Draw with Oil Pastels
Create colorful drawings using oil pastels, learn blending and layering techniques, experiment with textures, and make a final vibrant artwork to showcase.
About this tutorial
Create colorful drawings using oil pastels, learn blending and layering techniques, experiment with textures, and make a final vibrant artwork to showcase.
What you need
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Clear a flat workspace and lay down scrap paper to keep the area clean.
- 2
Step 2
Tape your drawing paper to the work surface so it stays still.
- 3
Step 3
Lightly sketch a simple subject or design with your pencil.
- 4
Step 4
Pick 4 to 6 main colors you want to use for your picture.
- 5
Step 5
Cover large areas with base colors using broad strokes of the oil pastels.
- 6
Step 6
Use a tissue or cotton swab to gently blend two colors where they meet.
- 7
Step 7
Add a second layer of pastel over blended areas to deepen and enrich the color.
- 8
Step 8
Make textures by drawing short strokes or tiny dots with the pastel tip.
- 9
Step 9
Create highlights by applying a lighter color or white pastel on top of raised areas.
- 10
Step 10
Clean stray pencil marks and sharpen edges gently with the eraser.
- 11
Step 11
Sign and date your artwork in a corner so people know it’s yours.
- 12
Step 12
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I draw with oil pastels?
Set up a protected workspace and tape heavyweight paper to a board. Lightly sketch your composition, then block in broad color areas with oil pastels. Build depth by layering darker and lighter tones, blending with a finger, cotton swab, blending stump, or tissue. Add texture by scraping, stippling, or pressing harder. Refine edges and highlights last. Optionally spray a workable fixative when finished and mount the artwork to showcase.
What materials do I need to draw with oil pastels?
You'll need oil pastels, heavyweight paper (pastel, watercolor, or mixed-media), pencils and an eraser, and a sharpener. Bring blending tools like cotton swabs, tissues, or blending stumps, plus palette knives or toothpicks for sgraffito. Have scrap paper for testing colors, masking tape to secure the sheet, paper towels and wet wipes for cleanup, an apron or old clothes, and optional fixative spray and a backing board for display.
What ages is drawing with oil pastels suitable for?
Oil pastel drawing suits a wide age range. Toddlers (2–4) can scribble with supervision; preschoolers (4–6) enjoy bold color exploration. Ages 6–10 can learn basic blending and layering, while tweens and teens refine techniques and textures. Always supervise young children, provide non-toxic materials, and adapt tools and expectations to each child’s fine-motor skills and attention span.
What are the benefits of drawing with oil pastels?
Drawing with oil pastels boosts creativity, color awareness, and fine motor control through layering and blending. It encourages risk-taking and problem-solving when experimenting with textures. The tactile nature builds sensory skills and concentration, while quick, vivid results give confidence and pride. Group projects promote communication and sharing, and finished pieces make meaningful keepsakes or gifts.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have oil pastels or a tissue/cotton swab for blending?
If you don't have oil pastels, use wax crayons or soft pastels (they blend a bit differently), and substitute a folded tissue, cotton ball, fingertip covered with a scrap of felt, or a Q‑tip for the cotton swab in step 6.
My colors aren't blending well or the paper is getting too messy—how can I fix that?
Press more lightly with broad strokes in step 5, blend gently in small circular motions with a clean tissue or cotton swab in step 6, and then add a second layer in step 7 rather than overworking the paper to avoid excess smudging.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages or skill levels?
For younger children, tape thicker paper, pre-draw a simple shape and limit them to 2–3 chunky pastels and big strokes (steps 2–5), while older kids can use 4–6 colors, finer textures (step 8), subtle blending (step 6) and multiple layers (step 7) for more detail.
How can we extend or personalize the project once the drawing is finished?
To enhance the piece, add mixed media like a light watercolor wash under your base colors (before step 5), create textured details with markers or collage along the edges, spray a fixative before sharing, and sign/date in a corner as instructed in step 10.