Guide to Choosing Pastel or Watercolor

If you've ever had a set of pastels and a set of watercolors in your hands, you've probably noticed that they are two completely different things. Two artistic techniques, two ways of working, two radically different results and yet, there are some things in common. In this article, we explore what separates them and what unites them. 

Let's start by setting out their characteristics in order to carefully analyze these two materials: 

The nature of each technique

We are faced with two materials belonging to opposite categories, one could even say two opposite worlds. One belongs to wet techniques, those that require a liquid base, while the other is a dry technique that is applied directly to the paper. Let's explore this difference in detail.

Watercolor: a wet technique  

On the one hand, watercolor, which, as its name indicates quite clearly, requires an aqueous medium to work, which, in this case, is water. Although it can be found in cream or pan form, it must be diluted to release its full potential. The amount of water determines both the intensity of the color on the paper and the freedom of movement of the paint.

Dry pastel: a dry technique

On the other side we have dry pastel, generally presented in the form of sticks similar to chalk. These are distinguished by their high concentration of pigment, which is applied directly to the paper leaving a line of intense color, lots of texture and, it must be admitted, a considerable amount of dust.

Composition

The two techniques share the same base: pigment. The difference is in how it is used. For watercolor, gum arabic serves as a binder and allows the pigment to dissolve in water. For pastel, the pigment is finely ground and compacted with very little binder to form a dry stick which directly deposits the color.

Application of color

This is where the difference is most noticeable. Watercolor produces transparent layers of brilliant colors, with harmonious blends and soft gradients. Pastel, on the other hand, gives intense colors and a characteristic earthy texture, a malleable sensation that enables you to create fades with your fingers or powerful strokes that overlap completely.

Other differences to note

Watercolor requires a few minutes of drying to set its colors. Pastel, always dry, remains malleable indefinitely, but it must be fixed with a suitable product so as not to fade over time.

What do pastel and watercolor have in common?

Despite their differences, pastel and watercolor share some common points that it would be a shame to overlook. Both are based on a pure pigment base which produces vibrant colors, is applied to paper and allows for soft and subtle gradients. They are also excellent allies for mixed media, as they integrate naturally with other materials.

A practical example to compare pastel and watercolor

For greater understanding of the difference between pastel and watercolor, there is nothing better than experimenting with them on the same subject. Let's have a look at the following example — or why not try it out alongside me in order to really appreciate the behavior of each technique and the results that can be obtained with each of them.

The principle is simple: choose an easy central element, like a wild flower for example, and create it twice, trying to create two similar designs, same model, same composition, same colors. The only difference will be that one will be colored with watercolor, while its twin will be colored with pastel.

Before you begin, an important difference is obvious when choosing the support: watercolor paper must be white and thick, while pastel paper can be cream-colored and much thinner. In both cases, however, it must have a medium or coarse grained texture.

The watercolor version reveals transparent layers full of nuances, which are delicately integrated leaving a smooth surface but rich in color and intensity.

The pastel version shows a significantly more solid, almost heavier flower with a visible texture in which the colors are integrated gently and lines filled with nuances.

Comparing them side by side, we immediately understand what makes each technique unique, and why some artists end up adopting one rather than the other, or combining them.

With pastel or watercolor, it can be difficult to choose between the two when you see what each can create. One offers lightness and transparency, the other focuses on intensity and texture. Now that you know their differences, there's only one thing left to do: try them both out and see which one appeals to you. See you soon !