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Pay attention to what changes at each step!

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Pastel Painting for Beginners Step by Step

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Pastel Painting for Beginners Step by Step

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Art Instruction For Beginners - Online Art Lessons

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Pastel Painting for Beginners Step by Step

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This beginners tutorial will show you step by step how Artist Christine Kane creates a beautiful landscape scene using pastel.

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Soft Pastel Drawing - Realistic Seabeach Easy Tutorial (step by step) for beginner Painting/Drawing

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Learn to Blend Oil Pastels Like a Pro: Shading a Sphere Step-by-Step

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Oil Pastel Painting - Countryside Sunset 

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Oil Pastel Painting 油画棒 - Countryside Sunset  (see descriptions for color codes)

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How to draw a amazing village landscape using oil pastels - best for beginner

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Easy Oil Pastel Mountain Landscape Painting for beginners | Oil Pastel Drawing

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Do this on gray or tan paper.

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EASY Beginner Pastel Painting Tutorial - 10 Pastels in Only 5 Minutes!

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Pay attention to details!

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1, 2, 3... Pastel!  Easy Beginner Lesson! You asked for it!

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Make all three.

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EASY as 1, 2, 3 - Beginner Soft Pastel Tutorial

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Easy Soft Pastels Drawing for beginners/ Sunset Sky/ River Reflection Scenery - Art Artistry

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Great step-by-step!

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Learn to Draw a Magnolia Flower in Pastels

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How to draw a flower with pastel pencil step by step. Learn how to blend, shade, layer and add details with pastel pencils. Create a magnolia flower, even if you’re a beginner, with this free tutorial!

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Way easier than it looks!

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Painting Summer Greens In Soft Pastels - How to Pastel

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Painting summer greens - always a challenge! Gail Sibley takes you step-by-step through a pastel painting to show you how she tones down wild greens

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Easier than it looks!

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Soft pastels are a unique medium, unlike any other. Their incredible color, texture, and ease of use offer an opportunity to expand your artistic abilities like you never thought possible. In this les

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Sunset Drawing - Landscape in Pastel and Colored Pencil

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Soft oil pastel painting || Horse drawing #bright_colors #easy_learning #stetbystep_learning

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This only has a few "in progress" photos to work by. Challenging, but you can do this!

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Paul Rubens Pastel Botanical Art — The Art Gear Guide

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The artwork in this post was created using the Paul Rubens Artist Soft Pastels and the paper used was Hahnemühle Velour Pastel Paper. If you would like to know more about the Paul Rubens Pastels you can check out this post and links to other facets of the Paul Ruben Artist Soft Pastel review.

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Oil pastels can behave like wax-based crayons when they are initially laid on the drawing surface. Typically, the desired end result for the artist is not a "crayon-esque" drawing however. Luckily, as layers are added, the medium becomes more buttery and behaves in a similar fashion to paint.

Interestingly, techniques for oil pastels are very similar to those of colored pencils. Here's a look at what I suggest when using oil pastels...

1. Create an Underpainting - It may be a good idea to create a loose underpainting of values and layer local colors on top.

2. Layer colors - colors should be layered to achieve depth in color and value.

3. Slowly Build Up Applications - Adding large quantities of pastel too quickly can lead to muddied colors.

4. Clean Up the Edges with a Background - You can define the edges of your subject by drawing in the background and cleaning up the edges.

Here's a look at the entire process...

Surfaces for Oil Pastels

(Some of the following links are affiliate links which means we earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.)

Artists may chose to work on a variety of surfaces including paper, canvas, cardboard, or masonite. Most commonly, paper is used. The tooth or texture of the paper also affects the finished image. A heavier tooth or rougher texture of the paper can produce a grainy image while a smoother texture creates a sharper image. Most pastel artists choose to work on surfaces with a substantial tooth because multiple applications of pastel can be applied. Multiple, layered applications of color often leads to more depth in the image. Smoother surfaces can still accept multiple applications, but to a lesser degree.

The surface used in this demonstration is Canson Mi-Teintes paper (affiliate link). This paper is specially designed to accept applications of pastel. Featuring a medium tooth, the paper allows for multiple applications of both soft pastels and oil pastels.

Most artists will find that starting with a toned paper will help in creating a full range of value in the drawing. Starting with a middle value allows the artist to "push" values lighter or darker. The artist can also allow the color of the paper to show through pastel applications in areas to add interest.

Expressionist Oil Pastels

Oil pastels are relatively inexpensive compared to other art media. Sets are widely available and quality can be had without much investment. For most beginners, it is suggested to start with a higher quality oil pastel since the difference in price is minimal.

My favorite oil pastels are the Expressionist Oil Pastels (affiliate link) by Sakura. The pigmentation is rich and the consistency of the binder is buttery. Colors can be easily layered and blended with multiple applications.

How to Draw with Oil Pastels

In this simple lesson, we take a look at drawing an apple with oil pastels. A step by step breakdown of the process can be found further down this page.

Oil Pastel Drawing of an Apple - Step by Step

We'll begin the drawing by lightly drawing the shape of the apple with a brown pastel. Marks are loose in the beginning stages.

Next, we can begin to establish a bit of color and value. The locations of darker value are addressed first. A variety of colors are applied including Dark Rose, Rose Gray, and a bit of Yellow Ochre.

To make the shadows a bit darker, a dark brown is applied. This is followed by an application of the colorless blender, which features the binder of the oil pastel but no pigmentation. Colors mix together, creating a smoother transition between colors and values.

The dark brown application makes the values a bit darker, but black pushes them even further. Black is applied in the locations of shadow with a "light touch". This application is worked into the surface by layering a dark red (Dark Rose) and then mixing it with the colorless blender.

Now work can begin on the lighter values. White is applied to create the highlights on the apple. Yellow Ochre is again applied to strengthen intensity.

For the cast shadow, a layered application of dark brown and bright blue is applied. To create a "cooler" shadow, the blue is allowed to dominate the mixture.

White is applied to clean up the edges of the apple.

The stem of the apple is addressed by layering applications of Burnt Sienna, dark brown, white, and a touch of black.

With a few highlights added to the upper portion of the apple, the drawing is complete.

Landscape Drawing with Oil Pastels

Painterly landscpes are easily created with oil pastels. Because we can layer colors quickly, we can block in areas in a short period of time. These areas can be reworked throughout the process to build up additional depth in the color.

We can chose to use colors that were slightly different from those in the reference photo. By doing so, we were able to create a work of art that was more interesting than the reference photo. This is something that you should always strive to do in your own drawings and paintings. We're artists after all, not cameras.

Here's another approach to landscape drawing with oil pastels. In this lesson series, we took a more Impressionist approach. We still altered the colors slightly to create a more interesting piece of art...

And here's a look at this landscape drawing completed with oil pastels...

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Learn how to use oil pastels to create a colorful and painterly drawing.

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Chalk Pastel Techniques – Cool things to try

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Chalk Pastel Techniques – Cool things to try

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There is a certain skill involved in each form of art, a knack that you have to grasp so that you become a master at what you do. There is no doubt that natural artistic talent has a role to play in this, but one also learn how to use the right techniques to get things right. Do you really think that whoever painted these innovative examples of leaf painting did it by happenstance? While we accept that there is a certain talent involved in this but it helps if you learn the techniques through some form like a tutorial. There are many beautiful examples of melted crayon art that will vouch for what talent and imagination can do for you, but for that to happen the base has to be good.

Pastels have had their own place in the world of art and there is no better affirmation of this than looking at beautiful oil pastel art and paintings. We give you here a basic tutorial on how to go about creating chalk pastel artworks. As far as the rest is concerned, it is up to your talents, your skill levels and your imagination.
Here Are Some Steps To Follow In This Regard:

Choose the right raw materials: One of the things that you should know about chalk pastel art is picking out the correct raw material. This means that you need the right quality charcoal paper that has a surface that is rough to the touch. In many art papers that you use, you will find that the surface is smooth on one side and rough on the other. The rough side is the right side to use for such artwork. Then comes the chalk pastel shades that you are going to use. This obviously has to be of good quality but do make sure that you buy two grades of quality. The one that is cheaper can be used for trial work so that you can grasp the techniques and then move on to the better quality.

Spray finish: Such pastel artwork needs a fixative spray that needs to be sprayed on once the art is done. This is to make sure that the integrity of the artwork stays the way it should. But the word of caution here is not to overdo it or else you could end up distorting the artwork that you have worked so hard to create. The thing is the spray needs to be handy to be sprayed on whenever you are done with one layer of color application so that you apply and let it set before going on to the next level of colors.

Provide for a border: The thing about chalk pastel techniques is that it does tend to softer in appearance and that is why you need to provide a clear white border at the bottom above which you will need to create the artwork.

Learn to hold the colors right: There are some techniques like fisting to spread out the color in an even manner. This is a way of folding your hand in order to make the color look better and smoother. Then there is the technique of putting your pastel color flat on the surface of the artwork and spread it out in a sweeping manner. This can be a good technique to create a background for your artwork.

These are some basic techniques and tips that you can use to create chalk pastel artwork. You have to know that chalk pastel artworks are pretty different to look at and this is because the techniques used in it are different.

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Chalk Pastel Techniques - Learn How To Use It - Bored Art

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52.6Kshares Facebook366 Twitter41 Pinterest52.1K StumbleUpon47 TumblrThere is a certain skill involved in each form of art, a knack that you have to grasp so that you become a master at what you do. There is no doubt that natural artistic talent has a role to play in this, but one also learn how to use the right techniques to get things right.

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Object drawing with Oil Pastels | Geometrical Object | Sphere with Oil Pastels

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Soft Pastel on dark paper/pic only/ Drawing_of_robin_1_by_Jeanette_Cole

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Soft Pastel on dark paper/pic only/ Drawing_of_robin_1_by_Jeanette_Cole

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Learn how to draw a realistic dog portrait using oil pastels in this tutorial that features excerpts from 2 one hour lessons.

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Oil pastel Drawing/Drawing leaves_Monstera🌿step by step

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Oil pastel Drawing/Drawing leaves_Monstera🌿step by step

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How to to draw beautiful scenery with oil pastel #shorts - YouTube

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How to to draw beautiful scenery with oil pastel #shorts - YouTube

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How to to draw beautiful scenery with oil pastel  #shorts

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Paint a Landscape with ONLY 12 PASTELS! / BEGINNER Real Time Tutorial - YouTube

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Paint a Landscape with ONLY 12 PASTELS! / BEGINNER Real Time Tutorial - YouTube

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Paint a Landscape with ONLY 12 PASTELS! / BEGINNER Real Time Tutorial

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Apple / Oil pastel Drawing asmr / Swanee art - YouTube

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Apple / Oil pastel Drawing asmr / Swanee art - YouTube

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Apple / Oil pastel Drawing asmr / Swanee art

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How to Use Pastels: Learn Various Pastel Painting Techniques in this Pastel Painting Workshop! — Art is Fun

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How to Use Pastels: Learn Various Pastel Painting Techniques in this Pastel Painting Workshop! — Art is Fun

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How to Use Pastels: Learn Various Pastel Painting Techniques in this Pastel Painting Workshop!

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Learn how to use pastels in this pastel painting workshop! This fun pastel portrait tutorial shows you several pastel painting techniques for creating different effects with pastels.

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You can create textures by first applying bold color to the paper and then going over it with another color until it is completely covered.

Next, use a razor blade or a palette knife to scratch off the second color, revealing the color underneath. It creates a result similar to a scratch-board.

By using a solvent (50/50 turpentine and linseed oil) with oil pastels, one can achieve results similar to painting without actually using brushes and paints.

You can always use just either one of them. Adding turpentine will make pastels dry faster than oil alone.

Use a Q-tip or a cotton ball to blend colors.

Using a cotton ball with a solvent is great for coloring large areas in your drawing (sky, backgrounds, etc...)

Remember that you cannot do detail work in oil pastels!
The best detailed work can be done using paper stumps.

If you are laying out your drawing with pencil first, be sure to draw lightly, as light colors will not fully cover dark pencil marks.

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Oil pastels. Color mixing and blending. Art lesson.

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You can create textures by first applying bold color to the paper and then going over it with another color until it is completely covered. Next, use a razor blade or a palette knife to scratch off the second color, revealing the color underneath. It creates a result similar to a scratch-board.

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How to Draw Tree with Oil Pastels for Beginners step by step | 3 Types of Tree with Oil Pastels - YouTube

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How to Draw Tree with Oil Pastels for Beginners step by step | 3 Types of Tree with Oil Pastels - YouTube

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How to Draw Tree with Oil Pastels for Beginners step by step | 3 Types of Tree with Oil Pastels

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Mr Wilson Teaches Oil Pastel Pumpkins - YouTube

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Mr Wilson Teaches Oil Pastel Pumpkins - YouTube

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1, 2, 3... Pastel!  Easy Beginner Lesson! You asked for it!

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Pastel Lesson - How to Draw a Rooster - YouTube

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Pastel Lesson - How to Draw a Rooster - YouTube

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Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor

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Beginners' Soft Pastel tutorial | How to draw a Beach view with Soft Pastels

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Beginners' Soft Pastel tutorial | How to draw a Beach view with Soft Pastels

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Beginners' Soft Pastel tutorial | How to draw a Beach view with Soft Pastels | Saminspire

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Pastel Lesson - How to Draw a Bird - YouTube

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Pastel Lesson - How to Draw a Bird - YouTube

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Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor

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Oil pastels can behave like wax-based crayons when they are initially laid on the drawing surface. Typically, the desired end result for the artist is not a "crayon-esque" drawing however. Luckily, as layers are added, the medium becomes more buttery and behaves in a similar fashion to paint.

Interestingly, techniques for oil pastels are very similar to those of colored pencils. Here's a look at what I suggest when using oil pastels...

1. Create an Underpainting - It may be a good idea to create a loose underpainting of values and layer local colors on top.

2. Layer colors - colors should be layered to achieve depth in color and value.

3. Slowly Build Up Applications - Adding large quantities of pastel too quickly can lead to muddied colors.

4. Clean Up the Edges with a Background - You can define the edges of your subject by drawing in the background and cleaning up the edges.

Here's a look at the entire process...

Surfaces for Oil Pastels

(Some of the following links are affiliate links which means we earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.)

Artists may chose to work on a variety of surfaces including paper, canvas, cardboard, or masonite. Most commonly, paper is used. The tooth or texture of the paper also affects the finished image. A heavier tooth or rougher texture of the paper can produce a grainy image while a smoother texture creates a sharper image. Most pastel artists choose to work on surfaces with a substantial tooth because multiple applications of pastel can be applied. Multiple, layered applications of color often leads to more depth in the image. Smoother surfaces can still accept multiple applications, but to a lesser degree.

The surface used in this demonstration is Canson Mi-Teintes paper (affiliate link). This paper is specially designed to accept applications of pastel. Featuring a medium tooth, the paper allows for multiple applications of both soft pastels and oil pastels.

Most artists will find that starting with a toned paper will help in creating a full range of value in the drawing. Starting with a middle value allows the artist to "push" values lighter or darker. The artist can also allow the color of the paper to show through pastel applications in areas to add interest.

Expressionist Oil Pastels

Oil pastels are relatively inexpensive compared to other art media. Sets are widely available and quality can be had without much investment. For most beginners, it is suggested to start with a higher quality oil pastel since the difference in price is minimal.

My favorite oil pastels are the Expressionist Oil Pastels (affiliate link) by Sakura. The pigmentation is rich and the consistency of the binder is buttery. Colors can be easily layered and blended with multiple applications.

How to Draw with Oil Pastels

In this simple lesson, we take a look at drawing an apple with oil pastels. A step by step breakdown of the process can be found further down this page.

Oil Pastel Drawing of an Apple - Step by Step

We'll begin the drawing by lightly drawing the shape of the apple with a brown pastel. Marks are loose in the beginning stages.

Next, we can begin to establish a bit of color and value. The locations of darker value are addressed first. A variety of colors are applied including Dark Rose, Rose Gray, and a bit of Yellow Ochre.

To make the shadows a bit darker, a dark brown is applied. This is followed by an application of the colorless blender, which features the binder of the oil pastel but no pigmentation. Colors mix together, creating a smoother transition between colors and values.

The dark brown application makes the values a bit darker, but black pushes them even further. Black is applied in the locations of shadow with a "light touch". This application is worked into the surface by layering a dark red (Dark Rose) and then mixing it with the colorless blender.

Now work can begin on the lighter values. White is applied to create the highlights on the apple. Yellow Ochre is again applied to strengthen intensity.

For the cast shadow, a layered application of dark brown and bright blue is applied. To create a "cooler" shadow, the blue is allowed to dominate the mixture.

White is applied to clean up the edges of the apple.

The stem of the apple is addressed by layering applications of Burnt Sienna, dark brown, white, and a touch of black.

With a few highlights added to the upper portion of the apple, the drawing is complete.

Landscape Drawing with Oil Pastels

Painterly landscpes are easily created with oil pastels. Because we can layer colors quickly, we can block in areas in a short period of time. These areas can be reworked throughout the process to build up additional depth in the color.

We can chose to use colors that were slightly different from those in the reference photo. By doing so, we were able to create a work of art that was more interesting than the reference photo. This is something that you should always strive to do in your own drawings and paintings. We're artists after all, not cameras.

Here's another approach to landscape drawing with oil pastels. In this lesson series, we took a more Impressionist approach. We still altered the colors slightly to create a more interesting piece of art...

And here's a look at this landscape drawing completed with oil pastels...

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Learn how to use oil pastels to create a colorful and painterly drawing.

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Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor

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Gettin' Sketchy LIVE - Timed Drawing Exercise - Bell Pepper

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Pastel Drawing Lesson - Simple Landscape - YouTube

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Pastel Drawing Lesson - Simple Landscape - YouTube

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Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor

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Pastel Drawing Lesson - Simple Landscape

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Oil Pastel Drawing for Beginners | Beautiful Beach

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Easy Oil Pastel Drawing for Beginners - A Boy in Moonlight Night - STEP by STEP

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Oil Pastel Painting  | easy drawing step by step - mountain, trees, and flowers

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A No Fail Way to Start a Pastel Painting

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Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor

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Oil pastel Drawing/Drawing leaves with water drops

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how i BLEND with oil pastels tutorial, kinda

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How to make an oil pastel monoprint - YouTube

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How to make an oil pastel monoprint - YouTube

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This is easy and super cool!

https://youtu.be/nSlNdc0Rz_Y?si=XQPS999wmURTHKmW

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Cramlington Learning Village Art Department

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How do you draw a bird? Professional pastel pencil artist, Emily Rose, will teach you how to draw a bird in pastel pencils to look realistic with a step by step tutorial and the best pastel pencil guide for beginners and improvers! This beautiful, colourful peacock drawing is easy and simple to crea…

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zoom in!

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Objectives:

Oil pastels are made to be very blendable---they are soft, oily and designed to be mixed and spread together on the paper. For this project there should be evidence of blending and your designs must fill the entire paper. Blending can be done by using your finger or paper towel however it gets fuzzy. The best blending is just by layering colors on top of one another.

You can also create textures by first applying bold color to the paper and then going over it with another color until it is completely covered. Next, use a paper clip to scratch off the second color, revealing the color underneath. It creates a result similar to a scratchboard.

Project tips:

* Oil pastels are messy - if the tip of your oil pastel is dirty, use a paper towel to wipe the tip off.
* Oil pastels smudge - put a paper towel or scrap paper underneath you hand as you color to protect your art and help keep you hands clean.
* Always blend with the lighter color.
* White can be added at the end as a highlight. Simply blend over the top of a light area using white oil pastel.

Project Steps:
1. Get a black paper and pick a print-out that you want to work from for reference. Put your name on it, you will need this to draw from and hand in with your finished project, so don't lose it!

2. Find the middle of your reference photo and black paper using a ruler. Lightly draw a + sign all the way to the edge on each so you can reference placement and proportion. This will simple grid technique will help you know where to draw the main details.

3. LIGHTLY draw with pencil to layout the main areas of your composition. Do not draw all of the tiny details like fur and feathers.

4. Once everything is laid out, start coloring your lightest areas using short strokes. Don't worry too much about the tiny details, yet. You'll be doing a lot of layering.

5. After the light areas, color your middle tone areas.

6. Once the middle tones are done, color your darkest areas.

7. After your colors are laid down, now you can go back and add texture and details by layering the pastels on top of one another. Try to avoid smudging, let the oil pastels blend by coloring on top of one another.

8. Hand in your artwork with your name on the back along with this rubric.

Assessment:

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Objectives: Oil pastels are made to be very blendable---they are soft, oily and designed to be mixed and spread together on the paper. For this project there should be evidence of blending and your designs must fill the entire paper. Blending can be done by using your finger or paper towel however it gets fuzzy.

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How to draw with oil pastels for beginners, a realistic 3D apple step by step - Oil pastels - YouTube

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How to draw with oil pastels for beginners, a realistic 3D apple step by step - Oil pastels - YouTube

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How to draw with oil pastels for beginners, a realistic 3D apple step by step  - Oil pastels

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Simple Oil Pastel Technique-Drawing a White Duck on Dark Paper

This demonstration is designed to illustrate basic oil pastel technique drawing a white duck. I will show you, step by step, how to use the key oil pastel technique-drawing with hatching, cross-hatching, and also touch on the use of washes. If you need oil pastel technique refresher before we get started, click here.

For this exercise, I use my trusted Holbein Artist's Oil Pastel Sets on dark blue Canson pastel paper. Each Holbein oil pastel comes in five -great for capturing the contrasts of light and shadow.

I choose dark blue paper because it will make the light colors of the duck really sparkle. Blue complements the orange-yellow feathers on the duck.

Also, by using the dark paper, I can leave much of the background uncovered and complete the painting using less pastel than I would with a lighter colored surface. It gets tiring having to cover up the whole background with pigment!

Now, let's get started:

Oil Pastel Technique-Drawing a Duck on Dark Blue Paper

1. Using a white charcoal pencil, I draw the duck in the middle of the paper. I try not to place it in the dead center. Instead, to improve the composition, I shift it somewhat to the right side so that there is more room for its face than the tail.

2. By squinting at the reference photo, I identify dark shadows and regions with mid-dark tones. I put these on the paper using a solid pressure on the pastel. The colors might be the wrong tone, but I can change them later.

3. Now I start to build the middle tone regions here and there. I look for minute variations of the middle tones. Again, I squint at the reference photo often to identify these areas. I often have to hold myself back from jumping to the light tones; build those dark and middle tones first. I keep reminding myself of that.

4. Next, I give full attention to the light tones, the most exciting part of the oil pastel technique drawing demo. I squint at the photograph again and also the painting to gauge the tonal relationships. I identify three or four tones and vary the colors I use for the light tones (again, to avoid a monotonous color scheme).

5. To finish the painting, I focus on the highlights and light tones. I also recover any lost dark tones by adding more dark or middle-toned colors. I also add some of the duck's colors onto the surroundings to harmonize the color. For example, I add deep orange into the grass, the duck's shadow, and the top of the duck.

At last this oil pastel painting is done. The colors are vibrant, but not garish, and the tones look good. As I usually do, I set the finished painting aside for a while, and then come back later to see if I need to make changes.

This demo illustrated the use of the most fundamental oil pastel technique-drawing primarily using hatching and cross-hatching. The use of washes is minimal-for accents only. I am satisfied with the textures of the painting.

If you practice the oil pastel technique by drawing all kinds of subjects often, you will improve in no time. Just remember to focus on getting the tonal relationships right!

Explore Drawing And Painting > Oil Pastels > Oil Pastel Drawing Technique

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This demonstration is designed to illustrate basic oil pastel technique drawing a white duck. I will show you, step by step, how to use the key oil pastel technique-drawing with hatching, cross-hatching, and also touch on the use of washes. If you need oil pastel technique refresher before we get started, click here.

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Cool, fun, easy way to create a great oil pastel portrait!

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Cool, fun, easy way to create a great oil pastel portrait!

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check it out!

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Oil Pastel Inspiration

I've been really enjoying using magazine pages as part of my daily practice for enhancing my painting and drawing skills. I was inspired to experiment with this process after discovering Guim Tió Zarraluki a Barcelona based artist on Pinterest. He is best known for using oil pastels to alter fashion magazine images and he has perfected a technique and style for recreating the most interesting abstracted makeovers I've ever seen.

My initial effort was to sketch out my own version of his completed makeovers then use acrylic paint to enhance them. Like this one here with blue hair :) Very fun and an excellent drawing challenge!

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Open And Learning - An Oil Pastel Tutorial - Robin Laws

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I've been really enjoying using magazine pages as part of my daily practice for enhancing my painting and drawing skills. I was inspired to experiment with this process after discovering Guim Tió Zarraluki a Barcelona based artist on Pinterest.

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step by step

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Daily Doodle | Oil Pastel Cherry Drawing

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first create an oil pastel drawing, then paint over with black ink, then scrape away ink to reveal the oil pastel.

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First layer colors, second layer black, then scrape through the black to expose the color. The direction of each mark counts!

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Kwik Six - can be used just like oil pastel!

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Kwik Six - can be used just like oil pastel!

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Kwik Stix/pastel inspiration

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Oil pastels can behave like wax-based crayons when they are initially laid on the drawing surface. Typically, the desired end result for the artist is not a "crayon-esque" drawing however. Luckily, as layers are added, the medium becomes more buttery and behaves in a similar fashion to paint.

Interestingly, techniques for oil pastels are very similar to those of colored pencils. Here's a look at what I suggest when using oil pastels...

1. Create an Underpainting - It may be a good idea to create a loose underpainting of values and layer local colors on top.

2. Layer colors - colors should be layered to achieve depth in color and value.

3. Slowly Build Up Applications - Adding large quantities of pastel too quickly can lead to muddied colors.

4. Clean Up the Edges with a Background - You can define the edges of your subject by drawing in the background and cleaning up the edges.

Here's a look at the entire process...

Surfaces for Oil Pastels

(Some of the following links are affiliate links which means we earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.)

Artists may chose to work on a variety of surfaces including paper, canvas, cardboard, or masonite. Most commonly, paper is used. The tooth or texture of the paper also affects the finished image. A heavier tooth or rougher texture of the paper can produce a grainy image while a smoother texture creates a sharper image. Most pastel artists choose to work on surfaces with a substantial tooth because multiple applications of pastel can be applied. Multiple, layered applications of color often leads to more depth in the image. Smoother surfaces can still accept multiple applications, but to a lesser degree.

The surface used in this demonstration is Canson Mi-Teintes paper (affiliate link). This paper is specially designed to accept applications of pastel. Featuring a medium tooth, the paper allows for multiple applications of both soft pastels and oil pastels.

Most artists will find that starting with a toned paper will help in creating a full range of value in the drawing. Starting with a middle value allows the artist to "push" values lighter or darker. The artist can also allow the color of the paper to show through pastel applications in areas to add interest.

Expressionist Oil Pastels

Oil pastels are relatively inexpensive compared to other art media. Sets are widely available and quality can be had without much investment. For most beginners, it is suggested to start with a higher quality oil pastel since the difference in price is minimal.

My favorite oil pastels are the Expressionist Oil Pastels (affiliate link) by Sakura. The pigmentation is rich and the consistency of the binder is buttery. Colors can be easily layered and blended with multiple applications.

How to Draw with Oil Pastels

In this simple lesson, we take a look at drawing an apple with oil pastels. A step by step breakdown of the process can be found further down this page.

Oil Pastel Drawing of an Apple - Step by Step

We'll begin the drawing by lightly drawing the shape of the apple with a brown pastel. Marks are loose in the beginning stages.

Next, we can begin to establish a bit of color and value. The locations of darker value are addressed first. A variety of colors are applied including Dark Rose, Rose Gray, and a bit of Yellow Ochre.

To make the shadows a bit darker, a dark brown is applied. This is followed by an application of the colorless blender, which features the binder of the oil pastel but no pigmentation. Colors mix together, creating a smoother transition between colors and values.

The dark brown application makes the values a bit darker, but black pushes them even further. Black is applied in the locations of shadow with a "light touch". This application is worked into the surface by layering a dark red (Dark Rose) and then mixing it with the colorless blender.

Now work can begin on the lighter values. White is applied to create the highlights on the apple. Yellow Ochre is again applied to strengthen intensity.

For the cast shadow, a layered application of dark brown and bright blue is applied. To create a "cooler" shadow, the blue is allowed to dominate the mixture.

White is applied to clean up the edges of the apple.

The stem of the apple is addressed by layering applications of Burnt Sienna, dark brown, white, and a touch of black.

With a few highlights added to the upper portion of the apple, the drawing is complete.

Landscape Drawing with Oil Pastels

Painterly landscpes are easily created with oil pastels. Because we can layer colors quickly, we can block in areas in a short period of time. These areas can be reworked throughout the process to build up additional depth in the color.

We can chose to use colors that were slightly different from those in the reference photo. By doing so, we were able to create a work of art that was more interesting than the reference photo. This is something that you should always strive to do in your own drawings and paintings. We're artists after all, not cameras.

Here's another approach to landscape drawing with oil pastels. In this lesson series, we took a more Impressionist approach. We still altered the colors slightly to create a more interesting piece of art...

And here's a look at this landscape drawing completed with oil pastels...

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Learn how to use oil pastels to create a colorful and painterly drawing.

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How to Draw a Lemon with SOFT Pastels - A Timed Drawing Exercise

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How to Draw a Lemon with SOFT Pastels - A Timed Drawing Exercise

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Drawing a Lemon with Pastels

In this timed drawing exercise and challenge, we'll create a sketch of a lemon with pastels. We'll work quickly and attempt to complete the drawing within a 30 minute time constraint. Even though we're only devoting a few minutes to this exercise, we're still exercising the same visual "muscles" as we do when we create a more finished and complete drawing.

The key to developing your drawing skills lies in repetition and practice. As little as a few minutes each day in practice will lead to stronger drawing skills. Grab your pastel materials and let's dive in.

One of the wonderful aspects of pastels is that we can layer colors quickly. This means that we can build up an image in a short period of time. Even though the process of working with pastels is clearly one of drawing, the thought process is more closely related to that of painting.

When we paint with an opaque painting medium like acrylics or oils, we block in shapes with a base color. We can then develop the values and textures over the shape, which leads to a representational illusion. Pastels function in a similar way. We'll start with blocks of color and develop them with additional applications over the top to develop the form and texture of the subject - in this case - a simple lemon.

Materials for this Drawing Exercise

In this drawing, we'll use just a few basic colors and a pastel surface suitable for multiple, layered applications. Any brand of soft pastels will work - you can even use pastel pencils if you prefer. In this lesson, Rembrandt pastels are used. These are considered professional-quality pastels and are very rich in pigmentation. Having used many different brands over the years, these pastels are my favorite - in fact, I own just about every color you can.

The surface is Mi-Teintes pastel paper. A warmer gray is chosen since most of the colors on the lemon and surrounding areas are warmer. However, you could chose a surface that is cooler to produce contrast if you wish. The paper is mostly covered up with pastel applications in this case, so the paper has a minimal effect on the final image.

Mi-Teintes pastel paper is a high quality paper for pastels, but it's priced fairly low. It features two distinct sides. One side of the paper is coarse and heavily textured. The other side is smoother, but still provides ample tooth for multiple, layered applications. We're working on the smoother side of the paper here.

Photo Reference

The photo reference that we're working from comes from pixabay.com. This is a wonderful site for finding photo references. Finding suitable photo references has always been difficult in the past. But with new websites like pixabay.com popping up, it's becoming a lot easier to find great images that are appropriate for practice.

Here's a look at the photo reference of the lemon...

How to Draw a Lemon with Pastels - Step by Step

Now let's break down the process into to easy to understand chunks. We'll start with a simple and loose sketch using a light brown pastel pencil. We'll avoid using black since it's such a strong color and would undoubtably overpower the yellows that we'll add later. You can use any warmer color that you wish here, but I'd suggest staying away from cooler colors, like blue.

Since pastels can be applied opaquely, we'll start blocking in colors in sections that are further away from the viewer and work forward. This means that we'll address the background first and then move to the middle ground, and lastly - the foreground.

The background appears to be black in our reference. Black is an incredibly strong color. On its own, black can make an image appear flat and unnatural. For this reason, we'll add a bit of color. Since most of the colors in the foreground are warm, we can use a cooler color to create a subtle contrast in color temperature. We'll first lay down some blue and smudge the application with our finger. Over the top, we'll add black and continue to smudge the pastels. This will produce a very dark background, but one that is slightly tinted with color. This prevents the dark, "black" background from overwhelming the drawing.

We'll also address the table in which the lemon is sitting at this stage. Remember, the lemon overlaps the table as well, so it makes sense to address it before developing the lemon. A reddish-brown, or burnt sienna, is used to address the basic shape.

Cast shadows are then added over the top of the table and underneath the shape of the lemon with a black pastel pencil. These black applications naturally mix with the color added for the table, toning down the strength of black.

With the background in place, we can turn our attention to the lemon. We'll start with a medium yellow, which serves as our base color. The entire shape of the lemon is blocked in using this color.

Now we can begin to adjust the values to develop the form and texture of the lemon. We'll start with the darker tones in the area of core shadow on the body of the lemon. A medium brown is applied first. Brown is used since it is warm like the base color of the lemon, but darker in value. As this brown is added, it is blended with the yellow already in place.

A bit of color is also added in the shadow. First a touch of red is applied, followed by a little orange. This adds a bit more depth to the color and additional interest.

To address the darkest areas of shadow, found near the base of the lemon, a darker brown is applied. Again, this color is blended to create a gradation.

Now we'll begin developing some of the lighter values. Since the light source originates from the upper right corner, most of these lighter tones will exist on the upper right portion of the lemon. We'll start with a slightly lighter yellow than our base color. Marks are made with a light touch with circular stroking to mimic the coarse texture of the lemon.

Next, we'll add a strong highlight in the upper right quadrant of the lemon with a very light yellow, again using circular strokes. This color may appear white but there is a slight tint of yellow.

We'll add a base application of yellow-green for the stem. Then, as we did with the body of the lemon, we'll begin developing the lighter and darker values. A dark brown is used for the shadow on the underside of the stem and a gray is applied on the tip.

A lighter yellow-green is applied on the stem to act as the highlight. Since this area is quite small, a blending stump is used to blend the applications.

At this point, much of the drawing is complete. We'll now enhance the illusion of light and clean up the drawing.

A touch of light yellow-orange is added to the table for added variety. As an added benefit, the addition of this color increases the contrast between the cast shadow produced by the lemon and the light on the table.

Pastels naturally produce colored dust. During the drawing process, this dust finds its way into areas that you may not intend. Periodically, we'll clean these bits of dust by blending. Now that we're at the end of the drawing, we'll need to conduct a final "tidying up" of this dust that still remains on the surface. In this case, we'll simply use our finger to work any of the colored dust into the paper, restoring the intensity of the color and completing the drawing.

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How to Draw a Lemon with Pastels - Timed Drawing Exercise

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In this timed drawing exercise and challenge, we'll create a sketch of a lemon with pastels. We'll work quickly and attempt to complete the drawing within a 30 minute time constraint. Even though we're only devoting a few minutes to this exercise, we're still exercising the same visual "muscles" as we do when we create a more finished and complete drawing.

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How to draw a dragon eye using chalk pastel - YouTube

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How to draw a dragon eye using chalk pastel - YouTube

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Oil Pastel Drawing in Reverse - The Kitchen Table Classroom

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Oil Pastel Drawing in Reverse - The Kitchen Table Classroom

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Starting with a page of brilliant oil pastel color allows for some color mixing fun. Reverse oil pastel drawing with a focus on line exploration makes a pencil drawing go from simple to "Pop!"

Take me back....

There are a few art activities that just make me feel like I'm about ten years old again. Most of these have nothing to do with the rule laden art classes of school or the fancy kid's classes that were pretty much nonexistent thirty years ago. I'm thinking of making snowflakes from coffee filters, leaf rubbings, and folding up silly origami shapes.

These were things I could do all by myself with no extra "stuff" or intense instruction.

This oil pastel drawing falls under that category. A few simple changes make this classic art activity even more fun.

What you need....

The beauty of a project like this is you don't need much. I remember doing this with crayons. Oil pastels produce a much more vibrant design when you're finished. They are softer and easier to color a larger space than crayons are. These Sakura student quality oil pastels cost about the same price as a cup of coffee and are super vibrant.

Use what you have.

Other than the oil pastels all you need is white paper. Lightweight drawing paper is all you need here. Even copy weight paper will do.

I recommend starting small here so your little artist doesn't suffer from hand fatigue and give up.

You want to lay down enough color to completely cover your paper, whatever size you choose. Cutting an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper in half (making it 5.5″ x 8.5″) would be a good starting point.

Encourage kids to blend color by coloring one over another. Working with a heavy layer of oil pastel will make colors blend as if they were paint!

Line study....

Lay a plain white paper on top of the colored paper. It should be the same size. You want that paper to stay in the same place so if your artists are on the younger side a piece of tape or two to hold the two pieces together will relieve some frustration.

I chose to use the idea of a line study. Head over to this free printable book about the element of line for a kid friendly intro to the idea of different line qualities.

Using a pencil draw some lines vertically up and down the paper; dividing it into stripes of various widths. Kids will fill each section with repeating lines or patterns using a specific type of line.

No mistakes....

One thing I love about this process is that erasing is just not possible. By applying pressure with the pencil color will transfer the from the oil pastel coloring underneath to the plain white paper. When your pencil drawing is finished, flip it over, and voila- a rainbow drawing!

Once you draw that color is already transferred. Whether you use an eraser or not, the line has been drawn.

I hate using erasers with kids so this works for my style of teaching. Make a mistake? Try to make it into something. Art doesn't have to be perfect.

Oil pastel drawing...

The more lines that are drawn with the pencil the more color will be transferred on the back. (Which is actually the front.) Encourage kids to use variety of thick, thin, wavy , round, etc lines. Each space should house a new variety of line with it's own unique quality.

Don't be afraid to scribble over lines two or three times to make them thicker. More lines equals more color!

The best part...

Throw a clean piece of paper over that oil pastel covered paper and do it again.

If you enjoyed this oil pastel drawing project idea then please share it on your favorite social media channel. Every share helps me to bring you more fun projects and free printables!

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Oil Pastel Drawing in Reverse - The Kitchen Table Classroom

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This oil pastel drawing lesson is one of those kid's art projects that takes me back to childhood. It doesn't require much in the way of art supplies, takes zero prep, and will totally engage your students. Throw in an exploration of the element of line and you've got a solid lesson for art class at school or home!

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Oil Pastels Tips and Techniques for Artists

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Oil Pastels Tips and Techniques for Artists

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Hey there, fellow artists! Welcome to OilPastelTechniques.com, your colorful hub for all things oil pastels. My name is Eric, and I'm excited to share my passion for oil pastels art, and to guide you through the oil pastel techniques, tips, tricks and advice that can help you with your own oil pastel drawings and paintings.

Quick bio about me!

I'm an artist who was introduced to oil pastels during my time in art school back in 2009. After our first few assignments, I realized the potential of using oil pastels and fell in love with them!

Now that I am more established as an oil pastels artist, I often am asked about various techniques people can use for their own artwork using oil pastels.

You can view some of my own art on the gallery here for oil pastels art.

Why Oil Pastels?

I love oil pastels because I find them versatile, expressive, easy to use, and I find them very enjoyable to work with. My personal favorite brand is Sennelier Oil Pastels.

It may seem a little narrow in focus to have a website about only oil pastels, but that is in fact my intention with this website.

As an experienced oil pastelist, I'm frequently asked about the different techniques that artists can apply to create their own oil pastels art. While there are some fantastic websites out there that discuss various oil pastel styles and techniques, I noticed a gap for a site focused exclusively on oil pastel techniques. That's how OilPastelTechniques.com was born, and I'm hopeful it will become your go-to resource for everything related to oil pastels.

Here, we'll delve into the world of oil pastel techniques, exploring methods such as blending, scumbling, wet and dry techniques, and different styles like impressionist or realist- you name it! Our mission is to help you unleash your inner oil pastels artist and create stunning art pieces that will captivate your audience.

I realize there are many techniques and tips, and while there are a few good websites out there explaining different oil pastels styles and techniques, I haven't seen any one site yet that talks about only techniques using oil pastels. I'm hopeful this website can be your go-to resource for everything related to oil pastels.

The Oil Pastel Techniques to be discussed here will include blending, scumbling, both wet and dry techniques, different styles like impressionist or realist - you name it!

Next Steps on your Oil Pastels Journey

A good place to get started is to check out either of the following articles:

Also, I am available on Facebook at Facebook.com/OilPastelsArtist

If anyone has a suggestion or question or a new method they would like to see discussed, just ask and I will see what I can do to create an article based on that suggestion.

I look forward to creating the absolute best resource on the internet for oil pastel techniques, tips, and tricks.

Finally, you can browse the Oil Pastels Store I set up featuring useful art supplies that every oil pastels artists should consider having.

Happy oil pasteling! 🙂

With best regards! Eric

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Oil Pastel Techniques - #1 Resource for Oil Pastels Tips and Advice

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Tips, advice and oil pastel techniques. A website for oil pastels artist offering approaches on how to use the oil pastels art medium.

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Intro To Pastels: How To Blend With Oil Pastels 

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Intro To Pastels: How To Blend With Oil Pastels 

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Oil pastels are awesome! How to blend with oil pastels is really easy, after understanding these two simple steps.

1. Build the pastels from light colors to dark colors.

2. Then use your lightest color to smooth and blend.

Materials

Watch How To Blend With Oil Pastels
Side tip: The free download specifically uses small squares to help conserve oil pastels. As a parent I am (sometimes) money conscious, and one thing you'll find out about oil pastels...they disappear quickly. They disappear because they "go on" thick. So with any oil pastel activity, I tend to keep the activities smaller.
If you're having trouble watching the video here, watch it on YouTube!

Step By Step Instructions (fire)

1. Use the yellow oil pastel to first color the fire edges.

2. Then use orange to create the same fire shape, but lower than the yellow edge.

3. Next do the same with the red oil pastel. Draw the same fire shape but lower than the orange edges.

4. Then with the yellow oil pastel, go back over all the colors. This will smooth out the texture and blend all the colors together.

5. To do the background we switched the rule, and used the darker color (red) first. That's fine, it'll just give you a different (darker) result. Use the red oil pastel to quickly color in the background.

6. Then use orange (or yellow) to smooth and blend the red.

That's it! Now experiment with it by trying different colors and see how it turns out.

Download And Print

If you'd like to download this free oil pastel activity, click the image below and right click to save.

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Intro To Pastels For Kids: How To Blend With Oil Pastels - Art For Kids Hub -

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Fun and quick how to blend with oil pastels tutorial for kids! Watch the short video, and download the free printable activity.

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Oil Pastels may rank as one of the most versatile art supplies you can ever invest in. Almost any medium intended for use with oil painting will work well with them, and you can get effects similar to most types of oil paintings using those mediums on canvas or gessoed hardboard.

Scumbling, hatching, drawing, pointillism, expressive strokes or carefully blended smooth passages are all possible using them dry.

Sketching under Oil Pastels

Start out with sketching a contour drawing on watercolor paper, sanded pastel paper or your choice of good surface.

Underpainting Underpainting is another useful technique with oil pastels. By adding a wash or a flat underpainting under different areas, you can eliminate the white flecks from white paper, create richer color or use complements to build interest.

Oil pastels can mix on the page or on a palette. You can blend them to produce smooth gradients or hyper-realism.

Crumb control is essential in realism and important sometimes even in loose impressionistic or sketchy styles. This article discusses ways of removing or eliminating those annoying crumbs from the paint layer or bare background of an oil pastels piece.

Watersoluble oil pastels with plain water create a variety of transparent and opaque wet effects. A heavy application can be smoothed with a wash or blended. These techniques are the same if you use odorless turpentine, linseed and other oils or Liquin medium with regular oil pastels. The results of different oil mediums will be handled separately in other future articles, odorless turpentine is the one that handles most like this water-based demonstration.

Thinner Wash

Any solvents you use for oil painting such as odorless turpentine substitutes, turpentine itself or Zest-It citrus thinner can be used to get the same effects as water with watersoluble oil pastels. This demonstration of thinner wash with a yellow rose painting on canvas paper shows how the results will look and gives a copiable tracing of the outlines so that you can try this technique even if roses give you trouble.

I will cover linseed oil and other oils used as thinners with oil pastels in another article later, the look is different but the technique is similar.

Tonal Layers

Creating smooth tonal layers without distinct thick or thin areas and strokes is an important technique for realism. These layers of broken color can either work well by themselves or get blended into smooth transitions with a lighter color.

Grass Texture

Grass texture is something many beginners have trouble with. Using descriptive short vertical strokes can create beautiful textures for clipped lawns or wild clumps of tall grass.

How to Draw Grass in Oil Pastels

A step by step demonstration of choosing colors and layering short jagged strokes to create sunlit and shadow areas on a clipped lawn. Picks up where "Grass Textures" left off, shows specifics on how to use color and value to draw grass with an impressionist look.

Reflections and Shadows

Careful observation of the shape and color of reflections and shadows is an important part of realism, demonstrated with a study of three shiny black cherries. The effects can be very dramatic, especially working from life.

Details

Realism demands very small details sometime. Small accurate details or accents can also be important in many other styles. Happily there are numerous ways of achieving detail with oil pastels. This article describes some and links to others.

Sgraffito

Used dry, oil pastels handle in ways similar to soft pastels -- and can do things you'd never think of trying with the dusties. One of these is sgraffito. Lay down one color and blend it smooth, then cover it with a lighter or darker cover. Scraping through the outer layers reveals the first color you put on. If you want white details revealed, just use white for your first layer.

Temperature Tricks

You can also use temperature to alter the softness or hardness of both what's already on your painting and the sticks in your hand. If it seems like it won't take any more layers, warm your sticks in your fingers but put your artwork in the fridge for twenty minutes.

Using a warm stick on a chilled artwork will give it a better chance of good coverage. Alternately, you can try a heated drawing surface to melt the sticks as you apply them for an effect closer to encaustic painting. I haven't done encaustic, but I've seen it done well and it shouldn't be that hard emulating it with a heated drawing surface.

Tips for Special Surfaces

Every type of paper, board, canvas, wood or glass you work on will demand different techniques. So this section will start with some basics and expand into the specifics of working on different surfaces in different conditions with different tools, mediums and techniques.

So if you're bored, wondering what to do with your oil pastels on a Saturday afternoon, check this section for updates. You might find something new to inspire you. If you've tried something new and weird, don't hesitate to let me know and show me the results!

Projects and Demonstrations

Art Lesson -- Fish and Coral Demonstration Continuation of the Fish and Coral underpainting from the Underpainting lesson to a completed small painting, with tips for scaling it up and elaborating it to a larger reef painting using watercolor pencils and Cretacolor Aqua Stic watersoluble oil pastels.

Art Lesson -- Cretaceous Leaf Fossil Demonstration

A study I painted of a Cretaceous leaf fossil became a step by step demonstration of using Holbein oil pastels for layering, blending, color mixing and developing awareness of your creative process.

Art Lesson -- White Rock Blending Demonstration

In this third art lesson, I demonstrate blending oil pastels in a 4" x 6" study of a white quartz pebble on a blue-gray background using Mungyo Gallery oil pastels on ProArt sketchbook paper.

Art Lesson - Pink Petunia Project
Step by step demonstration of a flower portrait done with student grade oil pastels in a hardbound sketchbook. Teaches drawing from the negative space and color harmony.

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Wet and dry techniques you can use with oil pastels

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How to Draw With Oil Pastels: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

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How to Draw With Oil Pastels: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

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3 Ways to Draw With Oil Pastels - wikiHow

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Drawing with oil pastels is a fun activity that combines the characteristics of wax crayons and pastels. And while the end result can be beautiful, oil pastels are a bit more difficult to use and blend than standard types. Of course, with...

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How To Use Colour Shapers To Blend Pastel

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How To Use Colour Shapers To Blend Pastel

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The colour shaper is a tool that I can confidently say has transformed my artwork.

Before I was introduced to them, I would blend pastel using a blending stump or my finger (I still use my finger occasionally for large areas).

The main issue I had with using either of these methods is that the blending stump didn't give a soft enough blend, and my fingers were too large to blend detailed areas.

What is a Colour Shaper?

A colour shaper is a brush-like tool with a rubber end. It can in fact be used as a brush because you can use the colour that transfers onto the end to mix with the other colours in your picture. We also hold it and use it in a similar way, with brush strokes.

Here's a video introducing the shapers that I use:

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How To Use Colour Shapers To Blend Pastel

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The colour shaper is a tool that I can confidently say has transformed my artwork. Before I was introduced to them, I would blend pastel using a blending stump or my finger (I still use my finger occasionally for large areas).

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"Muncher" (pastel, 7x5 inches) c lick here to bid

Day 21 of my 30-paintings-in-30-days of September!

While I was searching for a name for this fellow, I came across the funniest site! Need to name your squirrel? Check this out! It's a hoot!
Squirrel Name Generator
Though I didn't find Muncher's name there, I've bookmarked it for future reference. Saw quite a few usable names in there for cows, llamas, bunnies, etc.

Here are just a few progress shots for Muncher:

Thanks for watching! Please share!

.

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Rita Kirkman Daily Paintings and Art Journal

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"Muncher" (pastel, 7x5 inches) c lick here to bid Day 21 of my 30-paintings-in-30-days of September! While I was searching for a n...

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7 Distinct Techniques to Transform Your Oil Pastel Projects | The Art of Ed

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7 Distinct Techniques to Transform Your Oil Pastel Projects | The Art of Ed

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Oil pastels are one of those mediums that you either love or hate. Sometimes, the mess of them smeared over every surface just outweighs the benefits of using them in your classroom.

Maybe you have always felt that you were demonstrating techniques incorrectly leading to your students' work looking like they used plain ol' crayons. Well, have no fear! Here are seven techniques to wow your students with the next time you dig out the oil pastels. Be sure to download the handy guide at the end of this article!

1. Heavy Pressure Blending
Generously add oil pastel in one direction onto your paper. Layer additional colors on top to create a rich, blended look. Experiment with black or white pastel for shadowing and highlighting effects. Here's a quick lesson that uses this technique.

2. Light Pressure Blending
Lightly add oil pastels on paper with little pressure. Layer more colors to achieve various values or even different hues.

3. Color Mixing
Apply a rich layer of oil pastel then follow with another color applied on top (consider trying primaries first). Continue to blend/layer additional colors to achieve your desired hue. Students could practice this technique when creating nature drawings.

4. Stippling
Using small, choppy strokes, create a stippled effect on your paper. Layer additional colors for depth within your technique.

5. Scumbling
Apply controlled, scribbled marks of oil pastel. Build up with additional layers of various colors to reach desired value and texture.

6. Sgraffito
Overlap two thick layers of different oil pastel colors on paper. Using a paper clip or wooden stylus, scratch or scrape away line designs revealing the color underneath.

7. Oil
Using a cotton swab soaked in baby oil, smooth the oil pastel to create blended color or your paper. Let dry overnight.

Try these techniques the next time you are considering using oil pastels in your classroom. You and your students will be surprised at the flexibility of this adaptable material. For additional reference, I've created a guide for all the techniques mentioned available for download below!

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Students in our Instructional Strategies class regularly share ideas just like these. If you need PD hours and want to take a relevant course, Instructional Strategies is a slam dunk. The collaboration and participation between class participants is amazing. You'll walk away with lessons, technical strategies and fixes for your most common materials issues. You can't leave the course uninspired!
What is your favorite way to create with oil pastels? What oil pastel techniques do you regularly show students?

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7 Distinct Techniques to Transform Your Oil Pastel Projects - The Art of Education University

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Oil pastels are one of those mediums that you either love or hate. Sometimes, the mess of them smeared over every surface just outweighs the benefits of using them in your classroom. Maybe you have always felt that you were demonstrating techniques incorrectly leading to your students' work looking like they used plain ol' crayons.

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 Oil Pastel "Batiks"- glue on black paper

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 Oil Pastel "Batiks"- glue on black paper

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Oil Pastel "Batiks"- glue on black paper

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Although the materials are nothing like that of real wax-resist batik, the look is similar with wide, flowing outlines. Many of us were unsu...