Colors that are known for their light appearance and muted tones are known as pastel shades. These colors are typically pale pinks, greens, yellows, blues, and lavenders in various shades. Paint in pastel colors is frequently used in art and home decor. These colors are created applying color theory principles to paint mixing, and they are usually associated with a light mood and understated atmosphere. Pastel colors can have varying degrees of sophistication depending on the rest of the design choices.
It’s easy to mix up the colors in a pastel palette with the pastel art tools of the same name. Art pastels are oil- or water-based drawing sticks that can be purchased in a wide range of colors that are not limited to pastel shades. Pastels are more commonly found in brighter jewel tones as an art medium, and they can be used as a substitute for oil or acrylic paint in two-dimensional works of art.
On the artist’s palette, pastel shades are frequently created mixing a certain amount of white with a brighter primary, secondary, or sometimes tertiary color. The ability to mix various color hues and shades from the three primary colors, as well as black and white, is often considered a fundamental skill in the education and training of an artistic painter. The pastel shades are just one example of the colors that can be created combining these color theory concepts in fine art. Many pastel colors can take on subtly different tones depending on the tone of the white paint used in the color mixture, according to some experienced painters.
While the basic principles for mixing pastel shades of paint for home decor are the same, there are some design considerations to keep in mind. Bedrooms with pastel walls are frequently painted for young children, and choosing the right understated pastel shade can make it easier to update the decor as the occupant grows and matures. Pastel paint colors are also sometimes recommended for brightening up smaller rooms with limited natural lighting. When using pastel colors in large, bright rooms, home decoration professionals often advise DIY home interior painters to follow the “less-is-more” rule; pastel shades are often better applied to ceiling molding or other wall trim rather than entire walls in these types of rooms.