Explore Our Wide Selection of Oil Pastels
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Oil Pastel Papers & Tools
What are Oil Pastels?
Oil pastels are a painting medium consisting of pigment mixed with a non-drying oil and wax binder. Unlike crayons, which are harder and waxier, professional oil pastels—like Paul Rubens—are soft, creamy, and highly pigmented. They behave similarly to oil paints but in a convenient stick form, allowing for direct application without the need for solvents or brushes. They are perfect for creating rich textures and vibrant illustrations.
How are Paul Rubens Oil Pastels made?
Quality oil pastels require a precise balance of premium pigments, refined oils, and waxes. Our pastels are formulated to be "Artist Grade," meaning we prioritize pigment load over fillers. We use finely ground pigments mixed with a proprietary blend of oils to ensure a buttery consistency that glides effortlessly on paper. While student-grade pastels often feel waxy and sticky, our formula ensures smooth laydown and excellent lightfastness.
How do you paint with them?
You can apply the pastel directly to the substrate (paper, canvas, or wood) to build layers. The creamy texture allows for "Impasto" techniques—building up thick, textured strokes similar to oil painting. You can blend colors using your fingers, a paper stump, or even dissolve them with turpentine or baby oil for a wash effect. They adhere beautifully to textured paper, which helps grip the pigment.
Are they safe and non-toxic?
Yes. Safety is paramount for modern artists. Paul Rubens oil pastels are made with environmentally friendly materials and are certified non-toxic (conforming to safety standards like ASTM D-4236). While they are safe for skin contact during blending, they are professional art materials intended for creative use. We ensure that our vibrant colors come from safe, stable pigments suitable for artists of all levels.
Learn MoreArtist Material Advisor on Pigments
Mastering the "Creamy" Texture
Paul Rubens Team | Artist Advisor Discover why the "buttery" feel of Paul Rubens pastels is a game-changer. In this guide, we demonstrate how soft oil pastels allow for superior blending compared to harder varieties. Learn how to control the pressure to achieve both delicate glazes and thick, painterly strokes that mimic traditional oil painting.
The Magic of Pearlescent Colors
Featured Artist Technique | 6 min read Paul Rubens is famous for its shimmering Pearlescent and Glitter oil pastels. These aren't just for decoration; they add depth and light to landscapes and abstract works. This article explores how to layer metallic colors over standard colors to create stunning highlights, water reflections, and magical atmospheric effects in your artwork.
Unlocking Oil Pastel Techniques
What is the "Impasto" Technique?
Impasto is a technique used in painting where paint is laid on an area of the surface in very thick layers, usually thick enough that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible. With Paul Rubens Oil Pastels, you can achieve this effect easily due to their soft consistency. Why Use Impasto with Pastels? Adding texture creates a physical dimension to your art. It catches the light and adds dynamism. By pressing firmly or cutting pieces of the pastel and pressing them onto the canvas, you can create relief-like effects that flat drawing cannot achieve. It turns a drawing into a painting.
The Power of Sgraffito (Scratching)
Sgraffito is the technique of scratching through a layer of still-wet medium to reveal what is underneath. With oil pastels, you can layer a dark color over a light color, then use a palette knife or needle tool to scratch designs, revealing the bright layer beneath. This is perfect for adding details like grass, hair, or intricate patterns without needing a fine-point tool.
Blending Solvents
Did you know oil pastels can be turned into a wash? By using a brush dipped in baby oil, turpentine, or specialized pastel solvent, you can dissolve the binder on the paper. This creates a watercolor-like effect or a smooth, seamless underpainting. It allows you to cover large backgrounds quickly before adding detailed strokes on top.
How to Start Creating with Oil Pastels
There are many ways to use Paul Rubens pastels to express your vision. Let's look at three essential methods.
Layering and Mixing
Don't be afraid to overlap colors. Start with your darker tones to establish shadows, or start with mid-tones. Because our pastels are opaque, you can layer light colors over dark ones (especially with the Haiya/Soft series). The colors physically mix on the paper as you rub them, creating new, custom shades directly on your artwork.
Finger Blending vs. Tool Blending
For a soft, gradient look (like a sunset), use your finger to rub the pastel into the paper's grain. The heat from your hand helps soften the oil binder. For more precision or to keep your hands clean, use a paper stump (tortillon) or a clay shaper tool. This pushes the pigment into the paper tooth for a solid, painterly look.
Using with Mixed Media
You don't have to use oil pastels alone. They work beautifully over dried acrylic paint or watercolor. Use watercolor to establish a loose underpainting, and then use Paul Rubens oil pastels on top to add definition, texture, and accent colors. This "resist" technique highlights the unique texture of the pastels against the flat matte background of the paint.
Paul Rubens Professional Oil Pastels
Paul Rubens Professional Oil Pastels Paul Rubens is dedicated to providing artist-quality materials that inspire creativity without the intimidating price tag of historical European brands. Our "Standard" and "Haiya" series oil pastels are specially crafted for artists who demand high saturation and exceptional coverage. Whether you are a novice exploring color or an experienced painter creating gallery work, you will find our pastels well-suited for various techniques, from Sgraffito (scratching) to heavy layering and blending.
Our pastels are made with a focus on color purity. We source high-grade organic and inorganic pigments globally to ensure that every stick delivers intense color payoff. We process these pigments with a unique binder ratio that prevents the "crumbs" and "stickiness" often found in lesser brands.
We believe in transparency and quality. We want you to feel the difference the moment the pastel touches the paper—smooth, responsive, and incredibly vivid. We invite you to experience the tactile joy of painting with Paul Rubens.
Why Choose Paul Rubens Soft Oil Pastels?
Many oil pastels on the market today are mass-produced for children or students, resulting in hard, waxy sticks that resist blending. To lower costs, these brands increase the wax content and reduce the pigment. This results in dull colors that cannot be layered effectively—the "slick" surface rejects new layers, limiting your artistic expression.
Paul Rubens takes a different approach. We formulate our pastels to be "Soft Oil Pastels." By reducing the wax content and using higher-quality oils, we achieve a texture that is closer to lipstick or oil paint. This softness is crucial for professional techniques. It allows the colors to mix directly on the paper, creating smooth gradients and new hues that pre-mixed colors cannot achieve.
Furthermore, our wide color range (up to 72+ colors, including rare macaron and metallic shades) allows artists to refine their palette. You can use them straight from the box for bold impact or blend them to create subtle transitions. As you become more familiar with our creamy consistency, you will find they offer the freedom of oil paint with the ease of a drawing tool.
Paul Rubens Oil Pastel Collections
A selection of our most popular series, designed for specific artistic needs and color palettes.