Pastel colors are known for their soft, delicate, and light appearance. They are created by mixing a pure hue with white, resulting in muted shades that are not fully saturated. Some examples of common pastel colors include light pink, baby blue, mint green, pale yellow, and lavender. But what exactly classifies a color as a pastel? Let’s take a closer look at the technical requirements.
Defining Pastel Colors
Technically speaking, for a color to be considered a pastel, it must meet the following criteria:
– It is a light, desaturated shade of a pure hue mixed with white. The more white added, the paler and softer the pastel becomes.
– It has a low to medium saturation level between 20-60% on the HSB/HSL color wheel. Fully saturated colors have 100% saturation.
– It has a high brightness or value between 60-90% on the HSB/HSL color wheel. Darker shades below 60% value are not pastels.
– The mixing ratio of the pure hue to white is typically between 1:3 to 1:10. The more white added, the lighter and softer the pastel.
So in summary, pastel colors are soft, light, and muted shades of pure hues that have reduced saturation and increased brightness created by adding white. They exhibit low to medium saturation levels and high brightness levels.
Common Pastel Color Palettes
Some of the most common pastel palettes include:
Pink pastels – Light pink, baby pink, dusty rose
Blue pastels – Baby blue, cloud blue, pale azure
Green pastels – Mint green, honeydew, pale sage
Yellow pastels – Pale lemon, cream, champagne
Purple pastels – Lavender, lilac, wisteria
Neutrals – Pastel gray, beige, ecru
These palettes exhibit light tints of primary and secondary hues that have white added to soften them into pastel versions. The specific mixing ratios and saturation levels classify them as pastels rather than full saturated colors.
Defining Specific Pastel Colors
Let’s take a closer look at some specific common pastel colors and their technical specifications according to various color models:
Baby Blue
– Hex Code: #a2cffe
– RGB: (162,207,254)
– CMYK: (36%, 19%, 0%, 0%)
– HSL: (210, 92%, 90%)
– HSB/HSV: (210, 36%, 100%)
Baby blue is a light tint of pure blue with high value and brightness. The saturation is medium level around 36-40% on the HSL/HSB color wheel.
Lavender
– Hex Code: #dfc5fe
– RGB: (223,197,254)
– CMYK: (12%, 22%, 0%, 0%)
– HSL: (276, 76%, 94%)
– HSB/HSV: (276, 12%, 100%)
Lavender is a light purple or violet hue with medium saturation between 12-22% and high brightness and value levels.
Mint Green
– Hex Code: #b6fbb6
– RGB: (182,251,182)
– CMYK: (28%, 0%, 28%, 2%)
– HSL: (120, 100%, 85%)
– HSB/HSV: (120, 28%, 98%)
Mint green is a pale, desaturated green with medium saturation between 28-30%. It has high brightness and value.
Buttercream
– Hex Code: #fff1c1
– RGB: (255,241,193)
– CMYK: (0%, 6%, 24%, 0%)
– HSL: (39, 100%, 94%)
– HSB/HSV: (39, 24%, 100%)
Buttercream is a pale yellow pastel with 24% saturation and high brightness.
As you can see, pastels span a wide range of hues at the lighter end of the color spectrum. Their technical specifications pinpoint their low to medium saturation levels and high brightness/value – key requirements for being classified as pastels.
Exceptions & Special Considerations
There are a couple exceptions and special considerations when it comes to pastel classifications:
– Tones – Some tons, tints, and shades may also exhibit pastel characteristics if they have soft mutedness with lower saturation. For example, pastel blue may also include some light blue tones.
– Near Pastels – Colors that fall just outside the technical saturation or value levels may still be considered near pastels or exhibit pastel-like characteristics. A color with 70% saturation may be borderline pastel.
– Context – The visual perception of a color in context is also key. A color exhibiting somewhat higher saturation levels may still read as a pastel depending on lighting conditions, surrounding colors, etc.
So some flexibility can be allowed in classifying borderline shades as pastels depending on the overall visual impression rather than technicalities alone. But generally, conformity to the saturation and brightness specifcations is what defines a true pastel.
Uses of Pastel Colors
Pastels are popular across many contexts and design fields. Here are some of the most common uses and applications of pastel colors:
Art
Pastels have long been used in painting and drawing. Pastel artwork dates back to the Renaissance era. Modern pastel art includes pastel pencils and chalks for drawing and sketching. Pastels create soft, blended effects on paper.
Fashion & Beauty
In fashion, pastels evoke femininity and romance. They are widely used in women’s clothing and accessories, especially for spring and summer. Pastel makeup and nail polish is also popular for creating a delicate, youthful look.
Interior Design
In home decor, pastels create serene, relaxing interiors. They are widely used for painting walls, furnishings, and accessories. Pastel blue, green, and lavender are popular choices to create cozy spaces.
Baking
For baking, pastel colors are ideal for making Easter treats, birthday cakes, baby shower cookies, and more. Buttercream frostings, chiffon cakes, and macarons are often tinted in pastel hues.
Events
Pastels are ubiquitous at spring and summer events such as Easter brunches, Mother’s Day teas, bridal showers, and baby showers. They fit lighter, warmer seasonal celebrations.
Photography
In photography, pastels convey softness and romance. Pastel backdrops, flowers, and natural settings are popular photographic styles and props.
Pastels clearly have wide aesthetic appeal across many industries and markets. Their soft, delicate nature helps evoke certain moods, feelings, and themes.
Psychology of Pastels
Pastels are known to have significant psychological effects related to their inherent qualities. Here is an overview:
– Calming – Pastels are calming and soothing due to their muted, softened hues. They help reduce anxiety.
– Feminine – Pastels evoke femininity due to cultural associations with female preferences. They suggest grace, elegance.
– Innocent – Pastels convey innocence and youth thanks to their light, playful tones.
– Romantic – As lighter, softer hues, pastels are inherently romantic. They suggest sensitivity, sweetness.
– Nostalgic – Pastels may elicit nostalgia for childhood memories, vintage aesthetics, and traditional gender roles.
– Energizing – Despite being soft and muted, pastels provide more energizing feelings than darker colors.
So pastels are unique in their ability to blend together many positive traits – calmness, femininity, innocence, romance, and energizing power. It makes them widely appealing across industries.
Pastels vs. Neon Colors
On the opposite end of the color spectrum from pastels are neon colors. Here is how they compare:
Pastels
– Softer, muted, lighter
– Lower saturation
– Higher brightness/value
– Calming, subtle
– Evoke femininity, romance
Neons
– Brighter, more intense
– Higher saturation
– Lower brightness/value
– Energizing, bold
– Evoke fun, youthful vibes
While pastels and neons both have heightened vibrancy, neons are extreme in their intensity and saturation. Pastels offer softness and delicacy that neons lack. But both can be energizing in their own way.
Conclusion
In summary, pastel colors encompass a range of softer, lighter tints of primary and secondary hues. They exhibit technical specifications including lowered saturation levels between 20-60% and higher brightness levels between 60-90%. Common pastel palettes include pinks, purples, blues, greens, yellows, and neutrals. Pastels offer unique softness and delicacy compared to their fully saturated versions. They provide calming, feminine, innocent, nostalgic, and romantic connotations. Pastels have widespread appeal and uses across art, fashion, interior design, events, photography, and more. Their distinctive muted qualities will keep them a staple color palette for various applications.
