Serious questions for (oil pastel) artists, please answer!?

Posted by admin on April 10th, 2010 and filed under pastel artist | 1 Comment »

I have a sketchbook and I am planning to do numerous oil pastel drawings. I have some questions, though…

1. I’ll have to close the sketchbook on unfinished drawings. Won’t the oil pastel drawing be smudged every time I do that? How can I prevent that?

2. When an oil pastel drawing is finished, how do you preserve it for real? Is there some kind of varnish you can use, like with paintings? (Not looking for cheap hairspray solutions, but good-quality permanent solutions.)

3. I don’t want to just scan it when I’m finished. Where do you go to get a print made? Art supplier? Photo shop? Somewhere else? Will they know how to handle oil pastel drawings (i.e. be careful of smudging it, knowing what you mean by getting a print made, etc?) I’m thinking of having a print made of the finished work, to put in a portfolio-type of binder, and then storing the original somewhere.

4. How/where do you store oil pastel drawings? In a box? A binder? Somewhere else? Details, please?

Thanks SO much for all of your help!!
Also, these questions is for oil AND soft pastels…not yet sure what the difference is, so I’d like to keep my options open…

I can tell you what I’ve learned using oil pastels… I don’t think I’ll be able to answer anything about sealing them, but I hope I help even a little.

=]

Oil Pastels shouldn’t smear, or not too badly, when you close it. Unless you are really abusive with your book, it should be fine. Of course, I’ve only experimented with one brand of oil pastels, so If they are really soft and blendable, it might be another case.

Oil pastels and Soft pastels are 2 different things. Oil ones look like crayons, and are blendable. Soft pastels are more chalk-y and powder-like. From what i’ve heard, they smear easier, and you might need to be more careful with unfinished pictures.

=]

Good Luck with your other questions!

One Response

  1. ♫Bonjour Says:

    I can tell you what I’ve learned using oil pastels… I don’t think I’ll be able to answer anything about sealing them, but I hope I help even a little.

    =]

    Oil Pastels shouldn’t smear, or not too badly, when you close it. Unless you are really abusive with your book, it should be fine. Of course, I’ve only experimented with one brand of oil pastels, so If they are really soft and blendable, it might be another case.

    Oil pastels and Soft pastels are 2 different things. Oil ones look like crayons, and are blendable. Soft pastels are more chalk-y and powder-like. From what i’ve heard, they smear easier, and you might need to be more careful with unfinished pictures.

    =]

    Good Luck with your other questions!
    References :

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