You may have just gotten a new set of oil pastels but don’t have pastel paper on hand. Maybe you have some watercolor paper lying around. Can you use it? Short answer: yes!
Using oil pastels on watercolor paper has many benefits because of its paperweight and texture. It’s also great for mixed media art. Let’s get into it!
Related:
Mungyo Gallery Oil Pastel Review
Oil Pastels On Watercolor Paper
Can Oil Pastels Be Used On Watercolor Paper?
Yes! Honestly, I prefer drawing with oil pastels on watercolor paper to pastel paper. It’s just a personal preference. I love the thickness and texture of watercolor paper.
I do a lot of mixed media work as well (watercolor base then oil pastel on top) so watercolor paper is usually my first choice so it can withhold all the mediums.
Be Aware Of Paper Texture
Many watercolor papers are very textured. This will affect your oil pastel drawing. The more textured the paper, the more “gritty” your drawing will look in the end.
I don’t mind some nice texture, but I’ll go over my favorites below:
Arches Watercolor Paper
Arches Watercolor Paper is very textured. I use the cold press paper over the hot press because it has more texture. It’s excellent for watercolor paintings but be aware your oil pastel drawing will have a very textured and not smooth effect.
The painting below I did on Arches paper. You can definitely see the grit of the paper through the drawing. This was an oil pastel drawing done on top of a watercolor wash background. I love the end result of this!
Arches watercolor paper is definitely more top-of-the-line and expensive. I usually choose to use this paper if I plan on selling the original.
Canson Watercolor Paper
The Canson XL Series is an excellent watercolor paper that is also super affordable. I love to use this paper for a variety of things, and I don’t feel guilty for using it since it’s not breaking the bank when I need to buy more.
This paper is way less textured than Arches Cold Press, but it’s just the right amount of texture that makes it a great surface to use oil pastels on.
Below is a drawing I did on Canson Watercolor Paper.
Other Surfaces For Oil Pastels
You can use oil pastels on basically any type of paper. I also have used them on wood many times and love how they layer beautifully on it. Other surface options are canvas and glass.
Oil Pastels I Use
Lately, I’ve been using the Mungyo Gallery Oil Pastels and LOVE THEM! They are what I used to create the drawings seen in this post. These pastels are buttery smooth and just perfect to draw with. Check out my review of them here.
Final Thoughts
The awesome thing about being an artist is it’s all about experimenting. You don’t know what works best for you and your art until you try it. So if you have oil pastels and watercolor paper lying around, try it!
Have you used watercolor paper for oil pastel paintings? What is your favorite surface to use them on? Let me know in the comments below.
-Amanda The Green Artist 💚
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