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PASTELium
International Pastel Competition
Landscape
Capture the mood and light of nature in its seasonal variability — from spring awakening to winter stillness. The velvety texture of pastel is perfectly suited for aerial perspectives and soft atmospheric effects. Show how pastel can bring every corner of nature to life, filling it with light and emotion.
In this category, we are looking for works that convey not just a view, but a state of being: morning mist over a lake, golden autumn in a park, twilight over the sea, or endless fields under the wind. Pastel allows you to create stunning color transitions that make the landscape alive and breathing. Reveal the beauty of nature through the prism of your perception, using the softness and depth of this remarkable medium.
Bring the stone graphics of cities to life. The play of light on facades, reflections in shop windows, and rainy streets — show architecture through the prism of the pastel element. Soft transitions and the rich palette of pastel allow you to convey the character of buildings, their history, and the atmosphere of a place.
We invite you to look at architecture as a living organism that breathes and changes throughout the day. Old streets of European cities, majestic cathedrals, modern skyscrapers, or abandoned buildings — every object has its own soul. With pastel, you can convey the texture of old walls, the gleam of shop windows, and the interplay of light and shadow, creating images that will remain in the viewer's memory.
Emotion, character, and inner world conveyed through the nuances of pastel's color and texture. In this medium, a face becomes more than just an image; it becomes a reflection of the soul, full of light and shadow. Prove that pastel is capable of the depth and psychological insight worthy of the finest traditions of portraiture.
A portrait is a dialogue between the artist and the model, an attempt to penetrate the essence of a personality. Pastel, with its ability to create incredibly lifelike and warm skin tones, soft shadows, and radiant highlights, is perfectly suited for this task. We are looking for works where character is palpable: the smile of an elderly person, the pensive gaze of a child, the strength or vulnerability of a human being. Every emotion captured in pastel becomes an invaluable testament to a moment in time.
The magic of silence and objects. Turn the ordinary into poetry using the interplay of textures, highlights, and soft transitions that dry or oil pastel conveys so accurately. Show beauty in details and the ability to see harmony in simple things.
Still life is a genre of contemplation, in which the artist teaches us to notice beauty in the everyday. The velvety fuzz of a peach, the transparency of glass, the coldness of metal, the warmth of wood — pastel can convey any texture with astonishing precision. We invite you to create compositions where every object matters and light and shadow set the mood. Prove that an entire universe can hide within the silence of a still life.
Movement, grace, and the wild power of animals in pastel interpretation. Convey the energy of life through dynamic strokes and a wealth of color shades. Pastel allows you to create a sense of living breath, capture the moment, and convey the character of every creature.
The animal world is boundless and diverse. From majestic predators to fragile butterflies, every creature deserves to be seen and understood. In this category, we are looking for works that convey not only anatomical accuracy but also the animal's soul, its habits, and emotions. Pastel, with its capacity for layering and softness, allows you to create realistic yet poetic images filled with life and energy.
The tenderness of petals and the riot of colors in a garden. Pastel is ideal for conveying the fragility and perfection of natural forms; its velvety texture adds a special sensuality to the images. Create a botanical story full of light, air, and life.
Flowers are one of the most beloved subjects in fine art. Every bud and every petal is a whole world of shapes and shades. Pastel allows you to convey the finest color gradations, the airiness, and the velvetiness of floral compositions. Show the beauty of a garden, wildflowers, or exquisite bouquets, using all the possibilities of this medium — from light, translucent layers to rich, dense strokes. Your works should evoke the feeling that the flowers are about to come alive and fill the space with their fragrance.
Depict water in all its manifestations: from a calm surface to raging waves, from rain to mist. Pastel, with its capacity for soft transitions and layering, perfectly conveys the fluidity, transparency, and mutability of the water element. Show the element in motion and at rest.
Water is life, movement, and endless mutability. It can be calm and mirror-like, menacing and destructive, light and transparent. Pastel, with its rich possibilities, allows you to convey the play of light on the surface, the depth, and the texture of water flows. In this category, we are looking for works where water becomes the main character: sea surf, a mountain stream, rain streaming down a window, or mist enveloping a landscape. Show the element in all its beauty and power.
The illusion of reality born of pastel. Prove that this material is capable of photorealistic precision while maintaining its softness and airiness. Exquisite detailing, perfect light, and flawless technique — your mastery will not leave the viewer indifferent.
Hyperrealism is a challenge to the artist and their medium. Can pastel, known for its softness and velvety texture, compete with photographic precision? We are certain it can! In this category, we are looking for works that at first glance are indistinguishable from a photograph, but upon closer inspection reveal the warm, living nature of pastel. Every scratch, every highlight, every reflected detail must be executed with jewel-like precision. Show that pastel can be not only poetic but also extremely precise.
A study born in the open air. The value of the work lies in the freshness of perception, the speed of execution, and the artist's direct contact with light and atmosphere. Convey the immediate impression, using the full expressiveness of the pastel palette.
Plein air is the magic of the moment. You are alone with nature, and time is working against you. The light changes, the wind stirs the leaves, and shadows lengthen. Under such conditions, every stroke becomes precious, and every decision becomes intuitive. In this category, we value the freshness of perception, speed of reaction, and the ability to convey the atmosphere of a place and time. Show how you feel nature, light, and air, using pastel as a tool for quick and accurate fixation of impressions.
A hidden meaning behind every image. Use pastel to create metaphors and visual symbols that appeal to the viewer's inner world. The softness and depth of pastel allow you to speak on complex topics through the beauty of color and form.
Art is always a dialogue with the viewer. In symbolic painting, this dialogue becomes especially deep. We invite you to create works where every object, color, or shape carries an additional meaning. This could be a reflection on time, memory, dreams, or eternal human values. Pastel, with its capacity for the finest transitions and incredible color depth, is perfectly suited for creating multi-layered symbolic images. Give the viewer the opportunity to reflect, feel, and find in your work exactly what resonates with them.
A single frame that contains an entire plot. Create a narrative that the viewer will decipher while peering into the pastel details. Show a moment that stands for a story full of emotions, movement, and life. Pastel is the perfect conduit between reality and fiction.
Every good painting tells a story. But in this category, we are looking for works that are particularly strong in storytelling. It could be a meaningful moment from life, a scene with a deep subtext, or an illustration for a literary work. The main thing is for the viewer to want to know more, to imagine, to fill in the blanks. Pastel allows you to create an atmosphere filled with details and emotions, which makes it the ideal tool for visual storytelling.
Moving beyond traditions. Non-standard techniques, bold methods, original discoveries — show how far pastel can go in the hands of an experimenter. We are looking for new voices in art, ready to rethink the possibilities of the medium and surprise the viewer.
This category is for the bold and restless. If you work at the intersection of pastel and other materials, use unconventional surfaces, mix dry and oil pastel, add collage or other techniques — this is your chance to make a statement. We are not afraid of complexity and unconventionality. Show us new art, a new interpretation of pastel that expands the boundaries of perception for this remarkable medium. Your experiments could mark the beginning of a new direction in pastel painting.
Prepare your finest pastel works — the ones where pigment and paper resonate in perfect harmony. For high-quality digital photography, use diffused daylight: natural light by a window is ideal, but avoid direct sunlight to prevent glare and harsh shadows. Each file must be between 1 and 10 MB — this is sufficient for the jury to appreciate every nuance of your technique and color transitions.
Upload your artworks, fill out the application form, and become part of the PASTELium community.
Await confirmation from the Organizing Committee that your works have been accepted for the competition.
Pay the participation fee via the link provided by the Organizing Committee and email a copy of the receipt to:
If participating in person:
Bring or send your pastel works to the exhibition.
If participating remotely (online):
Stay tuned for exhibition updates on the project's social media.
