The Best of Pastel

by Constance Flavell Pratt

Pastels are pure pigment, taken from the stones of the earth. One of the oldest of all media, pure pigment paintings have been found on the walls of caves in Altamira, Spain and Lascaux, France. "The... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1564962695
• ISBN13: 9781564962690
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Northlight
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 9.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

nice format

This is a nice small book: however, if readers have Best of Pastels and Pastels 2, it the same examples of pastels from these two books.

A wonderful grouping of contemporary pastelists

This is a richly illustrated book of some of the best contemporary pastelists working today. The introduction by Flora Giffuni (founder of the Pastel Society of America) re-affirms for the reader that pastel is, indeed, a glorious medium, as do the many fine examples illustrated throughout the book. The full color reproductions are of very good quality, nicely demonstrating the vivacious qualities of this fabulous yet often misunderstood medium. Each reproduction is accompanied by the title and dimensions of the work, the artist's name, and the support used. Future editions would benefit from artists' statements (as is the case in "The best of Pastel 2"), as well as the types of pastels used by each individual artist. One minor criticism is that there are often four reproductions to a spread, which of course can distract from each individual piece (the 2nd edition eliminates that problem by placing one image to a page). The directory of artists in the back of the book is also a nice addition. This book is highly recommended to both the devout pastelist and those who are unfamiliar with the medium.