Oil pastels have a rich, creamy consistency that makes them suitable for a wide range of projects, from still life art to atmospheric landscapes.
They come in bold, vibrant colours, which stay bright over time.
This medium is extremely versatile and can be used to create a variety of effects. When applied thickly, oil pastels can resemble an oil painting.
Oil pastels also blend well to produce smooth gradients and can be layered on top of one another.
If you’re a beginner, it’s worth experimenting with this medium to find out if it suits your style. Once you’ve mastered a few simple oil pastel techniques, you’ll be able to create impressive drawings in no time!
We’ve rounded up some of the best oil pastels to help you get started. We’ve included our top picks for beginners and recommendations for experienced artists.
11 best oil pastels to buy in 2024
1. Pentel Arts oil pastels
Best for children
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Fancy having a huge rainbow of colours at your fingertips? This Pentel Arts oil pastel set contains 50 different shades to inspire your creativity.
These oil pastels are ideal for beginners, children, art students or artists on a tight budget. The pastels blend well but are less smooth than some of the more expensive sets.
Reviewers have commented that these pastels have a strong odour that some people may find off-putting. If that doesn’t bother you, then you’ll be very happy with this set!
- Pros - Big colour selection
- Cons - Odd odour that some people may not like
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2. Mont Marte oil pastels
Best for art students
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Mont Marte art supplies are usually high quality and this oil pastel set is no exception. Expect beautiful colours, soft pastels and smooth blends.
The set contains 48 shades, all stored neatly in a protective tin. These oil pastels feel like a step up from the more basic brands and the consistency is much better.
The pastels are a little firmer than some brands, so you may wish to pair them up with a softer set to get the best of both worlds.
This set is a great pick for art students who need a quality pack of oil pastels with a good range of colours.
- Pros - Protective tin included, smooth blend
- Cons - Firmer consistency than other brands
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3. Inscribe Gallery oil pastels
Best for experimental beginners
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If you’re looking for a reliable set of oil pastels for beginners, the Inscribe Gallery oil pastels set is a good place to begin.
These oil pastels are very soft and come in a selection of luminous colours, perfect for beginners to experiment with!
This set is one of the more affordable ones on the market, so it would be suited to someone who just wants to give oil pastels a go. You can always upgrade to a better set if you enjoy them.
- Pros - Very soft, affordable
- Cons - Smaller colour selection
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4. Faber Castell Creative Studio oil pastels
Best for beginners
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Faber Castell is another brand you’re likely to have come across before, as they produce a variety of art supplies from paints to drawing pencils.
Their oil pastel set comes with 24 pastels in various shades. The consistency of the pastels is very soft, so you can blend them with ease.
This would be another great set of pastels for a beginner to use, but they are a little on the firm side. You may need to invest in a more expensive set if you find these too hard for your artwork.
- Pros - Big colour selection
- Cons - Harder to blend
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5. Paul Rubens oil pastels
Best for botanical art
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Feel like a professional artist with these Paul Rubens pastels.
This set comes with a staggering 72 different colours to choose from, ranging from deep blues to cool pinks. This set is specifically designed with botanical art in mind, but you could use them for any project.
If you like these, then check out the rest of the range too. We particularly like the pastel colours collection!
The pastels are soft and buttery, making them extremely blendable. You may struggle to draw fine details with these pastels because they are so soft. This set would be suitable for artists with a loose drawing style.
- Pros - Big colour selection in different tones
- Cons - Extra soft pastels so not suited to detailed art
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6. Sennelier artist’s oil pastels
Best for pros
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Follow in the footsteps of the masters with this premium set of oil pastels produced by Sennelier.
This range was created by Sennelier for Pablo Picasso himself! The quality of these pastels has definitely stood the test of time.
The Sennelier pastels come in 12 iridescent colours, so they’re guaranteed to make your art shine! These silky pastels have a beautiful sheen when you draw with them – and they’re a joy to use.
The consistency of the pastels is very smooth and they simply glide over the paper.
- Pros - Adds a beautiful shine to artwork, vibrant and rich colours
- Cons - Only includes 12 colours
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How to blend oil pastels
There are a variety of ways to blend oil pastels together. Learn how to blend oil pastels with our useful tips and tricks.
7. Caran d’Ache Neopastels
Best for intermediate artists
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Blend to your heart’s content with this professional set of Caran d’Ache Neopastels. These pastels give excellent coverage and are extremely blendable.
As these are artist-quality pastels, they’re also non-fading and don’t require a fixative to protect them. The colours are luminous and will allow you to create eye-catching art.
While this is pricier than many of the sets in our round-up, Caran d’Ache pastels are well worth buying due to their high quality. If you plan to sell your drawings, you will need to use pastels like these – or a similar brand designed with artists in mind.
- Pros - Non-fading, very blendable
- Cons - Pricier than others on the list
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8. Mont Marte extra soft oil pastels
Best for vibrant colours
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Get ready to blend, shade and sketch with this extra soft selection of oil pastels from Mont Marte.
The set comes with 39 pastels in an array of striking hues. They’re non-toxic and wonderfully easy to use.
If you find that you use up your white pastels quickly then you’re in luck – this set includes some extra white pastels! You’re unlikely to run out for a while.
- Pros - Extra white pastels included
- Cons - Reviews have reported they have a stronger smell to them
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9. Sakura Cray Pas Specialist oil pastels
Best for museum standard artwork
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Sakura’s Cray Pas oil pastels are very popular with both beginners and pros. They offer more basic sets for those just starting out, with high-quality sets for advanced artists.
The specialist oil pastels come in a great selection of highly pigmented colours, which are lightfast and won’t fade. These are museum standard, meaning they’ll last longer than cheaper pastel brands.
- Pros - Long-lasting colour that won't fade
- Cons - Strong smell
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10. Sennelier Artist’s oil pastels for landscapes
Best for landscapes
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Calling all landscape artists! This set contains all the colours you need to capture a scene, from earthy browns to vivid greens.
These oil pastels are made to a high standard and blend together easily. They’ll provide good coverage on your paper and the pastels can be layered to give your art more depth.
- Pros - Very blendable
- Cons - Lots of similar earthy tones
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11. Sennelier oil pastel wooden box set
Best for gift giving
Buy the Sennelier oil pastel wooden box set from Cass Art
This set of oil pastels would be fantastic for a working artist – or it would be an amazing gift!
The pastels are contained within a beautiful wooden box, which will protect them when they’re not in use.
The set comes with 120 colours, which are all lightfast and highly pigmented. These pastels feel luxurious to use and you’re bound to be pleased with the results.
- Pros - Biggest colour selection on the list, lovely wooden box
- Cons - More expensive than others on the list so not suited to beginners
Oil pastels are a versatile medium for artists of all levels
Oil pastels have a thick texture and bright colours, which makes them very satisfying to draw with.
Whether you’re new to art or a more experienced artist, you’re bound to find these pastels enjoyable to use.
The good news is that there are plenty of oil pastel sets to choose from, whether you’re on a budget or looking to invest in professional-standard materials.
Expand your repertoire with soft pastels
Unlike oil pastels, soft pastels have a chalky consistency and can be used to create beautiful, dream-like drawings.
Get started with Gathered’s handy soft pastels guide.
