How to Use Oil Pastels

Table of Contents

1. What Are Oil Pastels?
   1. Why Use Oils Pastels?
2. Purchasing Oil Pastels
   1. Artist- vs. Student-Grade
   2. Single vs. Oil Pastel Sets
   3. Texture
   4. Cost
   5. Surfaces
3. Best Choices of Oil Pastels
   1. Best Artist-Grade Oil Pastels
   2. Best Student-Grade Oil Pastels
4. How to Use Oil Pastels
   1. Techinques
      1. Overlaying
      2. Scumbling
      3. Sgraffito
      4. Blending with Oil
      5. Masking
   2. Tips and Tricks for Using Oil Pastels
   3. Cleaning Up & Protecting

Diving into the world of artistic expression, this article illuminates the captivating realm of using oil pastels for painting. With their vibrant hues and versatile application, oil pastels offer artists a unique avenue to unleash their creativity. From blending techniques to layering colors, discover how these luscious sticks of pigment can transform your artistic endeavors into vibrant and textured masterpieces, breathing life into your imagination with every stroke.

What Are Oil Pastels?

Oil pastels are a type of artistic medium used for drawing and coloring. They are similar in concept to traditional soft pastels, but they have a different composition and texture. Oil pastels are made by mixing pigments with a non-drying oil and a wax binder. This combination results in a soft, buttery consistency that can be applied to various surfaces, such as paper, canvas, wood, and even fabric.

Key characteristics of oil pastels include:

1. Vibrant Colors: Oil pastels produce intense and vibrant colors due to the high concentration of pigments. They are known for their ability to create bold and expressive artworks.
2. Blendability: One of the unique features of oil pastels is their blendability. They can be easily blended together on the surface, creating smooth transitions and gradients. Blending can be achieved with fingers, blending stumps, or other tools.
3. Opacity: Oil pastels are generally more opaque than other pastel mediums. This means that they can effectively cover underlying layers and create solid, bold marks.
4. Textural Effects: Due to their soft and creamy consistency, oil pastels can be used to create a variety of textural effects. Artists can apply them in thick layers to achieve a bold and impasto-like appearance or use them lightly for delicate, translucent effects.
5. Versatility: Oil pastels can be used on a wide range of surfaces, including paper, canvas, and various textured substrates. They can also be combined with other media like acrylic paints, watercolors, and more.
6. Non-Drying: Unlike traditional oil paints, oil pastels do not dry completely. This quality allows artists to continue working on a piece over an extended period of time and make adjustments even after the initial application.
7. Fixatives: Due to their non-drying nature, finished oil pastel artworks can be prone to smudging. To prevent this, artists often use fixatives, which are aerosol sprays that help seal the surface and protect the artwork.

Oil pastels can be a versatile and expressive medium for artists of all skill levels. They offer a different set of possibilities compared to other traditional drawing and painting mediums, making them a popular choice for those who enjoy exploring various artistic techniques and effects.

Why Use Oils Pastels?

Choosing between oil pastels and traditional oil paints depends on your artistic preferences, goals, and the experience you’re seeking. Here are some reasons why you might opt for oil pastels over regular oil paints:

1. Immediate Results: Oil pastels offer immediate results without the need for extensive setup, mixing, or waiting for layers to dry. This can be particularly appealing if you enjoy working spontaneously and want to see your artwork take shape quickly.
2. No Brushes or Solvents: Unlike traditional oil painting, oil pastels don’t require brushes or solvents for application or cleanup. This can simplify your process, reduce the need for additional tools, and make your creative experience more accessible.
3. Portability: Oil pastels are portable and mess-free, making them a convenient choice for creating art on the go or in locations where setting up traditional oil painting supplies might be impractical.
4. Blendability: Oil pastels offer the ability to blend colors directly on the surface with your fingers or blending tools. This can lead to unique color transitions and gradients that might be challenging to achieve with traditional oil paints.
5. Textural Effects: Oil pastels enable you to create a variety of textures by applying them in different ways, from thick and impasto-like to delicate and translucent. This allows you to explore a wide range of visual effects within a single artwork.
6. No Drying Time: Oil pastels do not dry like traditional oil paints, allowing you to make changes and adjustments to your artwork even after the initial application. This feature is advantageous if you prefer a more flexible creative process.
7. Mixed Media Possibilities: Oil pastels can be combined with other media, such as acrylic paints, watercolors, and even traditional oil paints. This versatility can lead to mixed-media artworks with unique visual qualities.
8. Less Workspace Required: Creating with oil pastels requires less space and setup compared to traditional oil painting, which often involves canvases, easels, brushes, palettes, and solvents.
9. Less Odor and Toxicity: Traditional oil paints often involve solvents and mediums that can produce strong odors and require proper ventilation. Oil pastels are generally less toxic and don’t emit strong odors, making them a more comfortable choice for indoor use.
10. Exploration of Style: Using oil pastels can lead to the development of a distinctive artistic style due to their unique qualities. The vibrant colors, blendability, and texture possibilities can help you create artworks that stand out with a visually striking impact.

Ultimately, both oil pastels and traditional oil paints have their own merits and can offer rewarding artistic experiences. Consider your personal preferences, creative goals, and the type of artistic expression you wish to achieve when deciding which medium to use. Many artists even choose to incorporate both mediums into their practice, allowing them to explore different techniques and effects.

Purchasing Oil Pastels

If you are a novice in the realm of oil pastel painting, there are certain factors that you must consider before making a purchase. Despite the affordability of oil pastels, it is imperative that you make an informed decision. The plethora of options available in the market can be perplexing and daunting. To aid in your decision-making process, the ensuing guidelines may prove to be beneficial.

Artist- vs. Student-Grade

For novice artists, student-grade oil pastels are an ideal choice due to their affordability and ability to produce vivid colors and impressive effects. The primary distinction between these and artist-grade oil pastels, which are more expensive, is the quantity of pigment present.

Artist-grade pastels contain a significantly higher pigment load, resulting in more vibrant colors. Additionally, the binder is of superior quality, and the consistency is smoother, making them an excellent choice for professionals seeking to showcase their work, albeit at a higher cost.

In contrast, student-grade oil pastels are firmer and may not produce colors as vivid as those of artist-grade pastels. Furthermore, they lack the same smoothness when used for oil pastel painting. However, these less expensive pastels are ideal for beginners and children learning to draw.

Single vs. Oil Pastel Sets

When making a purchase of oil pastels, you may opt for either individual colors or a set. For those who are new to the medium, it is recommended to begin with an affordable set, as it offers a diverse range of colors to experiment with. This is particularly advantageous when following oil pastel tutorials, as it allows for the application of various techniques.

It is important to note that the brand of oil pastels selected is a crucial factor to consider. While some companies offer individual colors for purchase, others do not. In the event that a replacement of a specific color is required, it may prove challenging to obtain if the brand purchased does not offer individual colors. While purchasing a different brand may be a viable option, it may not guarantee the exact color desired.

Texture

When considering the texture or consistency of oil pastels, the intended subject matter and artistic goals should inform the selection of a suitable product. Certain pastels possess a soft and creamy texture, akin to that of lipstick, while others are firmer and more rigid. The former type of oil pastel is conducive to blending, whereas the latter is better suited for producing fine lines and intricate details. It is therefore advisable to carefully plan and familiarize yourself with the nuances of oil pastel usage prior to making a purchase.

Cost

If you are seeking artist-grade pastels at a more affordable price point, it may be worthwhile to explore promotional offers or discounts on products. Prior to investing in an expensive set, consider purchasing a single oil pastel to test its quality and suitability for your needs.

It is important to note that purchasing the most expensive oil pastel products does not necessarily equate to improved artistic ability. However, it is generally recommended to invest in the highest quality products that fit within your budget. When starting out, it is advisable to opt for a reasonably priced product that still yields satisfactory results. Inferior quality oil pastels tend to lack blending capabilities and may be comparable to children’s crayons. Professional artists typically have already determined which products work best for their individual needs.

Surfaces

When using oil pastels, you have the option to select from a variety of surfaces or substrates. These include paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and wood. Additionally, many artists prefer to use canvas as their surface of choice. It is important to note, however, that oil pastels do not fully dry, which may result in smudging. Furthermore, there are specialized papers available for pastel use, which possess a greater degree of tooth than smoother paper. This characteristic provides a superior surface for the oil pastels to adhere to.

Best Choices of Oil Pastels

For professional artists seeking superior oil pastels, a higher price point is to be expected. Nevertheless, there are oil pastel options available at a more reasonable cost that still deliver exceptional outcomes. As for students and beginners, obtaining high-quality oil pastels need not be a financial burden. We present two recommendations for artist-grade and student-grade oil pastel sets below.

Best Artist-Grade Oil Pastels

The Sennelier oil pastel set comprises 24 to 72 oil pastels that are richly pigmented. These pastels are versatile and can be applied to a variety of surfaces such as paper, canvas, stone, metal, glass, and wood. Additionally, they are ideal for creating multi-media effects when used in conjunction with watercolors, acrylics, oil, and other pastels.

Best Student-Grade Oil Pastels

Pentel Oil Pastels and Cray-Pas Essentials sets present a highly sought-after collections of 25 to 50 oil pastels, renowned for their vivid hues and versatility across all age groups. With these pastels, one can effortlessly produce a plethora of color blends and mixes, yielding exceptional outcomes at an affordable cost. These acid-free pastels are compatible with paper, canvas, and board, and offer enduring effects.

How to Use Oil Pastels

Obtaining knowledge and developing skills is essential in all forms of art, including the use of oil pastels. Proficiency in coloring and blending techniques is crucial to producing realistic drawings. Mastery of these techniques requires practice and experimentation. There are several methods to acquire proficiency in coloring with oil pastels. Some tools that can be utilized to blend colors include:

• Your fingers
• Tortillions or stumps (tightly wound paper in the shape of a pencil)
• Paintbrushes
• Paper towels
• Chamois or soft leather
• Pliable eraser
• Cotton tips
• Fabric

Techinques

There are numerous techniques for using oil pastels, however, I will only list a few fundamental techniques. To gain proficiency in these techniques and to explore color combinations, it is advisable to start with a still-life object. After determining your subject matter, consider sketching a faint outline of your drawing with a pencil. This preliminary step can aid in avoiding errors and serve as a guide when applying the oil pastels.

Overlaying

Diverse color tones can be accomplished through the stratification of oil pastels. Start by applying the initial layer of pastel in your preferred color, followed by an additional layer in a contrasting hue. Consider using a primary color for the first layer. Continue to apply layers until the desired outcome is achieved. To blend oil pastels while overlaying, you may opt for either heavy-pressure or light-pressure blending techniques to produce varying effects.

Scumbling

This technique involves the controlled application of scribble marks across a given surface. It is recommended to use a minimum of two different colors, although additional colors may be utilized. Begin by applying scribble marks with the first color, followed by repeating the process with the second color. Overlapping the colors at various points – continue until the desired textured effect is achieved.

Sgraffito

Utilizing contrasting colors is an effective technique to enhance your artwork. Begin by applying multiple layers of pastels in varying hues, ensuring that the final layer is a dark shade. Utilize a sharp instrument such as a paper clip or the tip of a knife to etch your design into the layers of pastels.

Blending with Oil

To achieve a blended effect with oil pastels, you may opt to pre-blend the colors on a palette or directly on the paper or canvas. The technique involves applying the colors adjacent to each other on the surface, followed by using a brush or cotton tip dipped in oil to blend the colors seamlessly.

Masking

An uncomplicated method for generating designs involves using masking tape. By applying the tape to the areas that are not intended for coloring, you can apply oil pastels to the spaces between the tape. Upon completion, the tape can be removed, resulting in a distinctive design with precise lines and angles.

Tips and Tricks for Using Oil Pastels

When developing your skill of using oil pastels, it is alway a good idea to look into various tutorials. These tutorials are instrumental in imparting knowledge on tips, tricks, and fundamental techniques that are essential in creating exceptional artwork. In order to facilitate your artistic journey, I have compiled a few pointers on how to effectively utilize oil pastels.

• Pastel hardness can vary between brands. Try and test out various brands to discover different effects.
• Temperature can affect the hardness of oil pastels. They become softer when wam and firmer when cooled.
• Avoid resting your hand or palm on the paper while using the pastels to avoid smudging. You can place a piece of folded paper between your hand and the already colored areas.
• Keep some paper towels or cloth nearby to wipe off your hands.
• Do not get discouraged; it will take time and experimentation to develop your skills.
• Be creative and experiment on different surfaces.
• Pre-blend oil pastels to see the exact color you will be using before application.
• Use a piece of scrap paper to clean off the oil pastel tips when blending colors.
• Use stencils for more precise shapes.
• Oil pastels on paper can be placed in plastic file folder sheets to protect them from smudging. This can be made into a folder to protect all your artwork.
• When framing, do not push the paper up against the glass. Always leave a space so as to avoid smudging.

Cleaning Up & Protecting

Oil pastels have gained immense popularity owing to their user-friendly nature. However, they tend to leave stains on your hands. This issue can be easily resolved by wiping the pastels off with wet-wipes or by using baby oil and a paper towel. Nevertheless, once you have completed your oil pastel artwork, here are the most effective ways to prevent smudging:

• Avoid varnishing the surface. Pastels contain oils and waxes, which do not work well with varnish. The best approach is to encase the artwork in a frame and protect it with glass.
• Be careful using oil pastel fixatives. These can affect the colors so it is best to test it out before using it on your actual art piece.
• Don’t expose your artwork to high temperatures. Extended exposure to high temperatures can cause oil pastels to start bleeding.

Conclusion

Oil pastels offer a vibrant and versatile medium for aspiring artists. Their ease of use makes them ideal for beginners, allowing for experimentation without the need for elaborate setups or extensive cleanup. The blendable nature of oil pastels enables artists to achieve intricate textures and rich color transitions.

While mastering techniques like layering and blending might take time, the journey itself is rewarding, fostering creativity and honing artistic skills. With a wide range of surfaces to explore, from paper to canvas, beginners can embark on a fulfilling artistic endeavor with oil pastels, enjoying the unique ability to create stunning, expressive works of art.