How to Use Oil Pencils

Oil pencils are made from pigment, wax and oil, then encased in wood. They're related to both colored pencils and oil pastels (that is, the pastels made from the same ingredients as oil pencils but formed into crayons). Artists use oil pastels to paint, with the advantage being that you can use drawing techniques to create oil paintings. Oil pencils share this benefit, and they are also useful for detail work and are less messy. Oil pastels and pencils can be applied to the same materials you would use for oil painting or when drawing with colored pencils.

Draw several sets of parallel lines in rectangular shapes. Use one color for one box, two complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel) for another and two analagous colors for another (related and close to one another on the color wheel). Get a feel for how the particular pencils you are using lay down on the paper, their texture and the kind of color they produce. Different brands don't behave alike.

Draw the same sets of lines using different pressures to see how hard or soft you might press and what effects those pressures produce.

Draw the same sets of lines, including the varying pressures, on different supports—different paper types, fabric you'd consider using for a project, wood and other candidates for projects. The pencils will behave differently depending on what material you use.

Draw small one- and two-color patches of scribbles on the different supports, using circular motions.

Scumble the colors: Lay down one color, then lightly scribble another color over top. Scumble again, but for this attempt, spray a coat of fixative on the first layer, before lightly applying the second color. In both instances, let the first color show through.

Draw single lines or outlines of shapes on the supports you are experimenting with.

Blend the drawing experiments using a variety of the blending tools to understand how each tool will change the marks. Try, too, your fingers. The lines will soften, but still retain detail.

Dip various blending tools into solvent, then blend the marks to achieve a different effect than achieved through the dry-blending.

Apply a light wash of solvent on part of a fresh paper, then draw over it to discover how your pencils will react. Dip pencil tips into solvent, then draw.

Create marks to practice how to "erase" or correct the lines. Lightly scrape marks, then follow up with plastic eraser. Lightly scrape, then blot with the kneaded eraser. Lightly scrape, then pull up residue by dabbing with thinner. Lightly scrape, then cover with another color.

Sketch shapes as an underdrawing before working up a subject with a compatible medium like oil pastels or oil paint.

Sketch lines or shapes to use as a resist with watercolors. A resist prevents an incompatible medium from coloring where lines or shapes have been laid down. A resist method many are familiar with is using a wax crayon to draw shapes on Easter Eggs before dying them. Avoid rough handling of the lines as you apply the watercolor to avoid smearing the oil pencil marks.

Sketch over watercolors to emphasize parts of a subject.

Sketch shapes or outlines. Mark places where broad color is to be laid down.

Fix the underdrawing with spray.

Work up the oil pencil drawing as you might with colored pencils. Use fixative to prevent layers from being disturbed by subsequent marks.

Spray at least one top coat of fixative to the final drawing to preserve the drawing against accidental smearing.

Spray fixative on the portion of an oil pastel painting you want to apply detail to.

Add fine details—say, light on the eyes or strands of dark hair.

Fix again.