Best Oil Pastels for Beginners: A Buying Guide

You signed up for an oil pastel class, and now you need supplies. Or maybe you tried oil pastels somewhere and want to continue at home. Either way, you're staring at dozens of options wondering which set won't waste your money.

Here's a straightforward guide to oil pastels for beginners—what matters, what doesn't, and specific recommendations at different price points.

Oil Pastels vs. Soft Pastels vs. Oil Paint

Before buying, make sure you know what you need.

Oil pastels are waxy, creamy sticks that blend smoothly and never fully dry. They're what this guide covers.

Soft pastels (also called chalk pastels) are powdery and require fixative spray. Different product entirely.

Oil paint sticks are actual oil paint in stick form. More expensive, different handling properties.

If your class specifically says "oil pastels," don't accidentally buy soft pastels. The packaging can look similar.

What Makes Good Oil Pastels?

Pigment Load

Higher pigment concentration means more vibrant color. Cheap oil pastels use more filler (wax and binders) and less pigment. The result: dull, hard-to-blend sticks that frustrate beginners.

You can't easily test pigment load in a store. Brand reputation and reviews are your guide.

Softness

Softer pastels blend more easily and apply smoothly. Harder pastels feel scratchy and resist layering. Student-grade pastels tend toward the harder side; artist-grade pastels are typically softer.

For beginners, medium softness works well—soft enough to blend, firm enough to control.

Lightfastness

How well colors resist fading in light. Matters for finished artwork you want to display. Less critical if you're just practicing.

Most student-grade pastels have lower lightfastness. That's fine for learning.

Color Range

Starter sets typically have 12-48 colors. For beginners, 24-36 colors offers enough variety without overwhelming choices. You can always buy individual sticks later for specific colors you need.

Price Tiers Explained

Budget ($10-20 for 24-48 pieces)

Functional for trying the medium. Higher wax content, less vibrant colors, harder texture. Good for: testing whether you like oil pastels before investing more.

Mid-Range ($25-50 for 24-48 pieces)

Noticeable quality improvement. Better pigmentation, smoother application, more satisfying to use. Good for: beginners who've tried oil pastels and want to continue.

Artist-Grade ($60+ for 24-48 pieces)

Professional quality. High pigment concentration, excellent blending, archival lightfastness. Good for: committed hobbyists and those creating work to sell or display.

Recommended Sets by Budget

Budget: Pentel Arts Oil Pastels (50 pieces, ~$15)

The standard recommendation for absolute beginners. Not the smoothest or most vibrant, but:

Enough colors to work with
Decent blending for the price
Widely available
Low-risk investment for trying the medium

Best for: First-timers testing whether oil pastels are their thing

Budget Alternative: Crayola Oil Pastels (28 pieces, ~$8)

Even more affordable, but noticeably harder texture and less vibrant colors. Fine for kids or casual experimentation. Adults serious about learning will likely upgrade quickly.

Mid-Range: Sakura Cray-Pas Expressionist (36 pieces, ~$35)

The sweet spot for beginners. Significant quality jump from budget options:

Noticeably softer and creamier texture
More vivid colors
Better blending
Still affordable for experimenting

Best for: Beginners ready to invest in quality without spending artist-grade prices

Mid-Range Alternative: Sennelier Oil Pastels (24 pieces, ~$45)

Artist-grade quality in a smaller set. Extremely soft and buttery texture. If you know you love oil pastels and want excellent quality with fewer colors, this offers professional performance at mid-range prices.

Artist-Grade: Holbein Artists' Oil Pastels (36 pieces, ~$70)

When you're ready for the real thing:

Exceptional softness
Intense pigmentation
Professional color mixing
Excellent lightfastness

Best for: Committed practitioners and those creating finished artwork

Artist-Grade Alternative: Sennelier Oil Pastels (48 pieces, ~$100)

The benchmark for professional oil pastels. Incredibly soft, rich colors, excellent archival quality. Many professional artists use Sennelier exclusively.

What About Individual Sticks?

Most art stores sell individual oil pastel sticks from major brands. This is useful for:

Replacing colors you use frequently
Adding specific colors your set lacks
Testing a brand before buying a full set

Individual artist-grade sticks typically cost $3-6 each. Budget sticks cost $1-2 each.

Paper Matters Too

Oil pastels need the right surface. Regular printer paper is too thin and smooth—pastels slide around and paper can tear.

Recommended surfaces for beginners:

Mixed media paper (90+ lb weight) Affordable and versatile. Handles oil pastels well and works for practice.

Pastel paper (like Canson Mi-Teintes) Textured surface grabs pastel. Comes in colors, which can become part of your artwork.

Cardstock In a pinch, heavy cardstock works. Not ideal but functional for practice.

Canvas paper or canvas boards More expensive but allows painting-like techniques.

A pad of mixed media paper ($8-15) is sufficient for getting started.

Other Supplies You Might Need

Blending Tools

Paper stumps/tortillons: Inexpensive, disposable blending tools
Fingers: Free, intuitive, but gets messy
Baby oil: Applied sparingly with a brush, creates paint-like blending (some artists swear by this technique)

Fixative Spray

Optional for oil pastels since they don't dust like soft pastels. Some artists use a light fixative coat to reduce smudging, but oil pastels never fully dry anyway. Skip this for now.

Storage

Oil pastels don't need special storage. Keep them in their original box or any container. They don't dry out like paints.

Where to Buy

Art Supply Stores

Blick Art Materials, Michaels, JOANN, local art shops. Good for seeing products in person. Michaels and JOANN often have 40-50% off coupons that make mid-range sets more affordable.

Online

Amazon, Blick.com, JerrysArtarama.com. Better selection, often better prices, can't touch products before buying. Read reviews.

Class Supply Lists

If your class provides a supply list, follow it. Instructors choose materials that work for their teaching methods.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Buying the Cheapest Set

Ultra-budget pastels frustrate learners. Hard, waxy sticks that don't blend teach you nothing about the medium's potential. The Pentel 50-piece set at ~$15 is the minimum quality worth considering.

Buying Too Many Colors

48+ color sets seem appealing but aren't necessary. Learning to mix and layer 24-36 colors teaches more than having every shade pre-made.

Skipping Practice Paper

Working on expensive paper while learning wastes money and creates pressure. Get cheap mixed media paper for practice, save quality surfaces for finished work.

Expecting Soft Pastel Behavior

Oil pastels don't need fixative and can't be easily erased. They blend differently than chalk pastels. Don't expect techniques to transfer directly.

Sample Starter Kit

For beginners ready to invest reasonably:

Sakura Cray-Pas Expressionist 36-piece set (~$35)
Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Pad, 9x12" (~$12)
Paper blending stumps, pack of 6 (~$3)

Total: ~$50

This setup gives you quality materials without overspending on supplies you might not continue using.

Quality Comparison at a Glance

Set	Pieces	Price	Softness	Pigmentation	Best For
Crayola	28	~$8	Hard	Basic	Kids, casual
Pentel Arts	50	~$15	Medium-hard	Decent	First test
Sakura Expressionist	36	~$35	Medium-soft	Good	Serious beginners
Sennelier	24	~$45	Very soft	Excellent	Quality seekers
Holbein	36	~$70	Very soft	Excellent	Committed artists
Sennelier	48	~$100	Extremely soft	Professional	Professional work

The Bottom Line

If you're taking one class to try oil pastels: the Pentel Arts 50-piece set at ~$15 is adequate.

If you've tried oil pastels and want to continue: the Sakura Cray-Pas Expressionist 36-piece set at ~$35 hits the sweet spot of quality and value.

If you already know you love the medium: Sennelier 24-piece (~$45) gives you artist-grade quality in a starter-friendly size.

Better materials make learning more enjoyable. But even budget pastels teach the basics. Start where your budget allows, upgrade when you know you'll continue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix different brands?

Yes. Oil pastels from different brands work together. Many artists use multiple brands to get specific colors or textures they prefer.

Do oil pastels expire?

No. They can last indefinitely if stored reasonably. Very old pastels may become slightly harder but remain usable.

Are oil pastels safe for kids?

Most oil pastels are non-toxic, but check the label. Crayola and Pentel make child-safe options. Avoid artist-grade pastels containing cadmium for children.

Can I use oil pastels on canvas?

Yes. Canvas works well for oil pastels and allows more painterly techniques. Prime the canvas first, or use canvas paper designed for oil pastels.

How do I clean oil pastels off skin?

Baby oil or vegetable oil removes oil pastel easily. Regular soap and water work too, but take longer.