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Oil pastels are a fun way to create beautiful drawings that resemble the style of oil paintings. Pablo Picasso and other respected artists have made oil pastel paintings. The paper you use has an effect on how your oil pastel paintings turn out. In this guide, we let you know what the best paper for oil pastels is and how to know when the paper is suitable for your needs.
As lovers of art, we’re knowledgeable about what makes for a good paper. Let’s dive right in, so you can quickly find a type of oil pastel paper you’ll be happy with.
Best Papers for Oil Pastels:
1. Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad
This art paper pad features six different tints and a total of 24 sheets. Tints assist in creating beautiful artwork. As a 400 series pad, this paper is designated as the best quality for advanced artists by Strathmore. We find this paper great for final pieces. It’s acid-free and has a paperweight of 118 gsm.
Artists love that the Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad comes with assorted tints to bring out the best in their pastel art. They describe the paper as easy to work with for pastels.
This is some of the best art paper for oil pastels for those who enjoy drawing on tinted paper. You have six different tints to work with.
Features
- “Size: 9″ x 12″in. Also available: 11″ x 14″ and 18″ x 24″
- Number of Sheets: 24 Sheets
- Paper weight: 80lb/118 gsm
- Quality: Acid-free to prevent yellowing and other forms of degradation
- Assorted tints for enhancing your artwork
- Textured finish provides excellent tooth for pastels
- Heavy chipboard backing that resists bending
- Flip over cover helps prevent sheets from becoming curled
Pros
- Excellent tooth
- Archival quality
- Six assorted tints
- Sturdy backing
- Sheets are easy to turn
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Thinner than some other art paper
- Not suitable for watercolor
2. Faber-Castell Black Paper Pad
Drawing on black paper establishes a different atmosphere in your artwork than on white paper. If you have an affinity for black backgrounds, this paper is perfect for you.
Metallic pencils, gel sticks, gel pens, gel crayons, and beeswax crayons work well on the Faber-Castell Black Paper Pad in addition to oil pastels. It’s suitable for all artistic levels and ages.
Customers who used oil pastels on this black paper say the medium shows up great. Most customers find the paper pad good value for money. Some people also enjoy using this paper for calligraphy.
This is some of the best papers for oil pastel painting on a black background. All 25 sheets in the pad are black, giving you a dedicated paper pad for this style of artwork.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in.
- Number of Sheets: 25 Sheets
- Paper weight: N/A
- Quality: Acid-free to preserve your artwork for a long time
- Heavyweight paper that resists tearing during hard blending
- Made from 50% post-consumer recycled materials to reduce the impact on the environment
Pros
- Black color for artwork with a lot of black or bright colors
- Smooth and fine-grained
- Works well with other media besides oil pastels
- Durable paper
- Doesn’t degrade over time
Cons
- No white paper on the pad
- Not suitable for watercolor
3. Canson Mi-Teintes Pastel Pad
If you liked the Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad for its assorted tints, but you prefer heavier paper, you may find the Canson Mi-Teintes Pastel Pad the right choice. It has six different colors at 160 gsm. Its colors include earth tones, gray tones, and white.
Just like the Strathmore, each pad has 24 total sheets. The tints, however, are slightly different. It also has heavier paper at 160 gsm. You can order this oil pastel paper in black, white, earth tones, and gray tones as well if you prefer a dedicated pad over assorted tints.
Consumers love the variation of tones in the Canson Mi-Teintes Pastel Pad because they improve the richness of their drawings and paintings. They say these tones are hard to find.
If you like to work with earth tones and gray tones, you’ll love this artist’s paper pad. It also has some white sheets inside when you want to draw on plain white. You can choose the gray tones only or the earth tones only version if you don’t use both tints.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in.
- Number of Sheets: 24 Sheets
- Paper weight: 98lb/160gsm
- Quality: Acid-free to prevent the paper from becoming brittle or yellow with age
- Dual-surfaced, so you can choose between heavy texture and light texture
- Assorted tints to choose from for enhancing your artwork
Pros
- A mixture of earth and gray tones as well as standard white
- Black paper pad available
- Durable, thick paper
- Flexibility in what type of texture you use
- The Paper won’t yellow or become brittle
Cons
- More expensive than other options
4. Speedball Pastel Premier Paper
If you want to use wet media or apply heavy layers of oil pastels, then the Speedball Pastel Premier Sanded Pastel Paper meets your needs. It has medium grit paper except for one sheet, which is fine grit and white. The other tones in the pad include terracotta, Italian clay, slate, and buff. There are two sheets of medium grit white paper too.
Because only eight sheets total come in each pad, you’ll want to save this for artwork you plan on displaying or selling. The pad is available in 9″ x 12″ and 12″ x 16″ sizes.
Consumers love that their pastels apply vibrantly and beautifully to this paper. They describe it as having perfect tooth and being some of the best paper for pastels.
You should consider the Speedball Pastel Premier Sanded Pastel Paper if you apply many layers to your oil pastel art. It’s durable enough to handle underpainting and delivers beautiful results.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in. Also available (12″ x 16″)
- Number of Sheets: 8 Sheets
- Paper weight: 145lb/310 gsm paper that can handle wet media
- Quality: Acid-free to prevent yellowing and deterioration over time
- Double-primed and coated with aluminum oxide creates an extremely durable surface for pastels
- Assorted tints that deliver more striking results
- 100% Cotton paper
Pros
- Excellent tooth
- Suitable for underpainting
- Can take up to 25 layers of pastels
- Tough enough to handle scrubbing and reworking
- Archival quality
- Assorted tones
Cons
- Expensive
5. Arches Watercolor Block
At 300 gsm and made of 100% cotton, the Arches Watercolor Block can handle watercolor in addition to oil pastels. Different from a paper pad, the sheets are bound on all sides. You can use a pallet knife to carefully remove a sheet when you’re done without damaging it.
Artists say they love using the Arches Watercolor Block for paintings that involve fine details. Colors apply vibrantly to the paper, and the paper can handle a series of washes.
The Arches Watercolor Block is one of our top choices in a hot-pressed paper for pastel drawing and mixed media.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in.
- Number of Sheets: 20 Sheets
- Paper weight: 140lb/300 gsm
- Quality: Flawless texture surfaces, acid-free and buffered.
- Hot-pressed to display more vibrant colors
- Bound on all sides to paint without folding the cover over
- 100% cotton for greater durability and longevity
Pros
- Colors show up vibrantly
- Excellent for painting fine details
- Also suitable for watercolor and ink
- Durable and long-lasting
Cons
- Not a pad
6. Canson Mi-Teintes Pastel Pad
This paper pad is almost the same as the Canson Mi-Teintes 9″ x 12″ Pastel Pad, but it has a landscape orientation. It’s dual surfaced, made of 50% cotton, and acid-free. The paper pad also has assorted tints for complementing your art.
Customers say they can add layers of oil pastels without problems with blotching or damaging the paper. They also describe the paper as having pronounced tooth.
The Canson Mi-Teintes 12″ x 16″ Pastel Pad is some of the best paper for a pastel painting in landscape orientation. It’s also great for those who have a need for both light-texture and heavy-texture pastel paper. You choose the texture of your paper based on which side you draw on.
Features
- Size: 12″ x 16″in. (Fold Over)
- Number of Sheets: 24 Sheets
- Paper weight: 98lb/160gsm
- Quality: Acid-free prevents yellowing and deterioration
- 50% cotton improves the durability and longevity of the paper
- Assorted tints deliver breathtaking work
- Light-fast paper that is colored at the pulp level
Pros
- Excellent tooth
- Durable and long-lasting
- Prevents deterioration over time
- Several tints within the pad
- Flexibility in painting on a light or heavy texture
Cons
- Expensive
7. Three Leaf Premium SketchBook
Do you want more than 24 sheets? The Three Leaf Premium Sketch Book is one of your best choices in pastel drawing paper. 40 high-quality sheets come in each sketchbook. You can use charcoal, pencils, and crayons in addition to oil pastels on this paper. It has an off-white color and a light texture.
Customers say they like the way the paper feels, and their pastel art turned out well on this paper.
For artists who don’t heavily layer, the Three Leaf Premium Sketch Book is a great choice for pastel drawings. It’s one of the cheapest choices on this list as well.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in.
- Number of Sheets: 40 Sheets
- Paper weight: N/A
- Quality: Light texture makes detailed drawing easy
- The hard cover protects the sketchbook from being bent
- Off-white color softens the overall appearance of your artwork
- Excellent for pencils, pastels, charcoal, and crayon.
Pros
- Cheap
- A lot of sheets
- Beautiful off-white color
- Perfect for giving your drawings a soft feel
- Durable pad
Cons
- Not heavily textured
8. UART Sanded 400 Grade Pastel Paper
UART’s 400-grade paper is suitable for beginners and those who like a moderate tooth. In addition to oil pastels, you can use wet media on them. Oil, turpenoid, mineral spirits, and alcohol can be used on the paper.
You can underpaint on this pastel paper. The paper was created to not require fixatives, making it more convenient for you to use.
Customers describe the UART Sanded 400 Grade Pastel Paper as high-quality art paper. Beginners to pastels are happy they can layer without damaging the paper to fix mistakes.
UART Sanded 400 Grade Pastel Paper is some of the best pastel paper with moderate tooth. It’s easy for beginners to use while providing the quality advanced artists expect.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in.
- Number of Sheets: 10 Sheets
- Paper weight: N/A
- Quality: Acid-free to prevent the paper from becoming brittle or yellowing
- Computer-controlled electrostatic coating provides a consistent grain
- A moderate tooth that’s easy for beginners to paint on
- After the under-painting process, the tooth still holds many layers of pastel, and the grain will remain affixed to the paper
Pros
- A wide range of wet media can be used on the paper
- Doesn’t require fixatives
- Moderate tooth
- Pigments apply accurately and remain affixed
- Suitable for underpainting
Cons
- Expensive
9. Three Leaf Wired Sketch Book
If you prefer spiral-bound sketchbooks, the Three Leaf 9″ x 12″ Wired Sketch Book is a good choice for oil pastel painting. Its off-white paper is perfect for giving your art a soft feel. Other media you can use on the paper besides oil pastels are pencils, crayons, and charcoal.
This sketchbook is good value for money. You receive 30 high-quality sheets for a small price.
Consumers describe the paper as great quality and say it’s suitable for children who want to work on their art skills. Even if you’re an adult, this is quality paper for practicing.
Three Leaf 9″ x 12″ Wired Sketch Book is great for artists who don’t use a lot of layers. It serves as a good practice sketchbook.
Features
- Size: 9″ x 12″in.
- Number of Sheets: 30 Sheets
- Paper weight: N/A
- Quality: Lightly textured, high-quality paper.
- Light texture that makes detailed drawing easier
- Twin-wire binding keeps the sketchbook securely together
- The off-white paper adds a soft feel to drawings
Pros
- Easy to draw fine details
- Complements artwork with a soft feel
- Durable binding
- Suitable for other media
Cons
- Not suitable for heavy layering
10. Sennelier Oil Pastel Card Pad
Each sheet of paper in this card pad has a glassine sheet to protect it. Thus, we recommend this expensive card pad for your final versions.
It has a spiral binding at the top of the pad that makes it easy to turn through the pages. The paper has one of the highest weights among pastel papers at 360 gsm, which means you can apply heavy layers.
Customers love that this pastel card pad has a protective sheet in between each page. They also say the paper has excellent tooth.
If you like having a protective sheet over each page in your sketchbook, we think the Sennelier Oil Pastel Card Pad is best for your oil pastel paintings.
Features
- Size: 11.75 x 15.75in.
- Number of Sheets: 12 Sheets
- Paper weight: 360 gsm paper can handle layering and blending
- Quality: Acid-free
- A glassine sheet in between each page protects your artwork
- Twin-wire spiral binding increases the durability of the card pad
- Oil pastel will not bleed
Pros
- Smooth finish
- Easy to blend and layer
- Thick paper
- Protective sheets in between each page
Cons
- Expensive
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Paper for Oil Pastels
If you’re looking for the best paper to create art with oil pastels for beginners, we recommend choosing a paper with moderate tooth and trying the inexpensive brands first. Key factors to consider when buying the best type of paper for oil pastels are tooth, tints, paperweight, and compatibility with your media.
Tooth
When you buy paper that was specifically made for pastels, it will have a decent tooth for this medium. Some pastel papers have a more pronounced tooth than others.
They are suitable for heavy-handed artists and those who add a lot of layers. Choose paper with more moderate or finer tooth if you’re light-handed or a beginner.
Once you’ve learned your style through practice, whether you choose pronounced, the moderate, or light tooth is a matter of personal style and preference.
Tint
Tinted paper is used to enhance the final result of your artwork. The tint you use should match the color scheme of your drawing. If you want to paint a landscape, then use an earth-tone tint.
Whether you use tinted paper or white paper is a matter of personal choice. Artists must experiment to find out their paper color preferences.
GSM
Oil pastels don’t require very heavy paper as watercolor does. You only need around 150 gsm of paper to paint with oil pastels.
For light drawing with oil pastels, 118 gsm is enough. If you apply a lot of layers, then you may find 300 gsm paper the best.
You should definitely choose no less than 300 gsm if you plan on using watercolor with your oil pastels.
The paper may buckle or warp if it’s under 300 gsm and not created for watercolor.
Making the Decision
We chose the Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad as our top pick because it’s affordable, provides excellent tooth, and has assorted tints. You can experiment with different tints all in one pad. The downside is this paper can’t handle watercolor.
If you need oil pastel paper that can handle watercolor, you should choose the Arches Watercolor Block.
Because there are different styles of oil pastel painting, we can’t say just one paper is the best. All of the paper on this list is of excellent quality. Your needs will determine which is best for you.
