Do pastels work on wood?

Tips and techniques for using oil pastels. Oil pastels can be used wet or dry on any support: paper, board, canvas, glass, metal, wood. . . even rock.

What material do you use oil pastels on?

You can use oil pastels on paper, cardboard, and even on glass, plastic, and wood. Many also prefer to use oil pastels on canvas. Just remember to take into account that oil pastels never really dry, so smudging can be an issue.

What is the best material to use oil pastels on?

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.

Can you put varnish over oil pastel?

Oil pastels are made with non-drying oils and wax, which means they never dry or cure. This can be a great feature as they remain workable indefinitely, but it makes varnishing pretty much impossible as subsequent coatings do not adhere on these pastels permanently.

Can I use hairspray to seal oil pastels?

Some artists don’t like the way hairspray dries (it can make certain shades look lighter or darker than they should), but studies show that hairspray is a perfectly fine alternative to keep your oil pastels from smudging.

Are oil pastels drawing or painting?

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.

Will oil pastels dry?

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.

Are oil pastels permanent?

What are oil pastels good for?

A cleaner medium than chalk pastels, but still softer and more blendable than either colored pencils or crayons, oil pastels are a great tool for both sketching and making finished pieces. Thinned with oil or solvents, they can also be used for painting.

Is acrylic paper good for oil pastels?

While not a mixed medium paper, oil pastel paper can also be used for soft pastels, pencils, and light acrylic and watercolors (remember it’s not rated at 300 gsm – so it will need to be stretched to prevent warping).

What is the difference between oil pastels and soft pastels?

Oil pastels work well on different surfaces, including paper, wood, glass, plastic, and canvas. Oil pastels have a similar characteristic to crayon or oil paints. The main difference between oil pastels and other pastels is that oil pastels do not blend as easily as soft pastels because of the different binders.

Do you need a brushes to use oil pastels?

Yes, you can use solutions, brushes and other artists tools for working with oil pastels. But it isn’t required. As far as paper or surfaces, oil pastels work on a variety of papers. If you are interested in what type of paper is best for oil pastels check out my article Best Paper for Oil Pastels.

Do I need to seal my oil pastels before framing?

Oil pastels do not need a sealant/varnish for them to be ready to frame. There are several ways to provide additional protection to the surface though, especially if you are painting on board, metal or wood and do not intend to frame them at all. Sennelier makes a finishing spray to help seal the oil pastels. You can find it here.

What is the difference between oil and wax pastels?

Oil pastels contain a pigment for the color and an oil or wax binder. Oil pastels work well on different surfaces, including paper, wood, glass, plastic, and canvas. Oil pastels have a similar characteristic to crayon or oil paints.