Oil stick, oil bar, or oilstick, is an art medium. It is produced in a stick form similar to that of a crayon or oil pastel. It is distinguished from oil pastel, to which it may appear similar, in that the oil used is comparatively volatile, causing a skin to develop on exposed surfaces.
Oil sticks are oil paint in solid form. Oil sticks are made by compressing wax and oil until it forms into an oil stick. The same basic pigments and drying oils that are used in the formulation of tube paint are combined with wax and rolled into a crayon. Oil sticks can be used to produce drawings, paintings, and sketches. It is not a common medium nor a much used medium however is highly effective in art.
Oil Sticks are oil paints in stick form. They are compatible with traditional oil paints and can be used in much the same manner — apply them directly or thin them with a medium or solvent of your choice.
Oil Sticks are a product that Oil Pastels are often mistaken for – oil paint in stick form. They’re prepared with oils such as linseed oil and natural waxes similar to wax mediums used by oil painters to put oil paint into a convenient, portable form that can be drawn with.
Like oil paints, they take a long time to dry, from several days to weeks depending on how thick your paint layer is. Because they mix wet in wet like oil paints, you may not need as many colors especially if you’re good at color mixing. They can be applied by drawing directly with the stick or mixed on a palette with a palette knife, then applied with brush, knife or painting tool.
This material allows oil painting to be approached differently. It extends the artist’s freedom of expression, allowing a greater degree of spontaneity, of “expressionism”.
The Oil Stick is a composition of oil paint. A proportion of the oil is substituted with a neutral mineral wax, resulting in the stick appearance.
Experts disagree on whether Oil Stick paintings can be varnished and framed without glass like other oil paintings or should be framed like oil pastel paintings, glazed without varnish. Oil sticks do form a dry, flexible paint layer unlike oil pastels that never dry, but there’s some question as to whether the wax prevents them from completely curing. I’ll be testing this over time since at least one manufacturer claims they can be varnished and framed without glass like other oil paintings. That test may take up to a year or more though since the painting will need to dry and “cure” for at least six months before any varnish is applied.
Oil painting mediums and thinners can be used with Oil Sticks to thin them back to paint consistency, including the fast-dry mediums like Winsor & Newton’s Liquin and odorless turpentine substitutes like Winsor & Newton Sansodor.
These colours are of perfect quality: pure pigments are ground into vegetable oils (siccatives), selected for their low degree of yellowing with time.
The choice and high concentration of pigments enables excellent light resistance to be achieved.
These colours are applied discreetly to conventional oil painting supports
(oil-proof or universal) and demand quality background preparation.
Supports: canvas, canvas boards, laminated panels, paper.
Solid oil paint should be applied in a relatively thin film (no more than 1mm). Layers can be overlapped, in the same manner as paste oil paint, and can, if necessary, be thinned with petroleum or turpentine. Before use, the surface film should be removed. This latter will re-form after a few days of non-use. Paint applied dries within 2 to 5 days depending on layer thickness and atmospheric conditions. A clear medium is available allowing transparency and glazing effects
to be achieved.
All oil sticks form a protective skin when exposed to air. In their original wrappings the surface will be quite soft, like lipstick, but as soon as they’re exposed to air they begin to dry. You should always remove the skin before painting. Just don’t get scared and think that your oil sticks have spoiled when you find the tips have dried.
That protective paint film keeps the rest of the stick moist and ready for use. It can be easily removed with a rag or your fingers as long as you clean your hands afterward. Very little paint is lost for the convenience of having your oil paints in stick form and not having to remember to cap the tubes properly.
Solid artists’ quality colours are available in opaque or transparent shades, depending on the shades of the pigments used. The product may be stored for extended periods of time and requires no special attention, apart from avoiding heat sources that may damage it.
Once dry, the paint may be varnished like conventional oil paint, after a minimum drying period of 6 months, using an oil paint finishing varnish.
Oil Sticks by Brand
Like most art supplies, each brand of Oil Sticks has its own proprietary formula zealously guarded by the manufacturer. Colors available, pigment combinations, pigment load, softness, opacity and handling qualities will all be different from brand to brand.
Trying samples of all the brands available before investing in a set is a good idea. Because these oil sticks handle so much like oil paint, you may not need as many colors as you would in oil pastels. They mix better. Individual sticks cost more than artist grade oil pastels and are much larger in all brands, so you are getting your money’s worth in quantity of artist grade pigments. They are more comparable in price and quantity to tubes of oil paint than to other “stick” mediums.
R&F Pigment Sticks
R&F Pigment Sticks are the most expensive oil sticks available online sources. Their quality is worth the price in my opinion. Less expensive in sets than open stock, they also come in giant sticks in open stock.
Winsor & Newton Oil Bars
Winsor & Newton Oil Bars are mid-priced artist grade oil sticks. Colors and pigment combinations match other Winsor & Newton products including toxic Cadmiums and other mineral pigments. Quality is consistent and of course any W&N oil painting mediums would go well with these sticks.
Sennelier Oil Sticks
Sennelier Oil Sticks are another mid-price artist grade oil stick brand, comparable to other Sennelier products. Pigments include traditional Cadmiums and other toxic mineral pigments. Available in Regular and Giant sizes, prices comparable to oil paints.
Shiva Artist’s Paintstik
Shiva Paintstik is the price leader of artist grade oil sticks. Available in Mini and Regular sizes, Shiva Paintstiks are available in both traditional artist pigments including Cadmiums and other toxic mineral pigments, plus a variety of combination colors created especially for crafts, tole painting and stenciling such as Wedgewood Blue, Purple Sage or Grape.
Shiva Student Grade Paintstik
Shiva Student Grade Paintstiks are non toxic and hypo-allergenic. They’re available in sets of 6 or 12 without open stock in colors with basic hue labels – red, green, yellow and so on. Safety and allergy factors may make these a good choice, especially if you want to give children a chance to experience the medium either for painting or for crafts painting.