Oil Pastels

My Favorite Art Supply

artist with sketchbook and oil patels
oil pastel drawing oil pastel landscape artist drawing a portrait in oil pastel

As artistic mediums go, oil pastel is one of the youngest out there. It was developed in the early twentieth century, although the claim that it was invented by Picasso isn’t strictly true – it was actually first developed as a medium for children in Japan. (The Spanish master did, however, work with the French manufacturer Sennelier in the 1940s to develop its line of artist-grade oil pastels, which are now used across the world.)
Oil pastels are popular among artists today for the boldness and immediacy they offer. Some artists use them as the foundations of their oil paintings – but they can also create beautiful drawings in their own right. They’re highly portable, so are a great tool to pack in your bag if you like sketching outdoors.