With their portability, richness of colour and possibilities for gestural mark-making, oil pastels and oil sticks share many attributes. But understanding their unique characteristics allows the artist to fully realise their potential.
Sennelier Oil Pastel and Sennelier Oil Stick thinned with solvent
Oil Stick vs Oil Pastel Qualities Explained
What Are Oil Sticks?
Oil sticks (also known as oil bars and pigment sticks) are composed of pure pigment, a drying oil (such as linseed or safflower oil) and a small amount of wax which allows the paint to be moulded into a cylindrical bar. They will dry and cure like oil paint and are fully compatible with traditional oil painting techniques. Almost any fine art support is suitable including canvas, paper and wooden or aluminium panel. However, the surface must first be primed with acrylic gesso or oil primer to prevent the oil leaching into the support and compromising the longevity of your artwork. There are also prepared papers and universal or oil primed canvases and panels which can be used immediately.
Designed to be held comfortably in the hand, Oil Sticks can be used as a drawing tool to apply rich colour directly to the surface and this immediacy offers a different approach to oil painting. Whether used for the initial gestures to sketch out a composition or for the addition of accents and highlights on a more developed piece, the application of colour is directly in the artist’s hand. A light touch will make a crayon-like line, and a hard touch will produce thick, painterly marks. Once the colour has been laid down, it can be manipulated with a palette knife or a brush or extended with an oil medium. Dipping the stick directly into linseed oil before using achieves a wonderfully soft and luxurious mark.
Each brand varies in composition and handling properties; R&F Pigments Sticks are loved by many artists for their lipstick-like consistency, and you will find that they are softer than their Sennelier counterparts. Sennelier also include a small amount of siccative (a drying agent) in their oil sticks, whereas R&F Pigment Sticks do not contain any additives so you can expect longer drying times (bear in mind that the drying time will vary depending on the pigment used).
Sennelier and R&F both produce a colourless medium in stick form which can be used to create glazing effects, add body and blend colour. In addition, R&F also offer the blending medium in large jars which can be applied impasto with a painting knife. They also offer a medium with an added cobalt siccative to accelerate the drying time. Just like an oil painting, an artwork made using oil sticks should be allowed to dry and cure for at least six months before applying a final varnish.
Oil sticks require very little special attention when storing, but it is important to keep them away from sources of heat. They will form a thin skin after being exposed to the air which must be removed before each use, this can be done by dragging the end of the stick along a hard surface to remove the dried film. Oil sticks that haven’t been used for a long time may be a little more stubborn and require a blade to remove the outer layer. However, the paint will still be fresh and buttery underneath.
Experiments with Sennelier Oil Pastel (Yellow Ochre) and Sennelier Oil Stick (Ultramarine)
What Are Oil Pastels?
Oil pastels are made with pigment, wax and a non-drying oil, and their oil content is considerably lower than oil sticks. Because the wax binder is inert, unlike drying oils used in oil paint and oil sticks which eats into paper and canvas, oil pastels can be used on a range of surfaces including wood, paper, canvas and metal without any preparation, making them an appealing choice.
This immediacy lends itself to both preparatory sketches and developed work. In contrast to oil sticks, without the presence of a drying oil the pastels will not cure and harden by oxidation and will remain workable indefinitely. Oil pastels will remain sticky and vulnerable to smudging if not protected by glass. If transporting or storing work, the surface should be protected by glassine paper, a smooth, grease-resistant paper, to prevent damage to the fragile pastel film. An oil pastel fixative, usually based on acrylic resin and alcohol, can help protect against smudging and dust accumulation and can also be used to fix colours between layers before adding more on top. Our own tests have found that oil pastel fixatives vary in effectiveness and some give a gloss or a matt finish; for example, the brush-on Sennelier Pastel Fixative was more successful at preventing smudging and gave a glossier finish than it’s aerosol equivalent. A fixative may not completely set the work so it’s recommended to still use glassine paper when storing or transporting your artwork.
Sennelier Oil Stick Ultramarine test thinned with solvent
Colour can be applied directly to the support and diluted with turpentine or mineral spirits for a painterly blending effect. Oil pastels are also ideal for adding highlights and reinforcing details on dry oil and acrylic paintings. Because they remain movable they make an unstable base for subsequent layers, however when oil pastels are used underneath watercolour or dilute acrylic, the pastel’s waxy binder will act as a resist. Try adding a detail or a highlight to a watercolour painting; you can be confident that the mark won’t be lost in subsequent washes and the colour will remain strong and bright. Similarly to oil pastels, oil sticks can be used for resist techniques but it is important to work on a substrate that will work with your chosen materials (i.e absorbent enough for watercolour yet able to withstand applications of oil without rotting over time. An acrylic-based watercolour ground would work well for this).
Sennelier Oil Pastel compared to Sennelier Oil Stick
Oil sticks are measured in milliletres and priced according to series numbers, just like traditional oil paints. Some sets are available from both R&F and Sennelier, but you may choose to purchase colours individually according to your particular palette. Oil pastels are considerably cheaper than oil sticks per unit because they are very small, typically, an advantage for artists who enjoy having a wide range of colours, however, you are likely to go through them far more quickly than the larger sized oil sticks.
As well as single pastels, there are many sets to choose from which are either a general assortment of colours, or assembled in themes such as landscapes or portraits.
In conclusion, oil pastels and oil sticks can each be used to their particular advantages. An artist who enjoys the immediacy of oil pastels but wants the finished artwork to have the permanence of an oil painting might find that oil sticks are a rewarding alternative. For oil painters, oil sticks offer a gestural, hands-on approach to traditional oil painting. However, there are considerations which must be taken into account when mixing them with other media. Oil pastels are not subject to as many restrictions, because you don’t need to prep most surfaces or worrying about them eating into surfaces, this makes them a versatile addition to the toolkit of artists working in all mediums.
Further Reading
Tips for Setting Up an Oil Painting Palette
Underpainting in Oil and Acrylic
The Making of ‘The Peasants’, a Painted Film
Watch this video of R&F Pigment Sticks to find out about their drying times.
Shop Oil Sticks and Oil Pastels on jacksonsart.com
Sennelier Oil Sticks
Most colours available only in 38 ml, but ivory black and titanium white are available in 96 ml
R&F Pigment Sticks
Most colours available in 38 ml and 100 ml except titanium-zinc white and neutral white, which are available in 118 ml
R&F Blending Medium with Drier
I’ve always thought oil pastels were
misnamed. They aren’t pastels which
is derived from French or Italian
word for dust. there doesn’t seem to
be any real life difference in sticks
or oil pastels. They should all be
called oil sticks. IMHO
Hi Den, thank you for your thoughts
I’m inclined to agree that to call oil pastels ‘pastels’ is misleading, although I think I would call them ‘wax sticks’ as they are predominantly wax based!
Evie
Hey
Could you use the oil pastels with the oil
sticks or are they two different artists
materials and should be treated as such?
Hello Simone, thank you for your question
They are different mediums and not inter-mixable but they can be used alongside each other. Oil pastels can be used on top of marks made with oil sticks, provided the oil is dry. However, it doesn’t work so well the other way round- oil pastels never dry to form a stable film so it is not advisable for oil sticks to be applied on top.
I hope that helps!
Evie
Hi Evie, I just came across your
GREAT article explaining oil sticks vs
pastels. I have been painting in
acrylic and use oil sticks on top– and
am desperate to find out if I use oil
pastels INSTEAD of oil sticksl, will
these paintings all need to be
mounted behind glass to be shown or
sold (because it seems from your
article, oil pastels, cray pas, etc. will
NEVER dry). I make very large 8 foot
paintings I don’t want to display
behind glass. For that reason, is
what you are saying that all artwork
made using oil pastels needs to be
displayed behind glass because it
won’t ever dry. Thanks so much for
your help. I’ve been trying to figure
this out for a long time.
Hi Elizabeth, thank you for your comment!
Yes, I would strongly advise displaying artwork made with oil pastels behind glass- otherwise you may find that the tacky pastel film will collect dust and be vulnerable to smudging. If you want to display your paintings without glass, I think that oil sticks will be best for you!
Evie
Thanks so much for your help, Evie!
Your article and reply are SO helpful
in understanding the difference
between the two. I have one last
question. I’m new to oil paint and
was wondering if I can paint oil paint
ONTOP of oil sticks. I know there is a
fat over thin rule and that oil sticks
have some beeswax. Oil sticks go on
like a crayon and I was wondering if I
could paint oil paint or oil paint mixed
with cold wax medium and Galkyd gel
over oil sticks? Thanks again for your
help, Evie. Your information has
helped me to understand some major
important facts which I think some
artists don’t understand between oils
sticks and oil pastels. They’re both
amazing, but good for different
projects. Thanks again for your help!
Thank you for your kind feedback! Yes, you can use tubed oil paints on top of oil sticks, but as you said the fat over lean rule should be observed and you should ensure that the oil paint you apply on top is ‘fatter’ than the oil stick underneath. I’d like to do some research on what effect beeswax has in regards to the fat over lean rule. I will make some enquiries and share my findings with you.
Evie
Thanks for all the information, Evie! I
appreciate it. And I look forward to
any future articles you publish about
art supplies! If you do, two questions
I would love to know are 1) How do
you collage on top of oil paint (is
using Cold wax the only way to
collage paper over oil) And 2) if a
person used pencil, lead bar marks,
colored pencils or charcoal on oil
paintings, how can someone SEAL IN
those marks so they don’t SMEAR
when you paint over them or varnish
the painting? Anyway, thanks for
taking the time writing an article to
help customers understand all these
supplies, Evie! Much Appreciated.
Hello Elizabeth,
R&F have advised that the addition of wax makes oil sticks generally leaner than tubed oil paint, so applying oil paint from a tube on top of marks made by oil sticks adheres to the fat over lean principle. However remember that oil mediums can be used to modify both oil paint and oil sticks, so you can control how fat or lean they are and paint in a different order- for example, dipping an oil stick in linseed oil before drawing with it will ‘fatten’ it, while adding a little artist solvent to tubed oil paint will make the paint leaner. In that case it would be best to use the oil paint under the oil stick.
We see no reason why you shouldn’t use Cold Wax Medium to collage paper, provided that there is no oil in the medium. However, I will double-check this with our supplier to see what they advise.
You will find that dry oil paint doesn’t make a good surface for charcoal or pencil as they require ‘tooth’ to grip onto the surface. The marks could be sealed with a spray varnish, however bear in mind that if the varnish needed to be removed it would be difficult to do so without removing the fragile charcoal or pencil marks as well!
Evie
Hi Elizabeth, I’ve received some advice about using paper collage within oil painting.
Cold Wax Medium on its own will not cause paper to deteriorate (the solvent will evaporate completely, leaving no residue behind). However cold wax medium has low adhesive strength so it’s not recommended to use on its own for collage. An oil medium is better to adhere collage elements. Before doing so, the paper should be treated, front and back, with an acrylic medium or PVA size to seal it. Once the medium or size is completely dry, the paper can be incorporated safely within the oil medium.
When using collage elements and oil painting together, you should work on a rigid support (such as a wooden panel) rather than stretched canvas. Eliminating flex from a collaged oil painting will improve the long-term stability of mixed media oil paintings.
I hope this is helpful!
Evie
Hi ,Evie , I’m a working oil pastel artist
,this year starting on my next collection
of pictures I’ve noticed that some of the
5in sticks that I use are difficult to work
.first I thought my studio was too cold
,so I put them in my airing cupboard
which seemed to help a little but the
buttery consistency which I love for my
work has gone ,they are almost like the
cheaper oil pastels, any ideas would be
grateful. I don’t want to dilute as this is
not me ,I’m a hands knife and stick
artist .hope you have ideas.
Hi Peter, how old are the oil pastels you are using? Oil pastels can get harder with age, but if you pare down the pastel with a knife you should find that it’s softer and fresher inside. Could be worth a try!
Hi Evie,
Thank you for the info comparing both
mediums. I thought about changing over
to sticks because I have had so much
trouble sealing my oil pastel art. I work
with thick layers, and find that the
fixative non workable spray seeps into
some of the iridescent/metallic colours I
use. Being think layers, I avoid using a
liquid fixative as it will damage the
texture. I use sennelier brand pastel and
fixative. Do you have any information or
ideas on how I can seal my work without
destroying it? I’ve researched the web
high and low, and you are the most
recent to post information. Thank you
Thank you for your lovely comment, my colleague Julie carried out some tests on oil pastel fixatives that you might find helpful- https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2013/08/02/oil-pastel-fixative-testing/ .
Thank you for your article, it was quite
informative.
I love the forgiving nature of pastels, but
am switching to oil pastels to leave the
dust behind. I am looking for ways to
improve the detailed work and was
wondering if you can suggest an oil pencil
that would blend well with the softness of
Sennelier Oil Pastels. I would think a wax
pencil might be too hard.
Thanks for your help.
Hi, thank you for your comment. Wax-based pencils are generally softer than oil-based pencils- the first that springs to mind is Derwent Coloursoft which are particularly soft and good for blending. Faber Castell make an extra soft black oil-based pencil which could work well for you (though it is only available in black).
Hi
I’m determined to find a way to keep on
using my Acrylic paints (which I prefer
over oils) AND mix them with Cold Wax..
Is there anything I can add to the mix to
overcome the acrylic/wax mix problem?
Thanks so much .. Erica
Hi Erica, unfortunately water-based media like acrylic paints will not mix with cold wax and there isn’t a way around this. If you are looking for a matt impasto effect in acrylics you could use an extra-heavy matte gel medium. Alternatively, you could look into water-mixable oils which are compatible with cold wax medium (as long as they aren’t diluted with water).
Thank you so much for this; am so happy
to have found you – and in London, no less
(for a multitude of reasons, e.g. bucket list
trip). I’m a potter in Canada and during
lockdown with not being able to get to my
studio, was following various programs
and podcasts from the UK (Portrait Artist
of the Week, Noel Fielding’s Art Club,
Grayson Perry’s…) and it got me interested
in art again. I’m not a drawer or painter,
but I’ve enjoyed the attempts, mostly in
pencil crayon (using a long-ago purchased
tin of Staedtler’s Aquarells). I’ve been
wanting to try pastels, though I keep
hearing about “oil sticks” and wondered
what are they?! Your explanations and
comparisons are thorough, helpful, and
much appreciated!
Thank you for your lovely comment, Wendy!
Hi Evie,
Thanks for all the great info. I usually
work with tempera and acrylic not oil.
I’ve recently inherited a load of semi/un-
finished oil paintings from the 50s – 60s.
I’m looking to rework them. Do you know
how enamel and oil bar play?
My idea was to use enamel because they
are large works with some impasto (so
keep costs down covering many m²) and
oil bar to finish.
Thanks, James
Apologies for the delay getting back to you about this! I spoke to one of my colleagues about this who says that while oil paint can be used on top of enamel, it isn’t recommended to use enamel on top of oil paint, even if it is completely cured -it could result in cracked enamel. We would recommend using oil paint and oil sticks instead!
An oil pastel fixative, usually based on
acrylic resin and alcohol, ….
Not true. Acrylic can not be used on top of
an oil painted surface.
Hi, thank you for your comment and apologies for the delay. Not all acrylic fixatives and varnishes are water-based, some are based on alcohol (like Sennelier’s oil pastel fixative). For works made using oil sticks, I’d recommend a mineral spirit-based acrylic varnish instead of a fixative, like Golden’s Archival varnish.
Evie: Your desire to teach is amazing. I’ve
never seen authors who will answer every
comment like you do!! Thanks!
I have trouble making fine lines with oil
sticks.How can I correct this? Also, I’m
using oil sticks on paper. What’s the best
paper to use, & where can I get large size
papers, say 5 to 10 feet or so.Another: is it
OK to use oil markers, Pebeo or Sharpies
to supplement the o. sticks? TSM!
Hi Alfredo, I’m sorry for the delay getting back to you! Unfortunately oil sticks aren’t good at making very fine lines – Oil paint and a small brush would be much better. In terms of paper, I’d recommend papers that are prepared especially for oil-based paints (Arches Oil Painting Paper is very good). Acrylic-based markers and sharpies are suitable for use under oil sticks, but not on top of them. I hope that helps!
Evie, I am very keen to make some work
directly on to one of my sitting room
walls after being beyond inspired by
Heather Chontos’ work , like a deep dive
into Bloomsbury via abstract
expressionism. Is there anyway you can
recommend to keep the art on the wall,
rather than all over people who may
brush against it? Many thanks for any
suggestions you can offer
Hi Bryn,
I would avoid oil pastels for your idea, as they are not made to fully dry. If you use oil sticks then they will dry as regular oil paint does, but depending on how thickly they are applied, the drying time could be considerable. You could apply a retouching varnish while they are drying (which will offer some light protection), and once fully dry, apply MSA varnish or picture varnish, which will provide a permanent protective layer for your work.
Acrylic paint dries a lot more quickly, so if people are likely to brush by your work soon after painting it, I would suggest you consider painting in acrylics instead (although there is no acrylic colour that has that crayon-like texture that you can achieve with oil sticks or pastels).
Hope this helps!
Lisa
Hi Evie! Thank u for helping me to understand the key difference
between oil sticks and oil pastels (that the last one will never dry
out so must b protect on display or storage!!!)
But what about water soluble oil pastels I’ve started playing with
recently? Do they share the same properties as wax based oil
pastels during display or transportation? And can they be used as
underpainting (or in mixed media) for other water based mediums
like acrylic or gouache? Thanxx
Hi Anzhel, thank you for your comment. Water-based pastels behave in a similar way to watercolour sticks, and they don’t remain tacky like oil pastels so you don’t need to worry about displaying the works behind glass (unless you want to). They are great to use under other water-based media like acrylic and gouache!
Hi Evie, I thought this was a super
explanation and I wondered if we could
share this on our website if we credit you by
name.
Hi Jane
Yes you can use this article for educational purposes if you credit the Jackson’s Art blog and link back to us.
Evie:
I made a comment here on 3January 2021. I don’t see so far your answer. I’m unable to make
fine lines with oil sticks. The blog says to apply gently for fine lines, but I still have trouble.
Also, on oil paper I find that I have to go over the lines with a brush. Otherwise, the oil stick
does not “enter” the tiny “canals” of the canvas. I hope you get what I’m trying to say.Finally,
George Condo is who I’m trying to emulate. Do you know of any tutorials re: oil sticks painting
in the style of G.Condo?
Thank you so much!
Hi Alfredo
I think that George Condo’s lines look fine because his paintings/drawings are large. The lines are actually fat. It’s hard to get fine lines with oil sticks, they are not made to be used that way. They are large for broad marks.
This video shows the smoothness of the application when he works and I think that is because he uses the brand R&F which is very soft and almost melts onto the paper. He also uses paper which helps it be smoother than canvas.
George Condo: The Artist at Work.
The video is amazing to watch and almost like a little tutorial.
I have used other brands such as Sennelier, Markal and Winsor & Newton and to get smooth lines with these stiffer sticks you need to either dip the oil bar into solvent before each stroke or paint solvent into your surface and draw into that, to cause the stick to melt a bit as you draw.
Sometimes I go back over the lines with a brush dipped in solvent or I even just pull my finger along the lines to blend it more smooth.
Oil sticks at Jackson’s Art.
hi, Do you know what kind of paper
George Condo is drawing and painting
onto here? it looks untreated (as stated
before )with a sizing or priming
medium. Does this mean that he is not
bothering about the longevity of these
particular pieces that he is making or is
he using a special kind of paper?
Hi May
No, I can’t tell and a few people have asked in the comments on the video, but no one has answered them.
You can see that it is from a roll of paper and that it is unprimed. It looks smooth like cartridge/drawing paper. I don’t know of any paper made for oil painting with that surface – they all have a dimpled or linen-look texture. So my guess is that it is a heavy drawing paper. But that might mean that he gets oil rings later on around the drawn marks. So I’m not sure.
Hi there, interested in this post
regarding George Condo as I first saw
the oil sticks on this video and was
totally transfixed. My question is, it
looks like he is using untreated paper.
I’m pretty sure the paper hasn’t been
gessoed. I’ve been using RF and
Sennelier oil sticks on untreated paper.
I’ve also been using oil pastels in
conjunction with the oil sticks. I use
zest it solvent to thin and mix. So now I
am worried about the longevity. I like
working directly on paper as the treated
paper isn’t totally smooth and you get a
bit of drag. Any thoughts?
Hi Adriana, thanks for your question! I’m not sure exactly what paper you’re using so it’s difficult to comment, but you might find that the oil from the oil sticks starts to leach into the paper. To be sure about the longevity of your work going forward, I would recommend using an oil paper (this one from Arches is textured like a cold-pressed watercolour paper, so you’ll get the drag you like).
Hi. I love some of Richard Serra’s solid
black prints. Some are described as
etchings with additional mark making
with paint sticks. Is this simply an
American term for pigment sticks/oil
bar?
Hi Joy! Yes Richard Serra uses oil sticks, like the ones described here, for those works.
Actually, I have a question. I am an oil
painter and haven’t used my oil sticks in a
while. I pulled them out, peeled them, and
after reading this article, I noticed I have a
mixture of sticks and pastels. They are all
big sticks. Can I interchange them in an
art piece? I really prefer the oil stick idea
over pastels. THANK YOU.
Hi Denice, thanks for your comment! You can use oil pastels on top of dry oil paint and/or oil sticks – but not the other way round. I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this informative
article. I have a question – I love using
Sennelier oil pastels to add a few details
towards the end on top of my Acrylic
paints. I like thick buttery lines but
sometimes I also go for blended areas.
I’ve found it frustrating that the oil
pastel never dries (I have tried various
fixatives with varying success). It rubs
off and smudges. For my purpose (for
buttery lines and blended details
towards the end of Acrylic painting),
would I get the same effect with
Sennelier oil sticks without the problems
of not drying? Should I switch from
Sennelier oil pastels to Sennelier oil
sticks?
Thanks for your great question – yes I think that oil sticks are exactly what you need – you won’t have any issues with smudging and they have that buttery quality you like about oil pastels.
Hi does anyone have any
recommendations for how to speed up
the drying of oil bars? I’m working on
sheets of paper and struggling with the
amount of time needed to dry. Also if
anyone has a recommendation for how
to store them, I’ve been using glassine
paper to separate drawings but bits of
oil bar stick to it so then difficult to not
smudge or reuse
Thanks so much
Nathalie
Hi Nathalie, thanks for your question. Because oil bars dry through polymerisation (unlike water-based media that dries through evaporation), there isn’t a reliable way to speed up the drying. But maybe someone else has some suggestions? In terms of storing the drawings, glassine paper is the best thing to use to protect them once they are dry, but it could slow down the drying process so I would recommend keeping the drawings exposed until they are touch dry, and then there won’t be any issues with smudging. I hope that helps!
What is the best way to store the oil sticks?
Mine are so messy they hardly fit back into
the tube they came in, and the tubes are so
dirty, I cant see the colour of the sticks
through them. Any tips please? Maybe forget
about the tubes, and put them in a
Tupperware container?
Hi Dana, yes they can be difficult to fit back into the tubes. I wrap mine in baking parchment and keep them in a tupperware box.
There are lots of oil pastel brands in the
market today, which makes shopping for a
good set difficult. Could you recommend
some oil pastels that are best for beginners?
Hi Mimi,
The answer to this depends largely on how much you want to pay. Inscribe make great entry-level oil pastels, and I often use them alongside some of the premium brands such as Sennelier. They can be slightly harder in consistency but the colours are bright and they’re great to work with. This set of 48 has a great colour selection across the spectrum – https://www.jacksonsart.com/inscribe-oil-pastel-set-48-oil-sticks and it is a great price!
Hope this helps.
Best wishes
Lisa