Thinking about taking up a hobby using oil pastels? Here are great tips to help you along the way for both beginners and experienced oil pastel users.
At first when you start don’t expect yourself to know everything and be brilliant straight away; it will take time to develop the skill of creating art with oil pastels. Quality is important here as you get what you buy. A quality pastel product will allow you a smooth, clean finish. Use paper towels to keep your oil pastel sticks clean and free of from other colours sticking to them.
Before beginning your actual oil pastel piece, use pencil or coloured pencils to sketch out the image you wish to create. Make use of brushes or cloth to create different textures. Get involved with your artwork by using your fingers to blend colour.
Try working on different surfaces such as canvas, pastel board, hardboard, wood, mixed media paper, coloured or toned paper as this will allow you to figure out what surface to work best with. Once you have discovered your preferred surface, stick to it. A useful tip is to take regular breaks as you work. This will allow you to see your progress with a fresh perspective. Always fill in bigger blocks of colour first then complete the smaller details after.
Whether you are a beginner or experienced with this skill, it is always good to have a guide to remind you of tips that you can use to help you along your oil pastel experience.