Oil Pastels: Tips & Techniques for Beginners

If you just bought a box of oil pastels or have been thinking about exploring your creative side, read on for the best tips and easy to learn techniques for oil pastels art. Let’s start with some basic information about oil pastels. Oil pastels are actually the new and improved version of crayons - made of pigments combined with a binder which is a mixture of waxes and mineral oils. That explains the soft and somewhat greasy nature of the stick.

These incredible oil pastel sticks will make your artwork come to life but to start off, you would need a clean and stable space to work on. It’s also recommended to not wear white and to have paper towels or cloth next to you as working with oil pastels can get quite messy sometimes. There’s a very high chance you would have colour stains on your hands too so make sure to be careful with the artwork. 

Now, if you are still new to oil pastels, you want to opt for a drawing paper as it would be easy to work with and you can simply start over on a new piece of paper if you make any mistakes. You can consider practicing on Lion 135gsm Drawing Paper before moving on to other surfaces and items.

With the right drawing paper and suitable space in check, it's time to look at some basic and important techniques to get you started on your oil pastel masterpiece. 

1. Pre-Blending

This is a useful technique which is often dismissed as most people would go straight to blending directly on the surface (which is also perfectly fine), but this step basically allows you to see the exact colour of the shade before using it on the paper. All you have to do is choose your colours and blend them on a palette.

2. Blending

Blending is the most common and one of the best oil pastel techniques for beginners. Start with one colour on the paper, and apply another shade next to the first one. Then, use a blending tool, a brush or just your finger to blend both the shades together. The goal is to not have any visible separation or line between the two colours.

3. Overlaying

Overlaying is another great oil pastel technique to pick up as a beginner. Start with a base colour and simply add different colours on top, continue to layer and blend as you go along until you like what you see. This technique not only creates a fuller coverage, but a synchronised look and feel as well.

Check out the video below for more oil pastel blending technique.

Now that you have mastered the tips and technique, it’s time to check out some of the best oil pastel drawing sticks in the market. All of the ones listed on our online stationery store are non-toxic and safe for kids too. If you would like one that comes in an easy to carry container box with a handle, check out Buncho Gabang Oil Pastel and Faster Box Premier Oil Pastels - these are great for outdoor drawing. You can choose from 12 colours or all the way up to 60 colours as well.

Head over to https://store.lionfile.com to get the best deals on art supplies and stationeries for your home and office. Enjoy free delivery for orders above RM100 around West Malaysia.

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