A pastel is a drawing and painting material consisting essentially of a stick of color comprised of powdered pigments mixed with resin and gum to bind them. The pigments used in pastels are similar to those used to produce oil paints. Pastels have been used by artists since the Renaissance, and they gained popularity in the 18th century when renowned artists began to employ pastels as the primary medium in their work. An artwork made using pastels is called a pastel, or a pastel drawing or pastel painting. The word ‘pastel,’ when used as a verb means to produce an artwork with pastels and as an adjective, it means pale in color.