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Oil pastel is a painting and drawing medium with characteristics similar to Pastel s and wax Crayon s. Unlike "soft" or "French" pastel sticks, which are made with a gum or Methyl Cellulose binder, oil pastels consist of Pigment mixed with a non-drying oil and wax binder. The surface of an oil pastel painting is therefore less powdery, but more difficult to protect with a Fixative . HISTORY At the end of s simply couldn't afford the medium and, suspicious of the very idea of "self-expression" in general, favoured the Coloured Pencil , a cheaper German invention then widely promoted in Europe as a means to instill Work Discipline in young children. Oil pastels were an immediate commercial success and other manufacturers were quick to take up the idea, such as Dutch company ''Talens'', who began to produce Panda Pastels in 1930. However, none of these were comparable to the professional quality oil pastels produced today. These early products were intended to introduce West ern Art Education to Japanese children, and not as a fine arts medium, although Sakura managed to persuade some avant-garde artists to acquaint themselves with the technique, among them Pablo Picasso . In 1947 Picasso, who for many years had been unable to procure oil pastels because of the War Condition s, convinced Henri Sennelier , a French manufacturer who specialised in high quality art products, to develop a fine arts version. In 1949 Sennelier produced the first oil pastels intended for professionals and experienced artists. These were superior in wax viscosity, texture and pigment quality and capable of producing more consistent and attractive work. The Japanese ''Holbein'' brand of oil pastel appeared in the mid-1980s with both student and professional grades; the latter with a range of 225 colours. Another brand, Caran d'Ache, introduced Neocolor wax crayons onto the market in 1965, using a patented Polyethylene wax with superior Lubrication ; in the nineties these were developed into an oil pastel, Neopastel . USE Oil pastels can be used directly in dry form; when done lightly, the resulting effects are similar to pastel chalks. Heavy build-ups can create an almost Impasto effect. Once applied to a surface, the oil pastel pigment can be manipulated with a brush moistened in White Spirit , Turpentine , Linseed Oil , or another type of Vegetable Oil or Solvent . Alternatively, the drawing surface can be oiled before drawing or the pastel itself can be dipped in oil. It should be noted that some of these solvents pose serious health concerns. Oil pastels are considered a fast medium because they are easy to paint with and convenient to carry; for this reason they are often used for sketching, but can also be used for sustained works. Because oil pastels never dry out completely, they need to be protected somehow, often by applying a special is often present and half of it will have evaporated within forty years; within 140 years half of the stearic acid will have disappeared. Impregnation of the entire art work by Beeswax has been evaluated as a Conservation measure. SURFACE AND TECHNIQUES The surface chosen for oil pastels can have a very dramatic effect on the final painting. Paper is a common surface but this medium can be used on other surfaces including wood, metal, masonite, canvas and glass. Many companies make papers specifically for pastels that are suitable for use with oil pastels. Building up layers of color with the oil pastel, called '' Layering '', is a very common technique. Other techniques include '' Underpainting '' and ''scraping down'' or Sgrafito . Turpentine, or similar liquids such as Mineral Spirits , are often used as a blending tool to create a Wash effect similar to some watercolor paintings. BRANDS There are a number of types of oil pastels, each of which can be classified as either ''scholastic'', ''student'' or ''professional'' grade. ''Scholastic grade'', for example the Loew Cornell brand, is the lowest grade: generally the oil pastels are harder and less vibrant than higher grades. It is generally meant for children or people starting out with oil pastels, and is fairly cheap compared to other grades, often less than US$ 5 for a large box. The middle grade, ''student grade'', is meant for art students and can be much more expensive but softer and more vibrant than scholastic grade. They are usually more expensive and cost around $0.70 to $0.90 each. An example of a student grade oil pastel is ''Van Gogh'', manufactured by Talens. ''Professional grade'' is the highest grade of oil pastel and can be very expensive, often costing $1 to $2 per oil pastel, but are also the softest and most vibrant. Two professional quality brands of oil pastel are Sennelier and Holbein. REFERENCES
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