Holly Saunders Oil Pastels Techniques

[@TheAmber52]

At last someone who explains things clearly and without loud music playing in the background. Just like being in class which I love thank you.

[@kathgarvey]

This might have been recorded a few years ago, but the information and tips shared are the best I have seen for oil pastels. Thank you so much.

[@skysettermobiles]

Still relevant in 2024 and so informative. Thank you so much for showing us your techniques!

[@ddevvnnull198]

This was such a treat to listen to. So calm and instructive. Not a word absent or excessive. Thank you, Ms. Saunders. I'll go try my hand at oil pastels now.

[@AureliaFarinas]

This is one of the best oil pastel tutorials I have seen. Thank you for making it. I use oil pastel with mineral spirits and love the technique of painting but the convenience of taking the pastels with me. I also use a watercolor undercoat, then use pastels over it so when I scrape you can see the colors underneath. Different technique, but it works will.

[@j1dapAa]

Right now, she my art teacher :>

[@hristiana.bobeva]

I have my pastels, I have my paper and now I just need the courage to start. Many thanks for the amazing video. So many different tips and triques and it wasn't all about blending. What I liked the most was the approach - a painting, not a drawing, as a final result. Please, please, upload more videos like this one! And MANY, MANY thanks!

[@patwessels2322]

Really informative tutorial Holly! So difficult to find good info on oil pastels this was most welcome. Please keep them coming.

[@mountainsno]

Its 2022 and I cant thank you enough. I have finally found the "how to" and I want to thank you. I really want to be able to use oil pastels. I was just about to give up. Hope you are doing great. Thanks again.

[@tamarapaskvan6704]

Dear Holly, Thank you for generously sharing your knowledge. Now I feel zest to embark on my oil pastels yourney.

[@chrisr214]

The best, simplest, and most concise video for beginners (like me) that I've seen! And I've watched several over the past few days. Thanks Holly!

[@lauraweeks7400]

The best oil pastel tutorial I’ve watched yet. Thank you so much Holly for your teaching style.

[@JoAnneMOwens]

Oh my, this is so very helpful and I want to thank you for sharing. The procedure that allows you to transfer photos is brilliant!

[@AJ99-J99]

Thank you for a demo that including using pastels on a canvas...as well as method for transferring basic outline! I appreciate that pacing of the presentation and the added fact that there is no wasted small talk, you don't go off on unrelated tangents. Also good to know about fixatives and the common sense/uses of having both artist grade pastels and student grade! Thank you!

[@ingasongbird6729]

Excellent presentation by a pro who loves to paint! BRAVO! Thank you ~

[@brefnerolandsdottir5589]

In one video, my dear Holly, you have explained everything I have spent weeks trying to find out about this wonderful new medium for me. Thank you very much! I am thrilled to have started creating in oil pastels on panels even though I kept hearing and reading that it remains tacky and needs to be put behind glass, etc., which defeated purpose for myself anyway. Thanks for confirming that they dry with time and for all of your fabulous tips. Your work is lovely. Take care.

[@1755ma]

Try spraying your picture with Sennelier oil pastel final fixative. I have a few oil pastels on canvas which I sprayed and they are dry to the touch like an oil or acrylic. Takes about a year. But does get dry.

[@michelef.1236]

Thank you, Holly. I very much enjoyed your calm, pleasant and clear presentation on this medium. You've inspired me to try again with oil pastels.

[@pjlopiccolo8709]

Holly! You shoukd do more tutorials. I am just getting started with oil pastels and this was very helpful.

[@chad7247]

this was exactly what i have been looking for....just instruction with no over the top antics or music....no 10 min back story...ty, your art is amazing

[@janetmatthews5564]

Very informative I’ve always wondered how to get fine details Thankyou for the tips

[@valeriegehling4358]

So clearly explained. As, tonight I smudged my flowers I may try your stencil idea for the outline. Thank you.

[@joanncrosby]

Great ideas! Thanks so much. Your video has taught me the most thus far.

[@Shalinee2212]

Such a helpful video. Thank you! Would love to see more.

[@MusicaBasket]

Holly, thank you so much for this wonderful information. This is the perfect medium for my trip, and the techniques that you have generously shared will be invaluable. I'm off to buy some Sennellier pastels! All the best from us here in Australia.

[@thelegendarywarrior2809]

MusicaBasket just a question. aren't you supposed to spread oil pastels? or you can just leave it.

[@scooplyon505]

Love your instruction style and the encouragement you give to be creative and letting your creativity lead your work. Learned a lot, too!! Two questions: 1) what is the name of the tool you use to make your random lines at the end of each eye and 2) what kind of paper or surface are you using?

[@elisaskelton286]

Thank you Holly, for your informative video and for sharing your passion for oil pastels! it was lovely to see a fellow Stroud resident sharing their skills for others to learn from and encouraging them to be creative with such a fantastic media such as oil pastels. please continue spreading your knowledge. Elisa

[@wsmarczak]

Thank you. I’m pushing myself to try different products than acrylic. This video was perfect for me. I’m now going to try something new!

[@tricianichols652]

Very helpful! Best oil pastel tutorial I have seen. Thanks so much.

[@michaelklein5242]

Fine, informative video--thanks! I must add that among my various mediums, my oil pastels rather sat around quite a while. Now I use them the most often!

[@ianwalker3922]

Hi Holly thank you for sharing ways to use oil pastels you've enspired me thank you so much please do some more Ian thank you.

[@Nasauniverse001]

Thank you. Im a novice artist with a box of oil pastels. At first l didnt like them and prefer soft pastels, but you have given me more insight. Im going to try again.

[@cherylschellenberg5224]

This was so helpful, and encouraging. You are a fantastic teacher. Thank you so very much!

[@victoriamcintosh5122]

Very good tutorial, I work very little with oil pastels, and this was the best one I've seen! Thank you!

[@kevinbwillson4161]

Thank you Holly this was delightful and in lighting

[@alzahimura6484]

I’m new with the oil pastel and this tutorial really helped me thank you

[@junemarshall6680]

Thank you so much Holly, you are so generous sharing your skills and ideas with us. I managed to get one of the eraser templates from Ebay. I tried everywhere and eventually got it there. You are a wonderful artist. I have been doing oil pastels for years but not lately so it was great to get an update. Thanks so much! God bless, June

[@tempo9198]

I’m a beginner and really appreciate your tips. Thanks for sharing!

[@rosemurphy9361]

Had a box of student pastels in a draw for years, now I know how to put them to use. Excellent tutorial, many thanks.

[@FrankDudgeon]

Wonderful tutorial The techniques are going to be very valuable. Thanks so much.

[@lizzyallison859]

VERY informative, I love all these techniques. Thank you so much x

[@creativesolutionsart-h3o]

Brilliant techniques! Very useful. I saw another KZbin Video show a way to seal oil pastel work. He used poly acrylic Minwax Clear liquid sealer.Thank you for sharing this

[@patriciaschoenberg1261]

Thank you for the super helpful tutorial!! I hope you do more oil pastel tutorials!

[@tanyahunter7320]

I have learnt so much from this video! Thanks so much for sharing 😊❤

[@giuliafassone37]

finally some decent art as well as decent tips! thank you

[@tinabosco57]

Hello Holly, thank you for sharing your technique on oil pastel. I am finding using student paste with better oil sticks also work, a newer brand in US is called RF oil sticks are very good.

[@katherinebuchanan9350]

Thankyou for such a great tutorial. I learned so much in just this 1! I feel a bit more comfortable in trying out this new (for me) medium

[@marciagklarosk5161]

It´s a very good and comprehensive explanation. Thank you so much!

[@chefwawa]

Indeed you managed to persuade me to continue using oil pastels. I was sceptical and needed to hear from someone level headed. Everyone in the pastel group I am subscribed to is outraged that I’m still trying to use oil.

[@MyChilepepper]

Brilliant tutorial. Now I can start scribbling away with my estatesale finds of artist’s boxes and boxes of pastels.

[@raerae6422]

Just starting out in oil pastels and thanking you immensely for your tips and techniques. Bless 😚

[@Mashkoor110]

Thank you so much. I have tons of them, due to my children using them for their art gcse's. I never knew till now, how to use them. They are student ones, but adequate for a beginner.

[@hanssing1]

Thanks a lot for the tip with the oil pastel fixative spray, highly appreciated - warm regards from Malaysia 😊

[@christinecolby8454]

Lovely! I am so excited to start using oil pastels!

[@MarcosSilvaFerraz]

Fantastic tips, thanks Mrs Saunders!!!

[@harishreddy4034]

This is a really good video that covers pretty much all the important concepts. And beautifully explained. My biggest concern is still fixing. I've not tried the Sennelier fixative, but a cheaper one I used made the colors darker. Storage can be an issue if stacking paintings one over the other which I normally do. I'm thinking of putting some waxy paper in between to see if that helps. Thanks for the video.

[@lunakat5763]

Fixative will always darken your work that is why most artists don't use it. For storage Glassine archival bags are the best.

[@harishreddy4034]

@@lunakat5763 Thanks for the tip.

[@lindyvalentine5434]

This is so helpful. Ive been trying with o.p. and am not proud of anything I've done yet

[@triciabrown9328]

A brilliant tutorial for someone like me, just starting out with oil pastel. Thank you.

[@franknitter]

Thank you fot this excellent tutorial!

[@pambutler5437]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I learned a lot today!

[@franceselizabethvanvelzen8555]

Great help, very knowledgeable tutor and generous with advice and tips, thank you 😊👍

[@amywest7981]

A lovely tutorial. I learned so much. Thank you.

[@KayJohnsonArt]

Thank you for a very helpful video. I have been inspired to try oil pastels recently after discovering this is the medium favoured by the wonderful artist Sam Toft. Like many people, I have previously regarded them as similar to wax crayons. I can see a lot of benefit when painting en-plein air. I especially liked the tip for transferring the drawing to canvas.

[@Kathygroob]

What is the white spirit you are referring to? Thank you so much for a lovely demonstration.

[@Betsie45]

Thank you Holly - some very useful tips which I've made a note of.

[@InLawsAttic]

Thank you So SO much!! I really appreciate your techniques and you’ve helped me so much.

[@tdelphia1]

Wonderful tutorial! Thank you 😊

[@jude1515]

Great video! I used my pastels a few years back but wasn’t sure how to seal them or use them properly.

[@RebecaCalderaMusic]

Love it! so nice and clear the explanation, very complete, thanks so much for this!

[@neilmutch4100]

Thanks for making this video. Very informative.

[@impatience53]

An excellent tutorial! Thank you!!!

[@ArtSara96]

Thanks for sharing your creative knowledge.

[@glynisthomas6969]

Thank you so much. Relaxing and informative.

[@alvinbarrios4276]

Yes, thank you so much. Im allergic to soft pastels. But this is a great alternative.

[@alvinbarrios4276]

Yes it was a serious tutorial. Without clounning around .

[@Emily-kf8cb]

Absolutely mesmerizing. Thank you!!

[@samanthasloop7208]

Very nice video, so informative. Thank you!

[@asmrlucretia9804]

This was really useful. I love your work!

[@d1i9n2a2]

I found an old box of oil pastels and I made a few nice sketches in my sketchbook, I'm very excited and I feel like I've discovered a totally new thing. Thanks for the tips! I used a minute amount of liquin (I had it cause I do oil painting) and it worked well, although I would prime my paper with gesso next time cause it took away the white of the paper. The fixative issue was a concern for me, can you draw over it once it's fixed? Like if I wanted to add white details without mixing what's already on the paper?

[@onaghash4111]

Nice clear instructions thank you I have been afraid to use them

[@lindacshaw]

thank you for the tips as they helped me overcome my fear of using oil pastels.

[@deepoole820]

What a lovely helpful video, thank you!!

[@natashat2702]

wow thank you so much !!! new to pastel painting nee all the help i can get

[@kbrown6635]

Thank you for this info! It really helped me

[@phylr3983]

Thank you for this video. I am no expert, but I draw and paint pretty well and have this itch to constantly try new mediums, new techniques. I appreciate art and enjoy learning and attempting something new all the time. Of course, with that comes mistakes, but without errors I'd just have a blank canvas to stare at. Anyway, I also found a box of oil pastels on sale and at first was so frustrated with them I wanted to throw them out the window! Then I decided to try using them for my underpainting. I wound up creating such a lovely, truly breathtaking to be honest, painting by blending the oil pastel underpainting with alcohol. Then, using oil paint for detailing. Working slowly, glazing thin to thicker, allowing time to dry. Finally using soft pastel (I hope you haven't fainted yet, I'm not a trained artist, just a youtube student maverick with the gift of desire to be an artist) to add bright, vibrant highlights that the oils could not quite achieve. I guess one would call this a mixed media painting? Can I spray any kind of fixative onto the areas where I added pastel? Should I wait years until this oil painting is almost completely dry? Should this be the last time I use this method and write it off as lesson learned? Thank you in advance for your thoughts and much appreciated advice.

[@yonisinoy]

(officially) sorry to say, but i would write it off. Oil pastels do not properly cure (what people call dry) from my understanding, and will forever stay as an adjustable/movable layer of pigment on top of your surface. Oil paints take months to years to cure (aka dry) fully before they become properly permanent, and you should wait until this point before you varnish an oil painting (typically 6 months minimum if you don't use any fast drying agents like turps/solvents/alkyds). If you paint in oil paints on top of oil pastels, the oil paints will eventually cure but the oil pastels will not, therefore the oil paint does not have a strong surface to adhere to, as the oil pastel layer underneath can still shift. When it comes to soft pastels, they do not bind to oil pastels, nor to oil paint. therefore, a strong permanent bond will never be achieved. If you spray the painting with fixative/varnish, the painting will be sealed, but I don't know how strongly bound it will be given that the 3 different layers of different mediums could eventually start to peel off one another. Furthermore, when it comes to restoring the painting in the future, any varnish will have to be removed during the cleaning process, which will peel the soft pastel layer off the oil paint. (unofficially) Having said all that, unless you're planning on making a living selling your art, or charging thousands of dollars, I don't think it really matters. If you're painting for the love of creating art, you can do whatever you want as long as you're happy with the result. Your paintings may not last hundreds of years, and you may not want to get them restored in the future, and that can be alright too (I know nobody will bother restoring my paintings in the future) Besides, there are many artists who work in very non traditional ways, using techniques that go against all recommendations, and still sell their paintings for large sums of money. These works may not last hundreds (or possibly even tens) of years, but as long as someone is willing to buy them, they will keep creating them. sorry for long reply, hope this helped

[@flossiemyrl]

Excellent!! Thank you for sharing!

[@workofartgreeley7065]

great tip tracing the copy with pastel on the back!

[@katis.intuitivemalerei1818]

Sympathic & professional- thank u! 🌸💐

[@anettedouglasdotter]

Brilliant tutorial! 🎨 Thank you so much! ❤🙏⚘

[@lindagray1809]

What is a cruelty-free brush choice? I love using oil pastels and this tutorial!

[@Engelhafen]

You have such a nice clear pronunciation

[@janicemcgrath4786]

Thank you for this very informative tutorial.

[@elKachivache]

Wonderful video! Thanks

[@kittenclawsguitarvideos6147]

I am learning to use them. Oil paint has such a smell and so messy. I'm thinking of adding a tiny bit of baby oil. I'll probably make a mess. Thanks for your video. It's so helpful.

[@hotmmxx]

that was very helpful..I learned alot thank you

[@RoySimmons]

Superb video! Great ideas, thank you.

[@ejej1964]

Can you use glycerine instead of white spirit? Thank you for the tutorial! Very nice.

[@glennhorvath879]

Hi Holly, great tips and techniques!! I have a question, I work mainly in oil paint and am new to oil pastels...also to eliminate the stench of turp in my room. My question: I have painted backgrounds of oil paint on canvas and would like to finish--faces, for example, in pastels. Do you have experience with pastels over oil painting? Will they crumble off the oil painting over time?? BR Glenn

[@Marysart]

You might ask your question here facebook.com/groups/oilpastelartists/. lots of professional artists in this group.

[@WorldPeak]

Thank you very much. Respect from Jakarta.

[@hilalkalkavan1083]

What an amazing video. Thank you so much!

[@IvyRoad]

Brilliant! Big thanks!

[@deepagoyal]

Hi Holly! This is a wonderful video! Oil Pastel Society shared your video! Do you have a website?

[@jojojo8835]

1:55 the oil pastels are very portable, my A2 pastel pad not so much🤣. If you’re still finding it too hard to add detail just quadruple the size of paper, give yourself room to scribble and blend. I’ve also seen someone scrape the pastel with the tip of a small palette knife and transfer it to the surface in tiny lumps- allows for smaller smears.