Pastel is an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder. The name "pastel" comes from the Italian pastel- lo, meaning "little bread roll". The French word pastel first appeared in 1675. Dry pastel media can be sub- divided as follows: Soft pastels - this is the most widely used form of pastel. The sticks have a higher portion of pigment and less binder, resulting in brighter colors. The drawing can be readily smudged and blended, but it results in a higher proportion of dust. Drawings made with soft pastels re- quire a fixative to prevent smudging. Hard pastels - these have a higher portion of binder and less pigment, producing a sharp drawing material that is useful for fine details.
Oil pastels - these have a soft consi- stency and intense colors. They are slightly more difficult to blend than soft pastels, but do not require a fixative.

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