Articles about oil pastels and oil-based art products and accessories

---

We add new articles to our website every three months and make it a point to update existing ones to include more information or enhance their appearance. Remember to visit us often for the latest updates. To access articles of interest, click on any of the images below. Not all articles may be available for viewing, as some are still in progress or will be created soon. If you have any requests for specific articles, don't hesitate to contact us through our contact page. 
​
To support our website, which receives no funding, you can buy us a coffee for as little as £3/$3. We appreciate your support in helping us provide free content for artists worldwide.

Starting out with Oils | Beginners guide

An article written by Welsh artist Chris Chalk. If you feel daunted by oil paints and want to know where to start, this article offers some helpful advice and explains the 3 most important things you will need to begin.

Faber Castell | Oil-based coloured pencils

The Polychromos pencils by Faber-Castell are probably the most loved oil based pencil out there. Available in 120 highly lightfast colours and made from high quality materials.

Winsor & Newton | Artisan oils

Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour is a genuine oil colour made from modified linseed oil and modified safflower oil. This modification means Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colours can be used without hazardous solvents - they can be cleaned up with water. 
​​

An Introduction to oil pastels | Ken Bromley Art blog post

Oil pastels are a versatile medium, yet often undervalued. With a wide range of techniques available, they offer countless possibilities for artists. ​Read the blog.

Sennelier | Oil pastels

The Sennelier oil pastel is creamy, with an extraordinarily high pigment content, providing vivid colour and lightfastness. In this article, we delve into the possibilities of this pastel, its history and much more.
​

Paul Rubens | HAIYA oil pastels

We had the opportunity to try out the Paul Rubens Oil Pastels and wrote a review about the experience. The set includes 48 unique and creamy shades with a smooth texture.

Papers and Canvases

Art Spectrum | Colourfix

Art Spectrum® Colourfix™ papers are sheets of acid-free, 300gsm hot pressed watercolour paper with a fine, deep tooth. It is a superb surface for pastels, oils, acrylics, inks, oil pastels, gouache, watercolours and dry media such as charcoal and pencils.

Art Spectrum | Colourfix smooth

For fans of the Colourfix paper, did you know that the company also has a smooth version too? Find out more about the Colourfix Smooth, compare between other surfaces and see where you can buy some. 

Canson | Mi-tientes 'Touch'

A highly innovative and unique surface - this versatile, finely textured paper is perfect for pastel, charcoal, pencil, & acrylic artists and suitable for both dry and wet media techniques.

Clairfontaine | Pastelmat

This is one of the most prized surfaces, especially among pastel artists. This article provides an extensive analysis of the paper and explores the characteristics and abilities in depth. It can be used with other mediums too, not just pastels. Find out what this paper can offer you as an artist.

UArt | Dark sanded paper

Here we trial coloured pencils on the latest UArt dark sanded paper. How did it compare to other papers? See how we got on.
​Also ideal for use with pastels.
​

Tim Fisher | Fisher 400

Developed by Tim Fisher specifically for painting with pastels. The paper has no surface pattern, which can otherwise show through, on your painting, and it will take layer after layer of pastel. Suitable for both fine, detailed work and also for more impressionistic painting. It is also very good for mixed media.

ARTICLE NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

Ampersand Boards

Looking for a high quality canvas for your art? Ampersand have a collection of boards available for artists of all mediums from paint to scratchboard. 

Ampersand | Gessobord

This superior quality gesso ground does not dull colours and the lightly sanded surface provides excellent brush control, perfect for all painting styles with oils, acrylics, airbrush and mixed media.

Ampersand | Pastelbord 

This canvas is an ideal surface for many different mediums, not just pastels and in this article I show what is achievable using acrylics & coloured pencils. Suitable for acrylic, casein, charcoal, coloured pencil, graphite, mixed media, dry pastel and oil pastel. 

Why not try one of our tutorials for oil pastel artists

We recommend checking out our tutorials if you are starting with oil pastels. Each tutorial features step-by-step instructions and images to guide you through the process. You'll learn how to create a solid foundation and add intricate details to make your artwork more realistic. For beginners, we suggest starting with the 'Strawberry' tutorial and then progressing to the 'All artists' tutorials. If you feel confident, you can jump straight into the 'Intermediate' tutorials for a challenging experience.

Juicy Strawberry | Oil pastel tutorial

Are you new to oil pastels or wish to try the medium, but unsure where to start? Oil pastels are so easy to manipulate, which make them an ideal medium for the absolute beginner. We provide a simple step by step guide, allowing you to create a highly effective drawing in just 10 minutes.