One of the best mediums for artists, oil pastels are uncomplicated and require the bare minimum as far as art supplies that can be used with them go. Oil pastels are one of my favorite mediums because of how versatile they are and their ability to be used on a variety of surfaces while still delivering the best outcome. A good pastel oil should give artists a wide range of colors to work with, have a consistent binding medium and should contain a high pigment load. Oil pastels are typically categorized in two forms depending on the skill level, i.e., the student and professional grade oil pastels. These two oil grades vary in characteristics as well as the composition. Purchasing oil pastels can be extremely daunting, but the comprehensive list that we created below should be a great guide to helping you reach your decision.
1. Sennelier Luxury
Intro
Arguably the best oil pastel available on the market, the sennelier luxury is an oil pastel created as a collaboration between Pablo Picasso and Sennelier. Aside from being developed by one of the greatest names in artistry, this paint consists of 50 vibrant and intense colors and can be used on multiple porous and non-porous surfaces such as wood, paper, metal, and canvas. The oil pastels from Sennelier have a creamy butter-like consistency. The oil pastels are also equipped with a round barrel which makes them perfect for shading and uses during long sessions
Pros
- The oil pastels can be purchased individually, or as a set, so in case you find out that you are running low on a single color you can always restock it easily.
- You can achieve several hues without having to blend these oil pastels.
- The Sennelier oil pastels have exceptional lightfastness and opacity.
Cons
- They are expensive
2. Caran d’Ache Neopastels
Intro
Touted for its luminance on opaqueness ratio, the Caran d’Ache Neopastels are a great choice of oil pastels. Developed by a Swiss company, these oil pastels fall between the professional and student grade oil pastels and are great for mid-level artists who want to upgrade to a higher level of oil pastels. The oil pastels have a uniform yet concentrated color pigment and are incredibly creamy and smooth with a consistency that most artists would appreciate.
Pros
- The color range is fantastic and very diverse with unprecedented and uniform pigments.
- The oil pastels blend easily making the Caran d’Ache oil pastels easy to work with.
- The lightfastness rating is excellent as the color does not fade easily when exposed to lighting.
- The oil pastels are reasonably priced.
- The oil pastels can be purchased individually or in a set of either 96, 48, 24, or 12 pieces.
Cons
- Some users have complained that the consistency of the product is not uniform in all the sticks and some tend to bloom or dry out.
3. Holbein Artists’ Oil Pastels
Intro
Featuring a rectangular body, the Holbein Artists’ oil pastels are quite popular with professional artist and will often be named in the same circles as the Sennelier oil paints. This is because of their butter-like consistency and capacity to achieve smooth gradients for the initial tone of art pieces. Made in Japan, the Holbein oil pastels are rigid and have a fairly chalky texture. These two characteristics make them ideal for blending and attaining more detailed artworks. With over 200 vibrant colors available, it is easy to see why most professional artists would appreciate these oil pastels.
Pros
- Can be purchased both singly and as a set.
- The oil pastels do not break/crumble as easily as other oil pastel options.
- Unlike some oil pastels in the market, these do not dry out.
- Because of the chalky texture, the opacity of these oil pastels is one of the best.
Cons
- The Holbein oil pastels are not cheap.
4. Mungyo Gallery Soft Oil Pastels
Intro
Perfect for impasto and scraping, the Mungyo oil pastels features 72 vibrant colors and have a smooth velvety texture. Due to their consistency, the Mungyo is often thought of like a cheaper version of the Sennelier, even though these soft oil pastels are a student grade oil pastel. The opacity of the oil pastels is also excellent and has a high covering power.
Pros
- You can use brushes or tortillons on these oil pastels when blending.
- It is an ideal oil pastel for beginners.
- It is reasonably priced and offers value for money.
Cons
- The pigment on these oil pastels is not as vibrant.
5. Expressionist Oil Pastels by Sakura Cray-Pas
Intro
A student grade oil pastel, the expressionist oil pastels by Sakura are ideal for students and mid-level artists. Due to the high wax content, these oil pastels have a firm texture and are not as buttery as other oil pastel options. Despite being firm, the expressionist oi pastel still glides as smoothly on surfaces. Featuring 50 colors the pigment on the expressionist line of oil pastels is fine and meaning that the resulting colors are vibrant and intense.
Pros
- The oil pastels offer excellent coverage on several surface options.
- It is reasonably priced.
- The oil pastels can be purchased either singly or as a set.
Cons
- The limited color options translate to the extreme need for blending a technique that not every beginner may have mastered.
- Users have complained that the expressionist oil pastels have a strong petrochemical odor.
Final thoughts
Oil pastels are an excellent artistry tool, and if as an artist you think that it is an ideal medium that you wish to commit to, the list of oil pastels above is an awesome place to start your journey as they offer some of the best quality you can find in the market. Deciding on the oil pastel to work with is not easy, and your decision should depend on your needs. Based on our research, a lot of artists preferred the Sennelier and Holbein brands, but in our opinion, the perfect oil pastel should be one that can cater to the needs of all artists regardless of their skill level. Nevertheless, keep in mind that the key to being able to produce phenomenal artwork while using oil pastels is to practice as frequently as you can.