However, you can also sharpen them in a pencil sharpener, so that mechanical sharpener will be useful with your pastel work after all!…

Apply a generous layer of oil pastel colour then add a different colour on top. Continue to layer and blend until you achieve your desired look. When blending and mixing don’t be afraid to dive into the deep end – your fingers are your brushes and you can blend and mix to create magic on the page.

When blending on your palette, simply cut off pieces of your desired oil pastel shades you wish to mix together and place it onto your palette. Using a paint knife or paint brush, mix the colours together to produce a thick paint.

Best for Beginners: Rembrandt® Pastel 30 Color Set Rembrandt is another marquis name when it comes to pastels. This set of high-quality pastels comes with 30 tantalizing colors, which will draw in new and experienced artists alike….

Artists’ quality pastels contain the best pigments available and a higher ratio of pigment to binder. This means that artists’ colors are stronger and more intense. Because they contain such high levels of pigment, pastels can be expensive.

Forever. If they are artist grade pastels, pure pigments are used in making them, and they will last forever, or until you use them up, which ever comes first. I have pastels that are at least 27 years old, I use them whenever I need that specific color, and they work just as well as my brand new ones….

Soft pastels, the most commonly used pastel, are made with a combination of white chalk, pigment and gum arabic, which gives it a drier matte finish. Soft pastels do not adhere to the surface, allowing it to be brushed off. Oil pastels on the other hand, are similar to oil paints but don’t dry out or harden completely….

Pastels can contain toxic pigments such as chrome yellow (lead chromate) which can cause lung cancer, and cadmium pigments (which can cause kidney and lung damage and are suspect human carcinogens). Some oil pastels can contain toxic pigments, but this is only a hazard by accidental ingestion.

Scrape off as much oil pastel as possible. Use ice cubes to chill the oil pastel making it easier to scrape away. Saturate a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and blot the stained area. If stain persists, rub liquid dish soap into the stain and wash as normal.

A Painting or Drawing Medium? Oil pastels are a unique material that is often associated with both drawing and painting. However, in most classrooms, they are mostly used as a drawing material….

Crayons use wax and Oil pastels use non-drying oil and wax. Besides the composition of the colours, there is a huge difference in how a wax crayon and an oil pastel works. With crayons, it takes a bit of an effort with a lot of pressure to completely cover the whole area. Oil pastels are very rich, soft and creamy….

Oil pastels are extremely versatile: They can be used on paper, on wood, and on canvas. They can be used dry like crayons or chalk pastels, or wet like paint, using oil mediums….

Oil Pastels have an oily consistency that produces a painterly effect. The nature of oil pastels allows the artist to work them in a similar way to painting. Thus, a finished oil pastel drawing has many of the characteristics of a finished painting.

Pastels will never completely dissolve or turn into paint but they are really fun to use because you can hold onto those marks, scribbles and strokes. The colors may change or look different once you add water so I recommend experimenting with those pastels before diving into your project….

Surfaces for pastels can mean a whole range of materials because pastels are incredibly versatile. They can be used on almost any surface as long as there is enough tooth for the pastels to grip. Textured paper is the most popular surface for pastels, but you can also use boards, canvas, and even sandpaper.

You’ll also need a surface that is heavy (that is, thick and sturdy) enough to withstand layers of oil pastels. Thin or flimsy papers will just soak up the oil and get ruined over time. If you want to use paper, choose one that is 140lb or heavier.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Draw with the oil pastels on paper.
2. Dip a Q-tip in oil then rub over the oil pastel drawing. Watch as the oil pastel blends, spreads, and becomes more paint-like with the addition of oil and friction. Tip: Use a different Q-tip for different colors. OR experiment with color mixing.

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Primed canvas boards are a great surface for oil pastels. They’re solid and sturdy, letting you grind the sticks in hard without deforming the surface. Archival canvas boards are available, some mounted on museum board and others on hardboard or masonite.

Oil pastel is unlike oil paint in that it never dries. The drawing/painting will always be smudge-able and can attract dust to the surface. Oil pastel drawings are always framed behind glass to protect them….

A pastel is made by letting the sticks move over an abrasive ground, leaving color on the grain of the paper, sandboard, canvas etc. When fully covered with pastel, the work is called a pastel painting; when not, a pastel sketch or drawing.

The properties of hair spray as a fixative for pastel and charcoal on paper. Many artists who create drawings with friable or powdery media, such as chalk, pastel and charcoal, choose to use hairspray as an inexpensive alternative to commercially available art fixatives.

One of the advantages to working with pastels is the ability to produce paintings quickly. The characteristics of the medium allow it to be applied in large quantities and layered easily. Pastels can produce depth in color and value without a great deal of effort.

6. Do not place your artwork in direct sunlight! Placing your artwork on a wall that receives direct sunlight during the day means it will fade at an accelerated rate. I use archival quality professional art supplies, but even these materials will fade if they are exposed to harsh sunlight day after day.

Most oil paintings will do just fine in the sun, with very little fading, so long as there is no exposed canvas (sunlight can damage canvas, but not through the oil paint.) Works made from acrylic paint are also resilient and typically can withstand sunlight….

A pastel painting or drawing therefore needs to be framed behind glass as soon as possible to protect it. Once it is properly framed it will last for a very long time indeed. Unframed pastel paintings should be stored flat, with sheets of glassine paper over it to protect it from smudges.