15 Best Oil Pastels For Beginners

Here are the best oil pastels for beginners. Oil pastels are a great choice for beginners because they are easy to use, affordable, and don’t require extra tools like brushes or water. Unlike traditional pastels, they have a creamy texture that blends smoothly and gives vibrant colors. They can be used on paper, canvas, or even wood, making them good to use for all kinds of different art projects. Many starter sets come with lots of colors, so beginners can practice shading, blending, and layering right away.

I still remember my first set of oil pastels, and how exciting it was to see the colors come alive on paper. They were simple to use, but at the same time, they made me feel like I was creating real art. That’s why I love recommending oil pastels to anyone just starting out. They give you the freedom to experiment in so many fun ways. They work fantastic to practice on with the free printable coloring pages on this blog!

What Are Oil Pastels?

Oil pastels are art sticks made from pigment mixed with oil and wax. They have a soft, creamy texture and lay down rich color on paper, canvas, or board. Unlike chalk pastels, they do not create dust and the colors look bold and smooth. You can blend them with your fingers or a blending tool to create shading and layered effects, which makes them fantastic for drawing, coloring, and mixed media projects.

Best Oil Pastels For Beginners

1. Pentel Arts Oil Pastels

These pastels are bright and smooth and they layer beautifully to create soft blends. Artists love using them for quick sketches or adding gentle colors to a coloring page. A tip is to use your fingers or a blending stump to really soften the colors and make them look painterly. They are a good set for experimenting and trying out different color combinations.

2. Meeden Art Pastel Set

Meeden pastels are creamy and easy to work with, making them a good choice for beginners. They blend easily into backgrounds or gradient effects and can give your artwork a professional look without much effort. You will love how easy it is to mix the colors together for smooth results.

3. Arteza Soft Pastels

Arteza pastels are so buttery and vibrant that they are worth it if you want a really good oil pastel. The colors stay strong even after layering and they are very soft to the touch. A tip is to use a pastel fixative after finishing so the colors do not smudge too easily. They are for adding bold, rich tones to your favorite coloring pages.

4. Schmincke Pastels

Schmincke pastels are one of the top sellers and for good reason. The colors are very rich and they layer beautifully, making your art pop off the page. You can use these ones for both big projects and small detailed work. They are a really good choice if you want a set that will last and give consistent color every time.

5. Rembrandt Soft Pastels

These pastels are smooth and pigmented, which makes them easy to use for both detailed work and layering larger areas. They are sturdy enough to travel with and still hold their shape well. The sets are perfect to keep in your craft bag for quick coloring sessions or for bringing along on a trip.

6. Sargent Art Pastels

Sargent Art pastels are budget friendly and a good choice if you are experimenting or just starting with oil pastels. They blend well and are simple to use, so you can practice techniques without worrying about wasting expensive pastels.

7. Monte Mart Oil Pastels

Monte Marte are creamy and very easy to blend. You can use them for adding subtle shading to faces, flowers, or leaves. A tip is to use a blending stump or your finger to smooth out transitions between colors for a soft finished look. They are a good choice if you want pastels that lays down saturated colors.

8. Paul Rubens Professional Soft Pastels

These pastels are handmade and you can really feel the difference in their texture and softness. The colors are vibrant and blend beautifully on paper. A tip is to lightly layer the colors to build depth instead of pressing too hard, which helps get a smooth, professional looking finish.

9. Amazon Basics Soft Oil Pastels 

Amazon Basics pastels are simple, soft, and easy to use for casual coloring. They are good for trying out blending or layering without a big investment. You can easily smudge them with your fingers or a cotton swab to create soft transitions and gentle color effects.

10. Paul Reubens Starter Set

Paul Reubens has a top selling starter set that has creamy and pigmented pastel sticks that work well for bold designs. They are good to fill in backgrounds or large areas quickly. A tip is to layer light colors over dark ones for an interesting effect that gives your artwork more depth.

11. Mungyo Pastel Set

Mungyo oil pastels are smooth and dependable with a heavy color load. They are fun for sketching, layering, and even adding details to your projects. They are a fantastic budget friendly set for just getting started. And you get a ton to play with!

12. Caran d’Ache Oil Pastels

Caran d’Ache oil pastels are for when you really want to upgrade your oil pastel collection. They are buttery, vibrant, and feel very luxurious in your hands. Use them for special projects or coloring pages where you want the colors to really pop and look rich. These are some of the most expensive art supplies which is a total splurge!

13. Shuttle Art Oil Pastel Kit For Beginners

Shuttle Art oil pastels kits are good for beginners because they have full kits of oil pastels and other art supplies to practice with. I recommend starting with simple shapes and color blocks to practice blending techniques. They are also a good choice if you want something fun! This kit comes with extras like colored pencils, paint and also a coloring book.

14. Holbein Oil Pastel Sets

Holbein oil pastels are creamy and professional quality. They are so nice for layering colors and making smooth gradients on your coloring pages. Customers love how consistent the colors are across the whole set. So you never have to worry about surprises when mixing or layering. I personally have not used these yet but they are on my list to get in a video so stay tuned!

15. Artecho Oil Pastels Set of 120

This set has so many colors it feels like a rainbow in a box. It is perfect if you want a wide variety and do not want to run out of options while working on a big project. They have them in color families, which makes picking colors faster and easier while you are coloring.

Oil pastels are so fun to play with and there are so many ways to use them. You can layer colors to make them rich and vibrant, blend with your fingers or a stump for soft transitions, or even smudge them for a painterly look. I love using them with colored pencils for details, adding highlights with white gel pens, or even using a little solvent like Gamsol to make the colors melt together. I hope this guide helps you find a set that feels just right for you.

More Coloring Ideas

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Pastel art marker sets for coloring

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