Have you ever tried blending oil pastels with baby oil? It might seem like the two don’t go together at first, but they do! When mixed together, baby oil and oil pastels create a unique texture and depth in your artwork. The best part is that it’s so easy to do. All you need is some baby oil and some oil pastels made for blending with oils – just mix them together until they’re one color! In this blog post, we’ll show you a blending technique that will give your oil pastel artwork a unique watercolor look. You can use not only baby oil to blend oil pastels but many other materials and easily available such as rubbing alcohol, Q tips, a chamois or washcloth. Oil pastels are just compressed oil paint in stick form so whatever you use to blend oil paints can be used but you should read on to learn more.
Can you use baby oil to blend oil pastels?
Baby oil can also be used in a variety of ways, including as an oil blending technique. Simply dab baby oil onto a cotton swab or ball and apply to the surface after previously applying oil pastel to blend in.
You may smudge and even apply your colors however you like, depending on how firm or moist you want to make it but my tip is to not over-do it with the baby oil.
Does blending baby oil with oil pastels leave an oily residue on paper?
Baby oil is not recommended for blending with pastels on paper because many believe it’s too oily and may leave residue behind. But.. on the flip side there are lots of actual experiments that have been run that show baby oil does not actually stain or leave an oil residue on paper.
My answer is you can use baby oil to blend oil pastels on paper without leaving an oily residue because baby oil actually evaporates quite quickly compared to other natural oils. The fragrance that is added to baby oil may stay on your artwork for a short while but that should have little effect in the long term.
What is baby oil anyway?
Baby oil is actually mineral oil. The main ingredient of baby oil is mineral oil, which has been used as a cosmetic for decades to moisturize skin and remove makeup. It’s also widely used in the medical profession because it kills bacteria – so even though people think it may leave residue on paper, this isn’t true at all!
Is baby oil toxic?
Baby oil is not toxic, but it isn’t safe to ingest.
Alternatives to using Baby Oil for blending oil pastels
Can you blend oil pastels with alcohol?
Isopropyl alcohol and water are the primary ingredients of rubbing alcohol. Once the oil pastel and alcohol is dry, you can easily apply more paint without it mixing with the color underneath. Or you can even put some watercolor over it without messing up the first layer of paint.
Other alternatives to using baby oil for blending oil pastels are to use other kinds of oils like vegetable oil. You can also try blending watercolors with baby oil or white spirit (or turpentine) for a different effect!
Can you blend oil pastels with mineral turpentine?
Blending oil pastels with mineral turpentine is another blending method. Mineral turpentine also works like baby oil but it has a strong smell and odor compared to baby oil and harder to wash off. It also has the risk of removing any layers of oil pastels that you may have applied earlier. My tip: don’t use it.
What should I use to blend oil pastels?
You can use a cloth or a chamois for blending pastels. You can also blend pastels with a cloth, but a chamois is far better. A chamois is an extremely soft and flexible leather that works well with pastels. You can get one quite cheaply from any car wash supplier or online.
You can also use a Q tip (which is what I use) as they are cheap, easy to find and you can use them like a little brush to work your oil pastel as you blend it. I feel you have more control when using a Q tip for blending oil pastels with baby oil.
Remember to use one Q tip per color or you will end up mixing colors!
Do you need to seal oil pastels?
No. Once the oil pastels are blended with baby oil they become one color, this means that blending them together will not affect their texture or coverage at all – which is why you don’t need to seal it after blending!
How do I blend my oil pastel?
The best way to get a really smooth result when blending your artwork is by using circular movements over and under each other.
Try blending in different directions too just for fun but always make sure you finish off with some nice circular blending motions so everything looks even and consistent throughout your artwork.
How to Blend Oil Pastels with Baby Oil: Step by Step Instructions
To blend your oil pastel colors, you’ll need some paper, color oil pastels, Q tips, cloth or a chamois.
Dip the Q tip or pointy end of a chamois/cloth and slowly blend the oil pastel using a gentle circular motion until you start to see the colors blend.
Do not add too much baby oil too quickly or it will start to run and drip on your artwork.
If using alcohols instead of baby oil, then apply paint directly onto piece rather than mixing it on palette first.
The main advantage compared to blending in white spirits or alcohols is that there’s no strong smell; the disadvantage is that the surface becomes very sticky if you apply too much so it might be better suited to smaller paintings which will dry faster.
I have posted a YouTube video to show you other ways to use baby oil to blend oil pastels below.
How to use baby oil to blend oil pastels
Blending oil pastels with baby oil – Wrap up!
It might seem like oil pastels and baby oil don’t go together at first, but they do! When you go blending oil pastels with baby oil, the two create a unique texture that is perfect for your artwork. The best part is it’s so easy to do. Who knew? Share this blog post with all of your artist friends on social media today and let them know how to get started blending their own oils.
Suggested reading: What kind of paper do you use for Oil Pastels? Best Listed
Latest Posts
- Is Strathmore Watercolor Paper Good? A Comprehensive Review
- How To Start Selling Art Online: 10 Ways Checklist for 2023
- Is Blue Painters Tape Acid Free? What You Need To Know Before Buying
- Battle Of The Turps – Turpenoid Vs Turpentine Now Exposed
- Is Gamsol The Same As Turpentine? The Truth About These Popular Art Solvents
