I went out of my comfort zone again tonight at life drawing and used my new yellow ochre oil bar to lay a scribbled base on top of an A3 card I’d prepared with 2 coats of acrylic gesso. I’d normally work with very fine pens, doing lots of linear detail. I prefer oilbars to liquid paint because I can draw with them, but there’s no chance of doing fine work. I worked over the ochre ground with a black carbon bar and some chalky pastels in red, green and blue. The oily ochre base made the pastels glide over the surface beautifully giving loads of texture. Finally, I scribbled some highlights with a white oilbar.
scribblah 
Lots of flair
Thank you 🙂
We would love to post that at toemail if you do not mind? http://toemail.wordpress.com
By all means. Thank you, I’m flattered….
It’s posted now. Thanks so much, we really appreciate it! 🙂
Thanks for the advise I will definitely give them a go.
Please post them up 🙂
This looks like it’d be interesting to try out. I’ve never used oil bars before, but the sketchiness of this is very appealing. 🙂
That’s what I like about them. I don’t get on with brushes so this is ideal for a scribbler like me.
wow
oil bars different to oil pastels?
Yes, they’re oil paint in a stick. You scrape the skin off the surface and draw with a liquid stick – sounds weird but it’s terrific, it flows like ink. Pastels are much drier.
Oooh…that sounds good. I will give it a try. Never heard of them before. Thanks.
Pricey but very good and archival quality as well.
No need for fine detail, it’s all there. Great drawing
Thank you 🙂
This is brilliant…I can’t believe this is out of your comfort zone. I wouldn’t even know where to start with oil bars…
Thanks. I just scribble. It suits people who draw.
I haven’t tried oil bars but have been tempted. How do you find using them? I’m interested that you used soft pastels over the top of them and that it worked well. I think I will have to get a few oil bars and try them. I’m like you – I prefer drawing.
I love the lack of detail in this – the suggestion of detail can be so effective sometimes.
I love oil bars, like drawing with liquid oilpaint. And when you use soft pastel or charcoal over the top, when they’re wet, you get such lovely textures.
Love it when you get out of your comfort zone. Visit that uncomfortable area more often!
Thank you. .It’s good discipline
Lovely! One of my favs! ^.^
🙂
I really like your drawing I am considering doing some life classes as this is something I have not done for some time.
Do you recommend the oil bars. I am going on a painting holiday in South West France in September and rather than dragging all of my paints and brushes along – as I am sure some will be provided I was thinking of investing in some oil bars which I think would be good for preparatory sketches. Let me know what you think of them and if you feel they are any good.
I love them because it’s more like drawing than painting. You can get some fairly small ones. They’re excellent quality but I’d advise preparing the paper first, with a layer of acrylic paint or gesso.