Oil Pastel Drawings

What is Oil Pastel Drawing? 

When it comes to drawing, an artist has the option to choose from various medium for painting and colouring the image. One such painting and drawing medium, which is a pigment mixed with a binder mixture of non-drying oil and wax is called oil pastels. These oil pastels are available in form of a stick. The painting made using these oil pastels is called Oil pastel drawing. These colours are available in a stick form. 

The oil pastels are different from wax crayons which are made without using oil. 

Commercial oil pastels 

Oil Pastel Drawing for beginners:

Most people think that oil pastel drawing is only for children, but this is far from being correct. Many great artists have done oil pastel scenery drawing on canvas using these oil pastels. As a painting technique, oil pastels may be used alone or along with acrylic inks and paints, and watercolours, on a variety of surfaces, to create vibrant and beautiful paintings that will maintain their vibrancy for years to come.  

So, if you are a beginner and looking for oil pastels drawing ideas, then read on. The following section gives tips for oil pastel drawing for beginners.  

1. Select a proper paper for oil pastel drawing: As commonly said, “Well begun is half done”. So, as a beginner into oil painting drawing, start by choosing a paper, which is suitable for water-soluble mediums. Regular paper, cardboard or even mixed-media sketchbook may not be suitable for this.  
2. Plan colours before you start drawing: Once you get an oil pastel drawing idea, plan the colours you are going to use. This is because the choice of colours is very important to make great artwork. For example, if you are planning oil pastel drawing sunset, then you should choose colours that are coherent, harmonious and in unity with each other and also with nature. Depending upon the drawing, at times, you may use contrasting colours also. An ideal way will be to use a combination of complementary colours, analogous colours, earth tones, etc.   

Oil pastel drawing sunset 

3. Make a rough design with a pencil: Before start colouring, take a light pencil and make a rough design or initial sketch on the paper. These light pencil marks can be erased easily, using a good quality eraser. 
4. Outline the light and dark areas of the painting: While creating the initial sketch, figure out the light and dark areas of the painting. And while colouring the dark areas, be careful to protect the lightest areas throughout your painting process.  
5. Test the colours before painting: It may be a good idea to keep a small sample of the drawing paper before you start applying colours. So, before you apply the colour on the main sheet, you can test the colour and see how it will look on the paper. 
6. Paint the colour carefully: When you start applying colours to the drawing, always start with the areas with light colours, and then slowly move towards the areas with darker colour or shades. For creating the darker shades, you may add a layer of paint over another. 
7. Give time to dry: To provide a dark shade, you may apply more than one layer. But it’s important to allow one layer to dry, before applying the next layer.  For example, while making oil pastel scenery drawing, where there are multiple shades, after applying one layer; give it some time to dry. Once the first layer has dried up, apply the second layer
8. Clean brushes between colours: Just like, it’s important to give time to each layer for drying, it is also very important to clean the brush before applying the next colour. So, if you are using the same paintbrush for applying different colours, be sure to rinse the brush with clean water and gently swivel it in the water. Clean the brush with a dry cloth. This will ensure that there is no muddiness in your painting.  
9. Replace your water frequently: To ensure that there is muddiness in the painting, apart from cleaning the brush, it is very important toreplace the water. For example, while making a beautiful night sky oil pastel drawing, it’s very important to replace water, as soon as it starts becoming murky. This is why; some artists prefer to work with multiple water cups at the same time to avoid  But you may choose the style that suits you
10. Invest in good quality oil pastel colours: When it comes to using oil pastels for drawing,it isrecommended that you choosee quality over quantity. A lot depends on the subjects that you are going to paint, such as landscapes, interior scenery, portraits, food, etc.; you may go for sets that contain colours you will be using.  

Oil pastel scenery drawing 

It’s a better idea to buy good quality small sets, rather than a larger one with poor quality. While buying colours, go for colours that blend well, while mixing  

Conclusion:  

So, you are an oil pastel newbie, and looking for oil pastels drawing ideas? Oil pastels drawing is a real colourful flight that will give wings to your and whimsical journey into the world of art.  

Oil pastels are an improved version of the crayon and made up of a soft, oily composition that helps them blend very well with each other. These oil pastels allow a beginner to unleash his/her imagination and expand creative boundaries by picking up new skills and learning fresh ways to use this diverse medium.   

To start oil pastel drawing, first, choose a subject. The subject may be anything, from oil pastel drawing sunset to oil painting scenery drawing or even beautiful night sky oil pastel drawing. Once you choose a subject, make a rough sketch with a light pencil and then start filling it with oil pastels. The pencil marks can be erased easily later.