Quick answer: Oil pastels vs oil sticks: they look alike but are different media. Oil pastels are pigment bound in wax and a non-drying oil; they stay soft forever, are cheap, low-mess and great for kids and drawing. Oil sticks (oil bars) are real oil paint, pigment in a drying oil such as linseed plus a little wax, shaped into a stick; they cure like oil paint over days, work on canvas, mix with tube oils and are meant mainly for teens and adults.
Walk down the drawing aisle of an art store and you will find both oil pastels and oil sticks. Both are chunky, both feel buttery, and both put down vivid color without a brush. It is easy to assume they are interchangeable. They are not, and choosing the wrong one leads to smudged artwork that never dries or to a messy, slow-drying medium handed to a young child.
This guide explains what each one is, compares them across the factors that matter, and helps you decide which suits your project or your child. For families looking at kid-friendly stick media more broadly, our roundup of safe, washable paint sticks for kids covers easier options too.
What Are Oil Pastels?
Oil pastels combine pigment with wax and a non-drying oil (often mineral oil). The result is a soft, creamy stick that you use like a crayon, only far more vivid and blendable.
- They never fully dry or harden.
- They work best on paper and card, and can be used on primed boards.
- They blend with fingers, stumps or a little baby oil.
- They are widely available in student and artist grades, and student sets are inexpensive.
What Are Oil Sticks?
Oil sticks, also called oil bars or oil paint sticks, are oil paint in solid form. Pigment is bound in a drying oil, typically linseed, with a small amount of wax added so it holds a stick shape.
- They dry (cure) by oxidation like tube oil paint, typically over several days depending on thickness.
- A thin skin forms on the stick when exposed to air; you peel or cut it off before use.
- They can be mixed with tube oils and thinned with oil painting mediums or solvents.
- They are suited to canvas, primed panels and primed paper, like other oil paints.
Oil Pastels vs Oil Sticks: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Oil pastels | Oil sticks |
|---|---|---|
| Binder | Wax + non-drying oil | Drying oil (e.g., linseed) + some wax |
| Dries? | No; stays soft indefinitely | Yes; cures like oil paint |
| Typical size | Slim, crayon-like | Usually thicker, larger bars |
| Texture | Creamy, waxy | Buttery, paint-like |
| Surfaces | Paper, card, primed board | Canvas, primed panel, primed or oil-ground paper |
| Mix with tube oils | Not recommended | Yes |
| Thinning | Baby oil, mineral spirits, pastel medium | Linseed oil, oil mediums, solvents |
| Storage of artwork | Needs glassine or glass; smudges indefinitely | Can be varnished once fully cured |
| Skin on the stick | No | Yes, forms when exposed to air |
| Cost | Low (student) to moderate (artist) | Higher per stick |
| Cleanup | Wipes; soap and water for hands | Like oil paint; oil then soap, or solvent |
| Suitable for young kids | Yes, with basic supervision | Generally better for teens and adults |
How They Feel and Behave
Application
Oil pastels are drawn on like crayons, with the stroke staying fairly controlled. Oil sticks deposit a lot of paint per stroke; they feel like drawing with lipstick-soft oil paint and can create thick, painterly marks quickly.
Blending
Both blend well. Oil pastels blend by rubbing and layering. Oil sticks can be smeared, brushed or palette-knifed like paint, and they stay workable for hours to days before curing.
Layering
Oil pastels fill paper tooth after a few layers, after which new color slides around. Oil sticks follow oil painting logic: you can work wet-into-wet, or let layers cure and paint over them, ideally following “fat over lean.”
Permanence
Oil pastel artwork remains soft and vulnerable to smudging and dust. Oil stick work cures into a durable film and can be varnished once fully dry, which is usually a matter of months for thick passages, as with conventional oil paint.
Surface Preparation
Because oil sticks contain drying oil, they need the same surface protection as oil paint. Oil applied to raw paper or canvas can soak into the fibers and degrade them over time. Use gessoed canvas, primed panels, or paper prepared with acrylic gesso or a product designed for oils.
Oil pastels are more forgiving. Heavy paper with tooth is fine, although priming helps prevent oily halos on lightweight paper.
Which Should You Choose?
| You want to… | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Give a young child a vivid, low-mess medium | Oil pastels | No drying, easy cleanup, inexpensive |
| Draw in a sketchbook | Oil pastels | Work on paper without priming |
| Create large, expressive canvases | Oil sticks | Paint-like volume and cure |
| Combine with oil painting | Oil sticks | Compatible with tube oils and mediums |
| Produce permanent, varnished work | Oil sticks | Cure into a stable film |
| Try watercolor resist projects | Oil pastels | Wax repels water-based paint |
| Practice color mixing cheaply | Oil pastels | Low cost per color |
| Add bold texture on top of a dry oil painting | Oil sticks | Integrates with the oil layers |
Using Oil Pastels: Quick Tips
- Choose heavy, toothy paper (mixed-media, pastel or cold-press watercolor paper).
- Apply light pressure first, heavy pressure last.
- Wipe the stick tip between colors to avoid muddying.
- Protect finished work with glassine or frame it behind glass.
Using Oil Sticks: Quick Tips
- Remove the skin. Peel or slice away the dried film on the tip with a paper towel or craft knife (adults) to expose fresh paint.
- Prime the surface. Use gessoed canvas, panel or primed paper.
- Work broadly. Use the stick directly, then move paint with a brush, palette knife or rag.
- Thin when needed. A little linseed oil or medium on a brush softens and spreads strokes.
- Clean up like oil paint. Wipe tools, rinse in oil, and wash with soap and water; handle oily rags safely.
- Store with care. The skin that forms protects the stick; some artists also wrap sticks in plastic or wax paper.
Safety Considerations
Both media can contain pigments that carry warnings, so read labels and look for AP or CL seals and an ASTM D-4236 conformance statement. Beyond pigments:
- Oil pastels: Low risk for most uses; avoid solvent blending with children and wash hands afterward.
- Oil sticks: Behave like oil paint. Use ventilation if thinning with solvents. Rags soaked with linseed oil can self-heat as they dry, so lay them flat to dry outdoors or keep them in a sealed metal container with water.
For younger children, oil pastels, or even simpler options such as tempera paint sticks, are usually the more practical choice. Our guide to top non-toxic paint sticks for children compares fast-drying, washable sets designed for kids.
Where Tempera Paint Sticks Fit In
Parents often discover oil pastels and oil sticks while searching for “paint sticks” for kids. Tempera paint sticks are a third, separate option: water-based solid paint in a twist-up tube that dries within minutes and is usually marketed as washable. They lack the blending of oil pastels and the depth of oil sticks, but for young children they are often the easiest of the three, with fast drying, minimal smudging and simple cleanup.
Common Misconceptions
“Oil sticks are just big oil pastels.”
They are oil paint with a different binder system. They cure, oil pastels do not.
“Oil pastels are oil paint in stick form.”
Their oil is non-drying, so they never form a paint film.
“You can varnish oil pastel drawings like paintings.”
Standard oil painting varnish is generally not recommended for oil pastels. Some makers offer sprays formulated for oil pastels; test first.
“Oil sticks can go on any paper.”
Drying oil can damage raw paper fibers over time. Prime first.
“Paint sticks for kids are the same as oil sticks.”
Kids’ paint sticks are usually tempera-based, fast-drying and washable. Oil sticks are a fine-art oil medium.
Drying, Curing and Finishing
The biggest practical difference shows up after the art is finished.
Finishing oil pastel work
Because oil pastel stays soft, the work is never truly done drying. Protect it by interleaving with glassine, storing it flat, and framing it behind glass with a mat so the surface does not touch the glass. Some manufacturers make fixatives designed for oil pastels; test on a scrap before spraying a finished piece.
Finishing oil stick work
Oil stick paintings follow oil painting rules. Thin areas may be touch-dry in a few days, but thick impasto can take weeks to firm up and much longer to cure fully. Many painters wait several months before applying a final varnish, as with conventional oil paintings. Keep the painting flat and in a dust-free, ventilated area while it cures.
Combining Both
Some artists use both in mixed-media pieces, but it requires care. Because oil pastel never dries, oil stick or oil paint layered over it may not cure or adhere properly over time. If you experiment, keep oil pastel to the top layers and treat the work as experimental rather than archival.
A First Project With Each Medium
Oil pastel starter project: sunset over water
- Tape a sheet of heavy, toned paper to a board.
- Layer yellow, orange, pink and purple bands for the sky with light pressure, then blend the boundaries with a finger.
- Repeat the colors in broken horizontal strokes below the horizon to suggest reflections.
- Add a dark silhouette of land or trees with firm pressure.
- Finish with heavy strokes of pale yellow for the sun and its reflection, then scratch a few ripples with a toothpick.
Oil stick starter project: bold abstract on canvas
- Use a small primed canvas or canvas board.
- Peel the skin from three or four sticks in colors that work together.
- Draw large, loose shapes directly with the sticks, overlapping colors.
- Push and blend areas with a palette knife or a stiff brush dampened with a little linseed oil.
- Scrape back through layers with the edge of the knife for texture.
- Leave the painting flat in a ventilated space to cure, and handle rags safely.
Trying both projects side by side makes the difference obvious: the oil pastel piece stays soft and drawing-like, while the oil stick piece feels and cures like a painting.
Cost and Value
Oil pastels win on price, especially student sets with dozens of colors. Oil sticks cost more per stick, but each contains a lot of paint and covers large areas quickly. For a child or casual hobbyist, oil pastels deliver more value. For a painter working big on canvas, oil sticks may replace a good amount of tube paint and brushes.
FAQs
What is the difference between oil pastels and oil sticks?
Oil pastels use wax and a non-drying oil and never dry. Oil sticks are oil paint bound in a drying oil with some wax, so they cure like regular oil paint.
Do oil sticks dry?
Yes. They cure by oxidation like oil paint. Thin layers may be touch-dry in a few days; thick layers take longer.
Can you use oil sticks on paper?
Yes, but prime the paper first with gesso or a suitable ground, because drying oil can damage raw paper fibers over time.
Are oil pastels or oil sticks better for kids?
Oil pastels are usually better for children because they need no drying, cost less and clean up easily. Oil sticks suit teens and adults.
Can you mix oil sticks with oil paint?
Yes. Oil sticks are compatible with tube oil paints and oil painting mediums.
Can you blend oil pastels and oil sticks together?
You can experiment, but oil pastel never dries, so layering oil paint over it may cause adhesion and curing problems. Treat such work as experimental.
Final Thoughts
The oil pastels vs oil sticks choice comes down to whether you want a drawing medium or a painting medium. Oil pastels are inexpensive, never dry and suit kids and sketchbooks. Oil sticks are real oil paint that cures, belongs on primed surfaces and suits larger, permanent work.
If you are shopping for children, explore our comparison of the best paint sticks for kids, which focuses on washable, fast-drying options.
