What is the difference between an oil pastel and a crayon?
Oil pastels and crayons are both stick-shaped, with similar appearance and color. Many people will confuse them and think they are the same thing, but in fact oil pastels and crayons are different. They are different in material, features, characteristics, painting effects, and usage techniques. Relatively speaking, oil pastels have better functions and painting skills than crayons, and are more suitable for painting. Let’s take a look at the difference between oil pastels and crayons.
1. Material composition
Oil pastels use turpentine melted paraffin, paraffin liquid, appropriate amount of linseed oil, pigment powder, and include pigments, oil, soft wax, and calcium carbonate.Crayons are made by soaking paint into wax.
2. Features
Oil pastels are soft and viscous, are not afraid of water, can withstand high temperatures, and have a relatively stable texture; while crayons will melt when exposed to high temperatures, and are prone to cracking when dry.
3. Painting effect
Oil pastels have stronger adhesion and coverage on paper. In terms of strokes, oil pastels are slightly thinner than crayons, not as casual as crayons, and feel very retro. In terms of color, the hue of the oil pastel is more accurate, while the color of the crayon is slightly darker, and the effect varies with the paper quality.
4. Painting techniques
There are many techniques of oil pastels, such as flat coating, color mixing, layer coating, scraping, layering, etc. The works presented with different effects are also different, while the painting techniques of crayons are relatively simple, generally flat coating.
Which one is better to use, oil pastel or crayon?
Both crayons and oil pastels are painting tools used by young children or primary school students, so which of these two painting tools is better to use?The oil pastel is better in terms of function and painting skills. Moreover, the texture of the oil pastel is softer and the color is brighter. It is more suitable for children with relatively small strength.
