One of the best feelings is seeing someone else be really enthousiastic and passionate about something I hold so dear myself. I am a total nerd about this stuff, so seeing someone spend their free time exactly how I would, makes me smile ear to ear
Thanks, Kjeld! I feel very seen by your comment, because the feeling you described is what made me make videos in the first place. Hopefully many more channels like this are coming our way :) 🌻 ☀️
I would add that I found the sculpture silicone tools to both rub the pastel where I want it like using a brush, and to mix small amounts to the color I want to use, and you can remove a little with the spoon shaper one if it’s gotten too heavy.
I love that you put the "Artist Type" in the video. I'm definitely impatient and spontaneous when it comes to art mediums so I'm excited to give this a try
9:08 that little house look awesome. I cannot live without hairspray, it is fantastic and beautiful scented fixative, a joy to use and makes oil pastel drawing dry in 5 minutes.
So after you spray it with hairspray, or another fixative, it’s fully protected? And will not smear onto another piece of art? That’s very interesting.
Excellent video thank you. I have only recently discovered oil pastels and I really like them. The biggest tip I would add is that Sennelier makes an oil pastel fixative spray that will fix the paint so you won't be able to change it but you can be sure it won't smudge.
Thank you for your feedback, Terrence! I am glad you're having a good time with oil pastels. And thanks for the extra tip! I nowadays use Jaxell or Sennelier Fixative and can only agree with you that the extra penny is worth the piece of mind 😌
I didn't want to admit it, but this artistic medium was made for me. you described all the advantages and all the disadvantages, and I loved both sides! I will devote myself to learning more and more.Your art with sticks was beautiful!
That is awesome! 🥳I am glad to hear it. I fell in love with oil pastels as well, the whole process from start to finish is so much fun for me. I'm sure you'll have a great time experimenting. Feel free to write me with comments about your process or if you have questions. I try to make an oil pastel video every second week now and always love to talk about them.😁
Thank you for your attention and kindness in answering..I'm going to post some tentative faces on Instagram, because I love portraits. Lets see if it works.
Thank you! Well done. You are the first reviewer I have found to discuss toxicity….I was put off of soft pastels because of the dust. Now I have been playing with mixed media and have been interested in using the oil pastels, as well.
Thank you, Susan! It was the same for me, the soft pastel's dust and tendency to travel further than intended put me off as well. As I ventured into artist grade oil pastels, there are a few colors that are indeed toxic. In Europe each stick has to show its toxicity on the stick itself, therefore it is no problem for me. Keep an eye for that though, if it is something you want to avoid. Have fun paitning :) !
I'm so happy to hear that! I wish someone had told me more often 'This is not great for impatient people' before I tried out new art mediums. Would have saved me a lot of time :D Thank you so much for your feedback!
Love this tutorial, I have never used oil pastels before! I am researching the pros and cons of using these. I am truly happy I came across your channel…easy to understand and you have a soothing voice. I find some videos are way too fast and not clear. I thank you for sharing the uses of this product.
Enjoyed the tips and reminder that you just need a blender or finger and paper along with your pastels. No need for a wide space to work in because of the little equipment needed to use oil pastels. Much appreciated, thank you for sharing! 🤗❤️👍🏾💯
very helpful, I think my high school students would benefit from seeing/listening to this video, as they often think they have oil pastels covered! The comment about the first grade painting made me smile!
Same for me, I don't like the smell at all. I'll soon try out water-soluable oil paint (Schmincke Norma Blue) and am pretty excited to see how they behave.
Iv been strugling to find a media to practice colors for a couple years. Tried pencils, watercolor, digital and markers but never sticking to much to them. This weeknd i got a 12 color oil pastel set and had a lot of fun. Its quick to experiment and learn how it behaves. Loved your video!
Hi Lucas! Glad you enjoy oil pastels and that the video helped. I tried many mediums as well and in Oil Pastels I finally found a unique and engaging mix of working with colors, creating texture and achieving vibrant results. Have fun painting! 👋 Francis
@@FrancisArtStudioyesterday I was doing still life studies which i usualy avoid, so that must mean something lol. Im looking forward to get the book"oil pastel: material and technique for todays artist" and a better set os oil pastels. Just struggling a little to find afordable and good quality pastels here in Brasil, but i will work this out
Love this, thanks! Just a note - I just scanned a bunch of my beginning oil pastels, and it seemed to be ok... But yes, you need to be carful to avoid smudges, crumbs, etc. on both artwork and glass of scanner... OP's are great as both underlays and overlays, both dark and light, also apply and then remove with cloth for a stained effect. It's a wash much quicker than water color! Both dark and light, sgraffito fun. Use a cheaper brand to achieve a harder edge, or to block in? Pencil graphite turns to liquid when it hits that oil... it flows like paint! Try a 3B or so... Also, embrace the smudge, try op *over pencil for a dreamy mess*
That sounds like you are having a great time experimenting and achieving different looks with your Oil Pastels, glad to hear it! My Faber Castell pencils unfortunately don't work like that with the Oil Pastels, which brand are you using for that smooth blending effect? Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you. This is very helpful. I'm strictly a hobby painter, and I've been working with watercolor, gouache and recently soft pastels. I really like the "oil" paint look that I can achieve with my new oil pastels.
I'm glad the video helped! I was truly astonished by their looks when I painted the little house (my very first oil pastel painting). Glad the medium found a fan in you 🌞🎨
12:58 your video is fantastic but since you don't use hairspray you are missing a brutally important tool to control oil pastels. Firstly, hairspray is cost effective human friendly to give protective final finish layer. Secondly, a gentle thin spray is enough to fixate the bottom layers and you can paint immediately a second layer on top without messing around with the bottom layers. That church looks gorgeous:D
That is an awesome tip! It's news to me and I don't own hairspray, but will get some as soon as possible. Thank you for all these incredible tips, I'll try them out soon :)
5:02 160 gsm is regular pastel paper and works excellent. Interestingly, however for oil pastels Hahnemühle Ingres 100 gsm works brilliantly. It is available in black, too, Hahnemühle is very high quality paper. Canson Mi-Teintes 160 gsm is brutally awesome paper too for anything except watercolor.
I have the Ingres 100 as well, the colors it comes in are inspiring on their own already. Same for the Pastelmat (which I haven't tried yet). the paper colors are just incredible.
@LOMLA Pastelmat is excellent, but waste of money for oil pastels, you will have the same result on regular paper, like, for example, Canson Mi-Teintes. I think buying Sennelier oil pastel sticks is a lot better investment.
Yeah i have very old ones (6 years or more) from Pentel and some of them cannot be used at all (like red) But other brands (Artel) have 12 years and the colors are as good as the first day i used them. I think it depends on the formula of the crayons. But beside of that factor this was a 10/10 tutorial.
I have had the cheapest(crayola, pentel, impressionists) to the most expensive (sennelier) all for many many many years and none of the sticks have dried out. As to the painting itself I spray it with a fixative to protect the oil from smudging and store it under acid free paper.
Thank you for his helpful video! I did try this medium years ago and you have inspired me to try them again. After using other mediums I am hoping to have gained enough knowledge to use oil pastels more effectively than when I was 16 years old! Thank you!
Hi Carolyn! It is my main goal for these videos to inspire others to create and have fun with trying different mediums. It truly warms my heart to hear that you will give oil pastels another go because of this video, thank you for telling me this ☺ I wish you lots of fun experimenting and hope you have a great time with your oil pastels. Francis 🌻☀
Hi Francis, I really enjoyed watching this. I don’t think they would be for me, but have only truly realised this by watching you. I am too much about the tiny details to truly enjoy them. Thanks for a very informative and much needed video! 🎨🖌👩🎨😻
Hi Anita, thank you so much for your feedback and I have to say your comment makes me very happy! What you describe is exactly what I hope to achieve with this video series. To know what works for oneself is just as important as to know what is not your style and which art mediums you don't need to spend time on. I'm happy this helped 😊
After applying linseed oil or thinner for blanding with oil pastels, could I apply fixative or varnish directly? How long should I wait for the linseed oil to dry before varnishing it? Does acrylic varnish work on linseed oil or thinner?
Hi, could you help me? I'm from Brazil and I'm starting with oil pastels. I would like to make a sketchbook but I still don't know if I should do that, leaving loose-leaf drawings in folders bothers me. I bought 180 gram Cansol paper, I can find it here in Brazil and it's cheap and good for this technique. If I use both sides of the sheet, will the fact that the drawing touches the drawing made with chalk damage the drawings?
Hello Ademir! If your paper touches the next page without a protective layer, it wil create a very small amount of static electricity. That will move the pigments on your drawings around, better know as smudging or damaging the painting. So you should definitely use a protective layer of antistatic paper sheets. The paper has different names around the world, but you can try any thin paper that is acid free and antistatic (search for 'pergamin', 'glassin' or 'flower wrapping tissue'. I also have a video on the channel where I make such a DIY sketchbook, it should be in the oil pastel playlist. Hope this helps and you'll have a gret time with oil pastels!
You could also try using a fixative spray for oil pastel. I would try that on some scrap pieces of paper with pastel swatches and lay they on top of each other after applying and allowing the fixative to dry and see what happens. I use oil pastel and have sprayed them with fixative. Then they go into a drawr right on top of each other. I haven't seen any smudging whatsoever.
Hello. Thank you for all the info. Very helpful. Am also an Artist. A Pastel artist. Very opposite common denominators between oil, pastels and regular pastels. The drying part especially. So from stopping my pastels from smearing, fading and preserving. The is a sealer spray. Matt finish or clear or a final sealer. Is there a spray that will dry n preserve the oil pastel painting?
Hi Roxanne! I am using Jaxell Universal Fixative, which is archival grade and works very well for me. It's an alcoholic mixture of shellack and synthetic resin. If you let the painting 'dry' for a few days and then apply the fixative spray, you'll be at least able to touch it without smudging. It will never fully dry, though. I recommend using a sketchbook with protective paper (glassine) in between each sheet. I have a video on how to make a small one yourself and I sell them in my shop as well (but it's currently closed). Best wishes, Francis ☀️
@@FrancisArtStudio Thank you so much for your response 💫✌🏼🙏🏼 never fully dry is just crazy. No instant gratification with oil pastels. Js Hope all of your Art becomes a Masterpiece of Love 💕
How well do oil pastels hold up in a humid environment? Would I have to worry about them melting in the summertime if I do not have central air conditioning?
Hi! I found info regarding my neopastels from Caran D'Ache in their safety brochure: they say the melting point is between 90 and 100° Celcius (194-230 Fahrenheit). Therefore I recommend: make sure to store them in a dark and relatively cool place and when painting I'd keep them away from direct sunshine.
I find it helps to warm them up, maybe put them near a heater before your painting session. You can also try different blending styles: cotton swabs, with your fingers, with your fingers but wearing nitrile gloves or paper stumps.
I just discovered your video. It was extremely helpful and loved your format. Can you mix pastel brands? I have an old store brand oil pastel called Studio Basics and I recently purchased Caran D’ache oil pastels since the manufacturer formulas are different in theory can you mix brands? Thank you
Hi Avery! Yes, you can mix them without worry. I most times use harder (and cheaper) pastels like the old cray pas sakura from my mom for the first layer. Then I use softer ones such as the Caran D'Ache, Haiya Paul Rubens or Sennelier on top. It takes some getting used to and some sticks behave different than others, but it works just fine :) Have fun painting 🤗 Francis
I have a question... My oil pastel was sent by my aunt from another country and now that i received it I tried using it. And is there an oil pastel like a crayon? Its literally the same as crayons but its package literally says its an oil pastel but why is its textured like crayon?...
The difference between Oil Pastels and and wax crayons is in the material composition. Oil Pastels are a mixture of pigment and oil, crayons a mixture of pigment and wax. The oil pastel generally speaking has better painting properties and is more temperature resilient. However: the oil pastel can contain lots of oil and be very soft (such as the HAIYA or Sennelier) or it can contain little oil and be very hard (such as the Pentel, Jaxxon or generally speaking cheaper oil pastels). It's not standardized and I believe you received a hard oil pastel brand. These often remind us of crayons. Best wishes ☀️
Hi Denise, I wouldn't recommend that. They are too sticky and smudge too easily. However if you really want to use them in your coloring book, you can always put glassine or barrier paper between the sheets when you close it. That should help with some smudging. Best wishes Francis 🌻
@@pjenning1 Hey Penny! What you saw me using is a palette knife. In a store you can find it most times in the acrylic paint section or next to brushes, because you usually use it to apply large batches of paint and create texture. So it doesn't have to be a palette knife, you can also use a toothpick or a butterknife to scrape off your oil pastel paint. Hope this helps, best wishes 🌻☀
Hi Sonja! Depends on your oil pastel sticks, it usually isn't a problem. There were a few in my set that did melt once and then cool off again, they had a greyish substance on their outside. It's when parts of the binder separate from the pigments in the heat, but it seldom happens and I think you'll be fine! :)
Good info, thnx. I'm just learning and have trouble with the blending. I've found that my white doesn't stick to the under layers. I've powdered it at times and forced it in. Is there something wrong with the stick? At times, I've mixed it with Linseed oil or diluted with turps and used as a paint but doing that defeats the purpose of the sticks. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks
Hey Marita, I had that problem two times so far as well. The first time with Sennelier sticks, because they are one of the few oil pastel brands that also offer different levels of opaqueness in their sticks. For them you can't do a lot different except practice and experiment which ones stick and which ones don't. The other time was actually with the ones you saw in the video, the older Sakura Cray Pas. They had a lot of pigment and fibers from other paper and sticks on them and i had to take a knife and scrape off the outer layer of the stick. I'd try that with yours as well, scrape away the outer layer and keep going with fresh pigment. It can also help to keep it on your radiator while painting, because the warmer the stick, the softer the oil pastels. Hope this helps, best wishes and have a great time painting! Francis
Hello! i brought some oil pastels today, 2 sets to be specific, although, one set is more opaque than the other and i find difficulty in blending, and even if one set it more opaque than the other, i have to put pressure to make it more opaque, is that normal? Its also very crumbly when i aply pressure, thats all! happy new yyear and hope you can help me on my journey !!
Hi! There are opaque, semi-opaque and transparent sticks in most sets. Which sets did you get? Is it from a certain brand? If you find a list of colors on the package there is often a square that will tell you which ones are which. A full square means it is opaque, a square outline is for transparent colors and the half-filled square for semi-opaque sticks. It took me some time to get used to my set and the different colors. Now I know my materials better and have a good time. Have fun experimenting :)
I suggest you get a cone shaped metal icing tip (these are used in cake decorating) and let it warm up in a cup of hot water.... now insert the oil pastel and gently twirl it.
I thought about using both sides of the sheet of paper but using a weight of 180 grams or if I can't do that and I have to lose one of the sides leaving it unused, can I use sheets of 140 grams or will they be too thin? Thanks.
Hello again Ademir :) I am using a 130g/m2 Bugra Hahnemühle paper and use it from both sides. If I hold it against the light, you are able to see the painted surface. Personally it doesn't bother me much but it is a thing of personal preference I think. I'd recommend to take a small sheet or an already painted one and see if it bothers you. With the good quality paper you mentioned in the other comment, there shouldn't be any technical probelms. Have fun painting!
@@FrancisArtStudio Thanks for answering, I watched the video you suggested, and using the sheet to protect the contact between the sheets already with the chalk application I thought it was cool, I had thought about it but I would use the PARCHMENT PAPER which here in Brazil we call parchment paper .
As I am starting, I thought of keeping the sketchbook in an A4 format, so I could make notes next to the drawings, indicating the numbering and color of the chalk used, etc. I intend to use the 140 gram or 180 gram sheet using both sides and with the thin sheet to protect. I thought of leaving the drawings loose (sheets) and then adding a quantity and binding spiral binding, that way I can separate the good drawings to keep in the sketchbook. Spiral bound A4 format do you think is bad? If I pass a very thin layer of spray varnish on the drawings, I would avoid releasing the pigments and I wouldn't need the thin sheet. What do you recommend me to do? It will be my first.
@@ademirrufatto6570 I think with oil pastels A4 or at least 20 cm per side is a good beginner size. Otherwise details can be a bit tricky and frustrating. That sounds so cool! Making notes and writing down thoughts about the materials can be very helpful and I am sure you will have learnt a lot in a short time! What kind of motifs do you want to draw? Spiral binding your favorites is a great idea. It sounds like you will not carry around your sketchbook, but rather paint at home. Then varnish can be enough to preserve the paintings, because the paper won't move as much. However: If you already bind it yourself, it is a quick and inexpensive safeguard to still insert the protective paper. Better safe than sorry :) I actually use varnish as well as protective paper, because I sometimes stack up to 2 mm of paint on top of each other.
@@FrancisArtStudio I'm a caregiver for my parents, both of whom have serious health problems, so I've seen that it helps me a lot. As I only made a few 6 drawings, I am far from mastering the chalk sticks, it bothers me a lot that I don't have a better tip. Difficulty making trees, etc. I don't know the black pencil they use to make gains from dry trees, for example. That is, I don't know anything, just watching the videos and trying to reproduce using the wrong materials. I'm using chalk because it has a variety of colors, making it easier. I bought a painting case with bad wood, I'm renovating it and it's looking great, I intend to go with acrylic or oil paint, but it's going to be acrylic because it's more practical to use just water. I started to study chromatic circle, light and shadow, color theory, primary, secondary, cold, warm colors, etc.
Yes indeed! I only realized that with a sennelier set I bought, but fortunately (at least in Europe) every stick has its own warning label if it contains toxic ingredients. Thanks for the addition
You definitely can, the oil pastels however seal the surface you are painting on and there is even a technique you can try: paint with a white oil pastel or the color of your surface and then add watercolor on top. It works like masking fluid but isn't removable and can create beautiful results (maybe try some winter landscapes next month). I heard often about people sealing the oil pastels with hairspray and then adding gouache or colored pencils on top. I usually use oil pastels on its own though or as the last layer on top of gouache or watercolor. Hope you have a great time experimenting!
An easel makes painting easier for me and I use a desk easel with a full board surface. I think I listed one in my storefront equipment if you want to look that up. The different angle makes painting easier on the neck and it helps me with accidental distortion of the motif due to the different painting view.
Nice Video, but you mentioned that oil paint has toxic fumes, that's not true. Classic Oilpaints in itself are only Pigment and the Oil-Binder, painting with them becomes only toxic if you use solvents. And if you use a solvents for you Oil Pastels there are as toxic as using them with nomal oil paints. And not to forget that the pigments in itself can be toxic, so take everything with a bit of caution not matter the medium you use - the Pigments are the same.
Indeed, thanks Morticia! I thought about trying water-soluable oil paints like the ones from Cobra or Schmincke Blue. They have a special oil thinner and are washable with water. Do you have thoughts or info on those regarding toxicity?
@@FrancisArtStudio No sorry, I've never tried them. But Oilpaints are never toxic when it comes to fumes, so if you use an oil for thinning out normal paints, everything is fine. I don't paint with Oils because of the enourmes drying time, the ones that water soluable seem to dry a bit faster. The problem with toxicity is in the mediums they sell for thinning, drying time and cleaning brushes. But this stuff isn't really neccesary, use regular veg. oil and soap to clean the brushes and everything is fine.
@@FrancisArtStudio Yes, they make it in a way overwelming. I found an awsome channel for Oilpainting (PaintCoach), he cleared a lot of the nonsense for me. Happy to be able to help
I wish the myth that oil painting requires “chemicals” would go away. It’s simply not true. I paint in oils completely non toxic. And no I don’t use the terrible “water mixablel. You can paint n oils using absolutely nothing toxic in a non ventilated area and never know the difference
Can you elaborate on what you use and how you clean your supplies? I'd love to paint with oils, but my research only introduces turpentine as a solvent.
There’s a line of very safe oil painting products called Chelsea, of which spike lavender is the base. I paint with them and they work like the other toxic products. They are pricey but totally worth it to do what you enjoy and remain healthy at the same time. Essential oils are actually good to inhale. I clean with them, too.
Hey there Fancy! I am glad you enjoyed the video :) Do you mean what equipment I use in order to film? If so I have a Lumix gx800 camera, I use a flexible camera holder that I screw to my desk and for editing I use Davinci resolve. If you meant something else, let me know and I'll make sure to answer properly :)
One of the best feelings is seeing someone else be really enthousiastic and passionate about something I hold so dear myself. I am a total nerd about this stuff, so seeing someone spend their free time exactly how I would, makes me smile ear to ear
Thanks, Kjeld! I feel very seen by your comment, because the feeling you described is what made me make videos in the first place. Hopefully many more channels like this are coming our way :) 🌻 ☀️
I would add that I found the sculpture silicone tools to both rub the pastel where I want it like using a brush, and to mix small amounts to the color I want to use, and you can remove a little with the spoon shaper one if it’s gotten too heavy.
I love that you put the "Artist Type" in the video. I'm definitely impatient and spontaneous when it comes to art mediums so I'm excited to give this a try
Awesome! Glad it helped, Kaylene 🌻
9:08 that little house look awesome. I cannot live without hairspray, it is fantastic and beautiful scented fixative, a joy to use and makes oil pastel drawing dry in 5 minutes.
So after you spray it with hairspray, or another fixative, it’s fully protected? And will not smear onto another piece of art? That’s very interesting.
Excellent video thank you. I have only recently discovered oil pastels and I really like them. The biggest tip I would add is that Sennelier makes an oil pastel fixative spray that will fix the paint so you won't be able to change it but you can be sure it won't smudge.
Thank you for your feedback, Terrence! I am glad you're having a good time with oil pastels.
And thanks for the extra tip! I nowadays use Jaxell or Sennelier Fixative and can only agree with you that the extra penny is worth the piece of mind 😌
One more thing, oil pastels work excellently with soft color pencils like Prismacolor, Derwent Drawing, or Derwent Coloursoft.
Thanks, that would be interesting on my artworks!😃
I got a 120 color set of oil pastels from Monte Mart for $40. They are incredibly vibrant, very soft, and have no smell.
I didn't want to admit it, but this artistic medium was made for me. you described all the advantages and all the disadvantages, and I loved both sides! I will devote myself to learning more and more.Your art with sticks was beautiful!
That is awesome! 🥳I am glad to hear it. I fell in love with oil pastels as well, the whole process from start to finish is so much fun for me. I'm sure you'll have a great time experimenting. Feel free to write me with comments about your process or if you have questions. I try to make an oil pastel video every second week now and always love to talk about them.😁
Thank you for your attention and kindness in answering..I'm going to post some tentative faces on Instagram, because I love portraits. Lets see if it works.
This comment is incredibly relatable lol. It's such a weird idea to want to reject something you find yourself connecting with very strongly.
Me to I thought graphite pencils we're my art medium
Thank you! Well done. You are the first reviewer I have found to discuss toxicity….I was put off of soft pastels because of the dust. Now I have been playing with mixed media and have been interested in using the oil pastels, as well.
Thank you, Susan! It was the same for me, the soft pastel's dust and tendency to travel further than intended put me off as well. As I ventured into artist grade oil pastels, there are a few colors that are indeed toxic. In Europe each stick has to show its toxicity on the stick itself, therefore it is no problem for me. Keep an eye for that though, if it is something you want to avoid. Have fun paitning :) !
Thank you so much Francis, I really really enjoyed watching you demonstrate the oil pastels, and I found it very helpful and informative too. ❤❤
I love the artist personality fit discussion. Haha! Thank you so much for making this video!
I'm so happy to hear that! I wish someone had told me more often 'This is not great for impatient people' before I tried out new art mediums. Would have saved me a lot of time :D Thank you so much for your feedback!
Love this tutorial, I have never used oil pastels before! I am researching the pros and cons of using these.
I am truly happy I came across your channel…easy to understand and you have a soothing voice. I find some videos are way too fast and not clear.
I thank you for sharing the uses of this product.
Thanks for your feedback! I'm glad it was helpful ☀️
Enjoyed the tips and reminder that you just need a blender or finger and paper along with your pastels. No need for a wide space to work in because of the little equipment needed to use oil pastels. Much appreciated, thank you for sharing! 🤗❤️👍🏾💯
Yay, that makes me very happy :) Thanks for letting me know! I hope you'll continue to have a great time with oil pastels 🌞
very helpful, I think my high school students would benefit from seeing/listening to this video, as they often think they have oil pastels covered! The comment about the first grade painting made me smile!
Thanks for the feedback, Heather! Indeed, Oil Pastels are often underestimated. Happy painting and teaching ☀️
5:37 Turpentine has brutal odor, instead odorless mineral spirit OMS is to be used and a joy. As well as linseed oil, fantastic too with oil pastels.
I just bought line seed oil! I am very excited to try it out, my research said it's a good turpentine alternative. Glad you think so as well.
@@FrancisArtStudiolinseed oil makes the pastel slippery, adhesion is decreased. The other solvents are toxic, that’s why I stopped painting indoors.
Same for me, I don't like the smell at all. I'll soon try out water-soluable oil paint (Schmincke Norma Blue) and am pretty excited to see how they behave.
I recently learned about odorless turpenoid. A great turpentine alternative.
Thanks for this great video. After watching this video, I would imagine that oil pastels would be wonderful to paint in the impressionism style.
Thanks for your feedback! Absolutely, they are very versatile and make for great impressionism paintings :) Have fun painting, Francis ☀
Iv been strugling to find a media to practice colors for a couple years. Tried pencils, watercolor, digital and markers but never sticking to much to them. This weeknd i got a 12 color oil pastel set and had a lot of fun. Its quick to experiment and learn how it behaves. Loved your video!
Hi Lucas! Glad you enjoy oil pastels and that the video helped. I tried many mediums as well and in Oil Pastels I finally found a unique and engaging mix of working with colors, creating texture and achieving vibrant results. Have fun painting! 👋 Francis
@@FrancisArtStudioyesterday I was doing still life studies which i usualy avoid, so that must mean something lol. Im looking forward to get the book"oil pastel: material and technique for todays artist" and a better set os oil pastels. Just struggling a little to find afordable and good quality pastels here in Brasil, but i will work this out
Love this, thanks! Just a note - I just scanned a bunch of my beginning oil pastels, and it seemed to be ok... But yes, you need to be carful to avoid smudges, crumbs, etc. on both artwork and glass of scanner... OP's are great as both underlays and overlays, both dark and light, also apply and then remove with cloth for a stained effect. It's a wash much quicker than water color! Both dark and light, sgraffito fun. Use a cheaper brand to achieve a harder edge, or to block in? Pencil graphite turns to liquid when it hits that oil... it flows like paint! Try a 3B or so... Also, embrace the smudge, try op *over pencil for a dreamy mess*
That sounds like you are having a great time experimenting and achieving different looks with your Oil Pastels, glad to hear it! My Faber Castell pencils unfortunately don't work like that with the Oil Pastels, which brand are you using for that smooth blending effect?
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Great video! I love oil pastel, and I use them on canvas panel, and protect them using oil pastel varnish.
Thank you, Maan! I am looking forward to look at your paintings later on instagram, glad to have been found by a fellow oil pastel enthusiast!
Can I ask the name of your oil, pastel varnish, and the manufacturer?
Thank you. This is very helpful. I'm strictly a hobby painter, and I've been working with watercolor, gouache and recently soft pastels. I really like the "oil" paint look that I can achieve with my new oil pastels.
I'm glad the video helped! I was truly astonished by their looks when I painted the little house (my very first oil pastel painting). Glad the medium found a fan in you 🌞🎨
I just bought the largest set by sennelier so this was really helpful! Excellent video
This must be the biggest compliment I ever received, thank you! And have fun with the Sennelier Set, they are an absolute dream to paint with :)
12:58 your video is fantastic but since you don't use hairspray you are missing a brutally important tool to control oil pastels. Firstly, hairspray is cost effective human friendly to give protective final finish layer. Secondly, a gentle thin spray is enough to fixate the bottom layers and you can paint immediately a second layer on top without messing around with the bottom layers.
That church looks gorgeous:D
That is an awesome tip! It's news to me and I don't own hairspray, but will get some as soon as possible. Thank you for all these incredible tips, I'll try them out soon :)
That is a beautiful painting of the cottage.
Thank you! :)
You can also use inks and acrylics to add details to oil pastels
Yeees! If in doubt, take the mixed media route!
Don’t forget colored pencils 😊
Thanks for making this video. Im just starting out with oil pastels and this is super helpful!😁
Thanks for your feedback! Happy painting 🤗
5:02 160 gsm is regular pastel paper and works excellent. Interestingly, however for oil pastels Hahnemühle Ingres 100 gsm works brilliantly. It is available in black, too, Hahnemühle is very high quality paper. Canson Mi-Teintes 160 gsm is brutally awesome paper too for anything except watercolor.
I have the Ingres 100 as well, the colors it comes in are inspiring on their own already. Same for the Pastelmat (which I haven't tried yet). the paper colors are just incredible.
@LOMLA Pastelmat is excellent, but waste of money for oil pastels, you will have the same result on regular paper, like, for example, Canson Mi-Teintes. I think buying Sennelier oil pastel sticks is a lot better investment.
The wax in oil pastels is non-drying. The oil WILL eventually dry out and you should use your Oil pastels within 3 years of opening them.
I hadn't heard that before, that would explain the dried out pastel sticks here and there in my set. Thanks for sahring :)
Appreciate the heads-up! Hope my set from back when still works properly, since I never used that set. 🤗❤️👍🏾💯
Yeah i have very old ones (6 years or more) from Pentel and some of them cannot be used at all (like red) But other brands (Artel) have 12 years and the colors are as good as the first day i used them. I think it depends on the formula of the crayons. But beside of that factor this was a 10/10 tutorial.
Thank you for the feedback! Glad you found it helpful 🙂👋
I have had the cheapest(crayola, pentel, impressionists) to the most expensive (sennelier) all for many many many years and none of the sticks have dried out. As to the painting itself I spray it with a fixative to protect the oil from smudging and store it under acid free paper.
Thank you , wonderful information.
Thank you for his helpful video! I did try this medium years ago and you have inspired me to try them again. After using other mediums I am hoping to have gained enough knowledge to use oil pastels more effectively than when I was 16 years old! Thank you!
Hi Carolyn! It is my main goal for these videos to inspire others to create and have fun with trying different mediums. It truly warms my heart to hear that you will give oil pastels another go because of this video, thank you for telling me this ☺ I wish you lots of fun experimenting and hope you have a great time with your oil pastels. Francis 🌻☀
Very very very useful...no bs.....thank you !!
Hi Francis, I really enjoyed watching this. I don’t think they would be for me, but have only truly realised this by watching you. I am too much about the tiny details to truly enjoy them. Thanks for a very informative and much needed video! 🎨🖌👩🎨😻
Hi Anita, thank you so much for your feedback and I have to say your comment makes me very happy! What you describe is exactly what I hope to achieve with this video series. To know what works for oneself is just as important as to know what is not your style and which art mediums you don't need to spend time on. I'm happy this helped 😊
@@FrancisArtStudio keep up the fantastic videos please 👍🏻🥰
Merci beaucoup pour tous ces precieux conseils. Belle vidéo 😊
Thank you very much! Very useful video!
Hi Antonia, thank you for your feedback! Glad it was helpful 🙂
I just picked myself up some cheap oil pastels to practice with, thanks for the info
Awesome, glad to hear that! Have fun painting 🌻 Francis
This is exactly what I needed, thank you!
Glad to hear it, thank you for your feedback!
Your paintings make me feel like I’m walking in a dream.
That's a lovely compliment, thank you for saying that 🌻
what a beautiful drawing!!
SO helpful! Thank you!!
After applying linseed oil or thinner for blanding with oil pastels, could I apply fixative or varnish directly? How long should I wait for the linseed oil to dry before varnishing it? Does acrylic varnish work on linseed oil or thinner?
Thank you for a very informative class
Great video. Thank you!
Easy to understand, great tutorial 😊
Glad to hear it! Thanks for your feedback, Jennifer 🤗
Thank you. You gave lots of good information. 👍
great video ,thank you so much .
Thank you for your feedback, Claire!
Learning a lot love it
Thank you for that! Glad you find it helpful
Hi, could you help me?
I'm from Brazil and I'm starting with oil pastels. I would like to make a sketchbook but I still don't know if I should do that, leaving loose-leaf drawings in folders bothers me.
I bought 180 gram Cansol paper, I can find it here in Brazil and it's cheap and good for this technique.
If I use both sides of the sheet, will the fact that the drawing touches the drawing made with chalk damage the drawings?
Hello Ademir!
If your paper touches the next page without a protective layer, it wil create a very small amount of static electricity. That will move the pigments on your drawings around, better know as smudging or damaging the painting. So you should definitely use a protective layer of antistatic paper sheets.
The paper has different names around the world, but you can try any thin paper that is acid free and antistatic (search for 'pergamin', 'glassin' or 'flower wrapping tissue'.
I also have a video on the channel where I make such a DIY sketchbook, it should be in the oil pastel playlist. Hope this helps and you'll have a gret time with oil pastels!
You could also try using a fixative spray for oil pastel. I would try that on some scrap pieces of paper with pastel swatches and lay they on top of each other after applying and allowing the fixative to dry and see what happens. I use oil pastel and have sprayed them with fixative. Then they go into a drawr right on top of each other. I haven't seen any smudging whatsoever.
@@teehee4163 Thank you very much, the value of the spray varnish must be very high here in Brazil, I need to see what is more worthwhile
Hello. Thank you for all the info. Very helpful. Am also an Artist. A Pastel artist. Very opposite common denominators between oil, pastels and regular pastels. The drying part especially. So from stopping my pastels from smearing, fading and preserving. The is a sealer spray. Matt finish or clear or a final sealer. Is there a spray that will dry n preserve the oil pastel painting?
Hi Roxanne! I am using Jaxell Universal Fixative, which is archival grade and works very well for me. It's an alcoholic mixture of shellack and synthetic resin. If you let the painting 'dry' for a few days and then apply the fixative spray, you'll be at least able to touch it without smudging. It will never fully dry, though. I recommend using a sketchbook with protective paper (glassine) in between each sheet. I have a video on how to make a small one yourself and I sell them in my shop as well (but it's currently closed). Best wishes, Francis ☀️
@@FrancisArtStudio Thank you so much for your response 💫✌🏼🙏🏼 never fully dry is just crazy. No instant gratification with oil pastels. Js Hope all of your Art becomes a Masterpiece of Love 💕
I. Am. New. To. Oil. Pastels. Thank. You
Nice to meet you. ❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉
Greetings from Taiwan.
Hello Mark! 👋 I take it you are another oil pastel enthusiast? 🎨
How well do oil pastels hold up in a humid environment? Would I have to worry about them melting in the summertime if I do not have central air conditioning?
Hi! I found info regarding my neopastels from Caran D'Ache in their safety brochure: they say the melting point is between 90 and 100° Celcius (194-230 Fahrenheit). Therefore I recommend: make sure to store them in a dark and relatively cool place and when painting I'd keep them away from direct sunshine.
Thanks for the informative video! 🤗🥳
I just ordered some (not rock bottom but cheapish) and am struggling to blend. Wondering whether they would be useful for sketches in an art journal.
I find it helps to warm them up, maybe put them near a heater before your painting session. You can also try different blending styles: cotton swabs, with your fingers, with your fingers but wearing nitrile gloves or paper stumps.
Excellent video thank you🤩
Glad to hear it! Thanks for your feedback 🙌
Wow,that was an awesome explanation,i love oil pastel too❤
Thank you for your feedback! I am glad to reach other oil pastel enthusiasts :)
Great video! Thank you
Nicely done.
Thank you!
I just discovered your video. It was extremely helpful and loved your format. Can you mix pastel brands? I have an old store brand oil pastel called Studio Basics and I recently purchased Caran D’ache oil pastels since the manufacturer formulas are different in theory can you mix brands? Thank you
Hi Avery! Yes, you can mix them without worry. I most times use harder (and cheaper) pastels like the old cray pas sakura from my mom for the first layer. Then I use softer ones such as the Caran D'Ache, Haiya Paul Rubens or Sennelier on top. It takes some getting used to and some sticks behave different than others, but it works just fine :)
Have fun painting 🤗 Francis
I have a question...
My oil pastel was sent by my aunt from another country and now that i received it I tried using it. And is there an oil pastel like a crayon? Its literally the same as crayons but its package literally says its an oil pastel but why is its textured like crayon?...
The difference between Oil Pastels and and wax crayons is in the material composition. Oil Pastels are a mixture of pigment and oil, crayons a mixture of pigment and wax. The oil pastel generally speaking has better painting properties and is more temperature resilient.
However: the oil pastel can contain lots of oil and be very soft (such as the HAIYA or Sennelier) or it can contain little oil and be very hard (such as the Pentel, Jaxxon or generally speaking cheaper oil pastels). It's not standardized and I believe you received a hard oil pastel brand. These often remind us of crayons. Best wishes ☀️
Thankyou was interested can you use them in a colouring book?
Hi Denise, I wouldn't recommend that. They are too sticky and smudge too easily. However if you really want to use them in your coloring book, you can always put glassine or barrier paper between the sheets when you close it. That should help with some smudging.
Best wishes
Francis 🌻
Any questions about oil pastels I didn't cover? Let me know and I'll get back to you :)
I want to see the demo of this house alone😅
@@sarahatef3050 Oh no, I don't have more footage than what you can see in the video 😅 I hope you can see enough to follow along anyways :)
@@FrancisArtStudio No problem
Thanks 💕
I saw the blending sticks which look useful but I think I saw you using some kind of a scraper tool. Can you describe? Thanks
@@pjenning1 Hey Penny! What you saw me using is a palette knife. In a store you can find it most times in the acrylic paint section or next to brushes, because you usually use it to apply large batches of paint and create texture.
So it doesn't have to be a palette knife, you can also use a toothpick or a butterknife to scrape off your oil pastel paint. Hope this helps, best wishes
🌻☀
A wonderful video. Thank you !!!!
Thank you very much for your feedback! Glad you liked it ☀
Are there certain temperatures to avoid? We often get temps of 40 degrees here.. will they bleed or melt?
Hi Sonja! Depends on your oil pastel sticks, it usually isn't a problem. There were a few in my set that did melt once and then cool off again, they had a greyish substance on their outside. It's when parts of the binder separate from the pigments in the heat, but it seldom happens and I think you'll be fine! :)
Can you show layering tecniques from dark to light
Thank you 😊
Good info, thnx. I'm just learning and have trouble with the blending. I've found that my white doesn't stick to the under layers. I've powdered it at times and forced it in. Is there something wrong with the stick? At times, I've mixed it with Linseed oil or diluted with turps and used as a paint but doing that defeats the purpose of the sticks. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks
Hey Marita, I had that problem two times so far as well. The first time with Sennelier sticks, because they are one of the few oil pastel brands that also offer different levels of opaqueness in their sticks. For them you can't do a lot different except practice and experiment which ones stick and which ones don't.
The other time was actually with the ones you saw in the video, the older Sakura Cray Pas. They had a lot of pigment and fibers from other paper and sticks on them and i had to take a knife and scrape off the outer layer of the stick. I'd try that with yours as well, scrape away the outer layer and keep going with fresh pigment. It can also help to keep it on your radiator while painting, because the warmer the stick, the softer the oil pastels.
Hope this helps, best wishes and have a great time painting!
Francis
@@FrancisArtStudio Thanks. That does help a lot.
Hello! i brought some oil pastels today, 2 sets to be specific, although, one set is more opaque than the other and i find difficulty in blending, and even if one set it more opaque than the other, i have to put pressure to make it more opaque, is that normal? Its also very crumbly when i aply pressure, thats all! happy new yyear and hope you can help me on my journey !!
Hi! There are opaque, semi-opaque and transparent sticks in most sets. Which sets did you get? Is it from a certain brand? If you find a list of colors on the package there is often a square that will tell you which ones are which. A full square means it is opaque, a square outline is for transparent colors and the half-filled square for semi-opaque sticks.
It took me some time to get used to my set and the different colors. Now I know my materials better and have a good time.
Have fun experimenting :)
I wonder if someone makes a funnel shaped heater that would repoint the sticks ?
I suggest you get a cone shaped metal icing tip (these are used in cake decorating) and let it warm up in a cup of hot water.... now insert the oil pastel and gently twirl it.
I thought about using both sides of the sheet of paper but using a weight of 180 grams or if I can't do that and I have to lose one of the sides leaving it unused, can I use sheets of 140 grams or will they be too thin?
Thanks.
Hello again Ademir :)
I am using a 130g/m2 Bugra Hahnemühle paper and use it from both sides. If I hold it against the light, you are able to see the painted surface. Personally it doesn't bother me much but it is a thing of personal preference I think. I'd recommend to take a small sheet or an already painted one and see if it bothers you. With the good quality paper you mentioned in the other comment, there shouldn't be any technical probelms. Have fun painting!
@@FrancisArtStudio Thanks for answering, I watched the video you suggested, and using the sheet to protect the contact between the sheets already with the chalk application I thought it was cool, I had thought about it but I would use the PARCHMENT PAPER which here in Brazil we call parchment paper .
As I am starting, I thought of keeping the sketchbook in an A4 format, so I could make notes next to the drawings, indicating the numbering and color of the chalk used, etc.
I intend to use the 140 gram or 180 gram sheet using both sides and with the thin sheet to protect.
I thought of leaving the drawings loose (sheets) and then adding a quantity and binding spiral binding, that way I can separate the good drawings to keep in the sketchbook.
Spiral bound A4 format do you think is bad?
If I pass a very thin layer of spray varnish on the drawings, I would avoid releasing the pigments and I wouldn't need the thin sheet.
What do you recommend me to do? It will be my first.
@@ademirrufatto6570 I think with oil pastels A4 or at least 20 cm per side is a good beginner size. Otherwise details can be a bit tricky and frustrating.
That sounds so cool! Making notes and writing down thoughts about the materials can be very helpful and I am sure you will have learnt a lot in a short time! What kind of motifs do you want to draw?
Spiral binding your favorites is a great idea. It sounds like you will not carry around your sketchbook, but rather paint at home. Then varnish can be enough to preserve the paintings, because the paper won't move as much. However: If you already bind it yourself, it is a quick and inexpensive safeguard to still insert the protective paper. Better safe than sorry :) I actually use varnish as well as protective paper, because I sometimes stack up to 2 mm of paint on top of each other.
@@FrancisArtStudio I'm a caregiver for my parents, both of whom have serious health problems, so I've seen that it helps me a lot. As I only made a few 6 drawings, I am far from mastering the chalk sticks, it bothers me a lot that I don't have a better tip. Difficulty making trees, etc.
I don't know the black pencil they use to make gains from dry trees, for example. That is, I don't know anything, just watching the videos and trying to reproduce using the wrong materials.
I'm using chalk because it has a variety of colors, making it easier. I bought a painting case with bad wood, I'm renovating it and it's looking great, I intend to go with acrylic or oil paint, but it's going to be acrylic because it's more practical to use just water. I started to study chromatic circle, light and shadow, color theory, primary, secondary, cold, warm colors, etc.
Great video! Very informative 👏
Thank you! Glad it helps :)
great video! thanks
thanks you ❤
Can I add vanish to the painting instead of using glass?
Hi Shelley!
Yes, absolutely. I use universal spray fixative and didn't have any problems with smudging or color changes.
Have fun painting!
Francis
Some oil pastels are not non-toxic. Lead white, cadmium yellow, etc.
Yes indeed! I only realized that with a sennelier set I bought, but fortunately (at least in Europe) every stick has its own warning label if it contains toxic ingredients.
Thanks for the addition
Ca n you use any other medium with oil pastels, like watercolor?
You definitely can, the oil pastels however seal the surface you are painting on and there is even a technique you can try: paint with a white oil pastel or the color of your surface and then add watercolor on top. It works like masking fluid but isn't removable and can create beautiful results (maybe try some winter landscapes next month). I heard often about people sealing the oil pastels with hairspray and then adding gouache or colored pencils on top. I usually use oil pastels on its own though or as the last layer on top of gouache or watercolor. Hope you have a great time experimenting!
Can ;you use soft pastels with oil pastels?
Brilliant. Thankyou ❤
Awesome channel and videos.
Wow amazing drawing...
Thank you! I fell in love with oil pastels while making that video 😀 and now they are my favorite medium
Too good 👌
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Best fixative?
Only used Jaxell Universal Fixative so far, that works really well
Tank youuuuu so much❤❤❤❤
id like to try pastels i like watercolor gouche acrylic
I am sure you'll have a great time with them, they are fun to paint with for all levels of painters. Hope you'll have a chance to try them out soon.
thank you
I prefer oil pastel, coloured pencils just piss me off and are too time consuming.
I feel you! Oil Pastels make other art mediums look bad, last time I painted with acrylics, I was almost offended by how bad they blend 😄
its helpe thx 💟💟
Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it! 🌻🌞
❤❤❤❤
👍
Thank you!
❤
Do you need/use an easel with oil pastels?
An easel makes painting easier for me and I use a desk easel with a full board surface. I think I listed one in my storefront equipment if you want to look that up. The different angle makes painting easier on the neck and it helps me with accidental distortion of the motif due to the different painting view.
Awesome!!!!
Thanks! Glad you like it :)
Vast!
Many disadvantages
Nice Video, but you mentioned that oil paint has toxic fumes, that's not true. Classic Oilpaints in itself are only Pigment and the Oil-Binder, painting with them becomes only toxic if you use solvents. And if you use a solvents for you Oil Pastels there are as toxic as using them with nomal oil paints. And not to forget that the pigments in itself can be toxic, so take everything with a bit of caution not matter the medium you use - the Pigments are the same.
Indeed, thanks Morticia!
I thought about trying water-soluable oil paints like the ones from Cobra or Schmincke Blue.
They have a special oil thinner and are washable with water. Do you have thoughts or info on those regarding toxicity?
@@FrancisArtStudio No sorry, I've never tried them. But Oilpaints are never toxic when it comes to fumes, so if you use an oil for thinning out normal paints, everything is fine. I don't paint with Oils because of the enourmes drying time, the ones that water soluable seem to dry a bit faster. The problem with toxicity is in the mediums they sell for thinning, drying time and cleaning brushes. But this stuff isn't really neccesary, use regular veg. oil and soap to clean the brushes and everything is fine.
Awesome, thanks for your thoughts on the matter. The brands of course make it seem much more complicated and ressource-intensive than it needs to be.
@@FrancisArtStudio Yes, they make it in a way overwelming. I found an awsome channel for Oilpainting (PaintCoach), he cleared a lot of the nonsense for me.
Happy to be able to help
Hello there beautiful ❤️ (Francis💕)
I wish the myth that oil painting requires “chemicals” would go away. It’s simply not true. I paint in oils completely non toxic. And no I don’t use the terrible “water mixablel. You can paint n oils using absolutely nothing toxic in a non ventilated area and never know the difference
Can you elaborate on what you use and how you clean your supplies? I'd love to paint with oils, but my research only introduces turpentine as a solvent.
There’s a line of very safe oil painting products called Chelsea, of which spike lavender is the base. I paint with them and they work like the other toxic products. They are pricey but totally worth it to do what you enjoy and remain healthy at the same time. Essential oils are actually good to inhale. I clean with them, too.
Thankx for this amazing tutorial ❤️❤️❤️❤️but can you please tell us how to records your tutorial ?
Hey there Fancy! I am glad you enjoyed the video :)
Do you mean what equipment I use in order to film? If so I have a Lumix gx800 camera, I use a flexible camera holder that I screw to my desk and for editing I use Davinci resolve. If you meant something else, let me know and I'll make sure to answer properly :)