Oil Pastels

Enjoy Beautiful Oil Pastels From Spotlight

Easier to use than oil paint and more vibrant than soft pastels, Spotlight's collection of oil pastels is perfect for artists of any experience level. Smooth, buttery and brightly coloured, our oil pastel crayons and sticks come in useful packs that ensure you get a great range of colours at an affordable price.

The kinds of oil pastels you can find at Spotlight

You can find several different types of oil pastels aside from your classic oil pastels, including:

• Metallic oil pastels: These luminous oil pastels come in metallic colours like gold, silver, copper, bronze and metallic greens, blues and purples.
• Large oil pastels: Larger oil pastels can lay down more colour faster, and may be more comfortable for you to use for longer periods of time.
• Water-soluble wax pastels: While not technically oil pastels, these wax pastels have the creamy and smooth consistency of an oil pastel but can also be blended by adding water!

All of our pastels come from quality brands like Reeves and Faber Castell, so you can rest assured all your pastels will look fantastic on paper.

Oil pastel FAQs

What is an oil pastel?

Oil pastels contain pigment bound with wax and non-drying oil. They are known for having luminous colours and being easy to blend and, like oil paint, can be manipulated by applying mediums like linseed oil and turpentine. Oil pastels can come in crayon and pencil form - oil pastel pencils are great for making smaller details.

How to do oil pastel drawings

Oil pastels can be applied onto any paper suitable for pastels without the need for any preparation. If you plan to layer, start with your light colours and then add darker ones on top, as light colours won't show over darker ones if you try them in reverse.

How to seal oil pastel

Oil pastels are easy to smudge, so try sealing them with a good quality spray fixative or varnish. Create multiple light, even coats rather than one thick one, and make sure to spray in a ventilated area.

What Else Can I Find At Spotlight?

Make sure to check out some of our other creative categories, including:

• Soft pastels: These pastels aren't as vibrant as oil pastels but still have lovely colours and are less likely to smudge. They create smooth, blurred lines that are ideal for creating dreamy, soft artworks.
• Drawing supplies: Everything you need to draw with confidence is here! Pens, pencils, markers, charcoal and tools like erasers and sharpeners can all be found here.
• Art supplies: Our huge art supplies range has absolutely everything you need to create your kind of art! Paints, canvases, easels, palettes, boards, mediums and all your drawing supplies are in this category.

Check out the full art and craft category for any other creative supplies you may need.

Find the right oil pastels at Spotlight

Ready to get yourself a new set of beautiful oil pastels? Shop oil pastel pencils and crayons online, pay your way and we'll deliver your order straight to your front door. You can also visit your nearest Spotlight store to shop for oil pastel crayons in person.

Read our buying guides on pens, pencils and markers, paints and mediums and paper and card online so you can always buy the best art supplies for your needs. And for heaps of creative inspiration, check out our blogs on soft pastels, how to make textured canvas art and how to choose and paint on canvas.