprising that art therapists recommend them for communicating tough to convey emotions. Combining a sunset, or shading a fading memory, creates a tactile feeling that helps one relax and opens the path to personal disclosures.

To be honest, technique can cause anyone to become mired. With pastels, you can avoid the studio lingo though. Just rub, blur, and let colors cross-over. Rarely elsewhere in painting is a directness and a forgiving quality encountered. You are allowed to add highlights, soften lines on demand, or make mistakes. Actually, the clutter adds to the appeal. Many painters argue that, used sparingly, pastels reflect the fleeting beauty of emotion itself.