by Susan Irving

I had not used oil pastels since I was in my teens ( a VERY long time ago). However, I was given a set of Sakura cray-pas, a lovely buttery Japanese brand,  which has given me the opportunity to re-learn them. 

First, I played with random crosshatching, layering and blending techniques, watched a couple of videos, and then decided to experiment with different surfaces using cheap, Dollar Store papers for my first efforts. Since oil pastels tend to be very smudgy, I taped off sections of the papers to give sharp edges. 

Oil pastels never totally dry. Apparently, one can use a fixative, but some say it dulls the colours.  I have not yet tried this. But they can be framed under glass using a double mat.

So, here are my first attempts.  We shall see if I improve over time.

1. Oil pastels on watercolour paper

2. Oil pastels on canvas paper

3. Oil pastel self-portrait on sketching paper.

How have you played with a new-to-you medium? Share! Send text & images to TheCollectif.ca@gmail.com

Comment avez-vous exploré un nouveau médium artistique ? Partagez vos idées ! Envoyez vos textes et images à TheCollectif.ca@gmail.com