Basic pastel questions - Page 2

Virgil Elliott · 06-13-2002, 12:53 PM

Meredith,

The reference to a south-facing window is specific to the Northern Hemisphere, where a south-facing window would receive direct sunlight. In the Southern Hemisphere, of course, a north-facing widow would be the one to use. Direct sun is an accelerated-aging test, which gives us an idea which colors would be most likely to change in normal indoor light over a longer period of time, and which colors would not.

The Lightfastness Test System is a kit sold by Golden Artist Colors, Inc., and contains three Blue Wool Control Cards, along with other paraphernalia and complete instructions for conducting lightfastness testing. For pastels, I've found it is better to make my samples on a paper more suitable for pastels than the forms supplied in the kit, and to make somewhat larger samples and masks, but otherwise to follow the procedures as recommended in the instructions. Golden may be reached by telephone at: (606) 847-6154. The kit is not terribly expensive.

When artists make their own pastels, they can use the most lightfast pigments if they so choose, as some do, and have done in the past, but commercial manufacturers of today avoid using the more toxic pigments in pastels out of concern for the safety of the consumers and of the employees at the manufacturing plants, as well as to protect themselves from product liability lawsuits. However, that's only a part of the picture. Because we cannot do much in the way of color mixing with pastels the way we can with oils, many more colors are needed. Manufacturers, in order to make available a full selection of colors, sometimes choose pigments of less than optimal lightfastness to achieve this full range of colors, tints and shades. This has always been a factor with pastels, and is not unique to modern times. Most museums keep their pastels in darker rooms than the oil paintings, to limit the amount of light exposure, out of concern for possible fading of some of the colors. Today there is a much wider range of pigments from which to choose, including many of higher lightfastness than was previously the case, so manufacturers can (and the best of them do) produce more lightfast pastels if the consumers (artists) insist on them. However, if pastellists continue in blissful ignorance to issues of permanence, or seem to be unconcerned with it, the manufacturers have no reason to improve the archival qualities of the products they sell, and they will not spend money to change the way they've been doing things.

The belief that pastels are permanent is a popular one with pastel artists, but it is not based on much more than wishful thinking, and is harmful because it does not compel people to push for better materials. If we demand it, the manufacturers will respond.

Virgil Elliott

Gwenneth Barth · 06-14-2002, 02:45 AM

Virgil,

This really has me mystified, as it's my understanding that pastels are made with exactly the same pigments as oils.

I can't imagine that oils or resins could protect this pigment from UV rays, any more than gum tragacanth would, so I imagine that this window test, if conducted fairly with both pastels and oils containing exactly the same pigment, would fade both of them equally.

Ambroise Vollard, in his 'Memories of an art merchant', describes Degas actually putting his pastels out on the window's edge to fade, as he found the colours too bright...what irony when we see his works now in specially darkened museum rooms.

Best wishes!
Gwenneth

Gwenneth Barth · 06-14-2002, 03:00 AM

Virgil,

Sorry, I posted my message without seeing your more elaborate explanation. This indeed is very interesting. Does this fading include pastels from top brands?

Gwenneth

Virgil Elliott · 06-14-2002, 10:39 AM

Gwenneth,

I can only say that if you test your own set, you'll have a pretty good idea what will hold up, after a few months of sun exposure.

Virgil

Tammy Nielsen · 06-14-2002, 10:37 PM

Hi Virgil,

Did I understand you right that Unison didn't have any pastels that faded or they just didn't show any that faded? Thanks Tammy

Virgil Elliott · 06-14-2002, 11:59 PM

Tammy,

I did not have a full set of Unison pastels to test. I may soon, however, and will probably run another test, or series of tests.

I suggest all pastellists buy the kit from Golden and test the sticks in their own paintboxes. It is not terribly difficult; just time-consuming when making the samples. I draw up the excess powder with a vacuum cleaner nozzle held directly above the sample, so one color does not sully any other. Testing what you have is the best way to gain an understanding of what is going to hold up, and what is likely to fade. I suspect you will be surprised at some of the results.

Virgil Elliott

Meredith Wagenknecht · 06-17-2002, 09:36 AM

Hey Virgil!

WOW! Boy do I have a lot to learn! A couple of comments/questions....

-Referring to Gwenneth's posting, if indeed oils and pastels consist of the same pigments (I'm trusting her on this because I haven't a clue), does the oil or resin in the paint protect the pigment? Are these tests conducted on oils too? I don't use oils yet...just curious.

-Is there glass available at frame shops which protects the piece from harmful light? There are absolutely CLEAR glass sunglasses which protect the eyes from harmful UV rays...is there such a thing existing in the frame world which wouldn't alter the appearance of the picture behind it? I realize that special glass is just a Band-Aid solution, but until there's an uprising in the pastel community, this could be the only solution. I love working with pastels...I'd hate to give them up.

Thank you for your responses here. Is it just ME, or is there not enough discussion here about pastels? I guess I need to post another of mine for critique, because I feel I need the advice, AND I feel that pastels kind of take a back seat to oils sometimes. Thanks again Virgil! Take care...

Virgil Elliott · 06-17-2002, 05:29 PM

Meredith,

There are oil paints that fade, too, as fade-prone pigments will do whether they are in oil, watercolor, pastel or whatever. Alizarin crimson is one example. Sap green is another. No medium provides enough protection to keep a fugitive pigment from fading. But some pigments that are used in other media are not used in pastels because there is greater health risk with them in powdered form, so the manufacturers use substitute pigments to make those colors. Sometimes the pigments they choose do not hold up as well on exposure to light. Then there is the problem of not being able to mix colors in pastel, which makes it necessary for pastel sets to have many more colors than a full palette of oil paints would contain, and manufacturers are compelled to use certain pigments of less than optimum lightfastness in certain places, in order to offer the widest variety of colors, tints and shades.

UV filter glass might help a little, but I wouldn't count on it making enough of a difference to be worth much. More to the point would be to determine which colors, of all the manufacturers' products on the market today, hold up best, and stick to those colors as much as possible.

I'm currently working on clarifying the picture for pastel painters, and on putting a fire under the manufacturers' seats to compel them to look for more lightfast pigments to replace the more fugitive ones they've been using, but my task would be easier, and good results more likely, if the pastel societies would be more cooperative with ASTM, and would participate in this effort.

I think too many pastellists are horrified at the prospect that much of the work they've already done is apt to fade, and they would rather stick their head in the sand and proceed in a state of denial than to acknowledge the truth of the matter and work to improve the medium. If they could see my test panels, I think they'd be shocked into realizing the importance of what I'm doing, and might then be more inclined to help.

Virgil Elliott

Geri Comicz · 06-19-2002, 04:43 PM

Hello Everyone,

A question about softness in pastel.

Comparatively, where does Unison stand in softness. Compared to Rembrandt, Schmicke, and Sennelier.

I love my Nu-Pastel. I am finding the set of Rembrandts recently purchased are feeling scratchy. I am sure it is me and my lack of knowledge. I try to break a stick to use the side and it will crumble instead of break and they are scratcing the Nu-Pastel with streaks and lines for the removed color. I never experienced this with the purchase of single sticks, just with the set.

Also, paper. I am presently using Canson Mi-Tientes. Is there another paper similar to the texture of the smooth side of Canson that would withstand underpainting. I have played around with turp and pastel (I know that's a bad thing) on Canson. I sure like the consistency but from what I read it is not a good idea on Canson.

Sorry this is lengthy but any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Geri

Chris Saper · 06-19-2002, 07:33 PM

Hi Geri,

I see the Unison as in between the Rembrandts and the very soft Schminkes and Senneliers.

For papers, try the Art Spectrum, relatively low in tooth, and of course, the toothier Wallis paper. The Wallis doesn't buckle when wet; the Art Spectrum folks say underpainting works well on their paper, too. The Canson will ripple (as I am sure you know) and is too fragile to manipulate wet, so that it is more likely to tear.

Good luck!