This was my first time using oil pastels, so I approached this new medium with curiosity and a bit of caution. As a soft pastel artist, my process typically involves creating an underpainting to guide the application of pastels, establishing lights, darks, and local colors. I was intrigued by the potential to incorporate the oil pastels into my underpainting process. Here’s how it went!

First Impressions & Application:

I began with a simple landscape underpainting on UArt 500 grit sanded paper. The initial application revealed some interesting characteristics:

• The colors were vibrant and laid down smoothly, I noticed that the pastels occasionally left small chunks. This could be due to the sanded surface or my unfamiliarity with the pressure needed for even application.

• The pastels blended effectively with a brush, as recommended on the box. I also experimented by overlapping colors in the sky.

Blending Experiment – Water vs. Alcohol:

According to the product instructions, water or other oil painting mediums could be used to wash the pastel. To compare the effects, I used water on the left side and alcohol on the right:

• Water was more effective in dissolving the pastels, creating a smoother and more fluid wash.

• Alcohol resulted in a slightly more textured effect, with some areas retaining more pigment.

Testing on Different Surfaces:

To see how the pastels would respond to a smoother surface, I repeated the process on Strathmore Mixed Media 300 Series paper. This yielded different results:

• The application was smoother, and the pastels blended a bit more easily.

• Both papers worked well, but I preferred the UArt sanded paper for the style of paintings I create, as it added more texture and depth to the underpainting.

Layering with Soft Pastels:

Once the underpaintings dried, I applied soft pastels over the top. The results were promising:

• The washes dried to muted tones, providing a subtle and harmonious base for the soft pastels.

• The soft pastels adhered nicely without any interference from the oil pastel underpainting.

Final Thoughts:

The water-soluble oil pastels offered a new way to create an underpainting. I will continue exploring this technique in future soft pastel paintings.  If you’re a soft pastel artist looking for a new way to approach underpaintings, these water-soluble oil pastels are worth a try.