The artist works directly with the pastel, establishing the drawing and major color masses. This creates a slightly tacky surface that helps the oil paint adhere better, preventing it from sliding around.
Choosing the Right Surface for Mixed Media Oil Pastel and Oil Paint
The oil layer acts as a muted, atmospheric background, while the pastels provide the crisp, defining lines and intense pops of color that bring the subject to life. Oils, on the other hand, are a slow-drying paint composed of pigment suspended in a drying oil, typically linseed oil.
Instead, artists should work on a rigid, absorbent ground. A popular choice is a primed canvas panel or canvas board, where a thin layer of gesso has been applied.
Choosing the Right Surface for Mixed Media Oil Pastel Work
While seemingly opposite in their behavior, with one being a dry, dusty medium and the other a wet, oily one, they can be combined to create work that is both vibrantly immediate and richly textured. When applying oil paint over a pastel drawing, a light coat of workable fixative can be sprayed onto the dry pastel layer before the oil is added.
More About Oil and soft pastels
Looking at Oil and soft pastels from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on Oil and soft pastels can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
