- Definition
A pastel is a drawing stick made of powdered colour, like a crayon but softer, that can be used to create artwork. It also describes soft, light colours, like baby blue or pale pink.
When you draw with a chalk pastel, you can smudge the colours with your finger to blend them.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A pastel is like a crayon made of soft, colourful chalk.
Ask your child: What happens when you rub your finger on the pastel colour?
Common mix-up: Kids often think 'pastel' just means a soft colour. A pastel is also the name of the special chalk-like crayon used to make the art.
Examples
- The light pink and baby blue of an Easter egg are pastel colours.
- A picture made with these special chalks is called a pastel drawing.
pastel is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
