# Oil pastel not blending

**URL:** <https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/oil-pastel-not-blending/680>\
**Category:** Art Medium Discussion and Questions\
**Created:** [March 21, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/oil-pastel-not-blending/680 "2020-03-21T18:31:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DDR50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DDR50](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/DDR50)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/oil-pastel-not-blending/680/1 "2020-03-21T18:31:54Z")

</div>

I’m trying my first oil pastel background and I cannot get things to blend. I’ve tried fingers, chamois, and blending stubs. Instead of blending the colors together, all methods are _removing_ the color making it look blotchy.  
What am I doing wrong?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lilnora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/lilnora/32/1050_2.png) [@lilnora](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/lilnora)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:22am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/oil-pastel-not-blending/680/2 "2021-02-18T00:22:03Z")

</div>

I’m not sure of this, but to me the oil pastels are a more defining medium not to use as a background unless you are doing the entire picture in oil pastels, either it is all oil pastels or as a highlighted area over soft or hard pastels. I don’t really know if they can be blended. I think you probably need to lighten up on your application (touch) of the colors when working with oils pastels or let the background dry. It’s been quite a while since I have worked with that medium. But I know I never attempted to take them off. But, what do I know? LOL!!!  
Lenora

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lilnora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/lilnora/32/1050_2.png) [@lilnora](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/lilnora)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/oil-pastel-not-blending/680/3 "2021-02-18T00:33:44Z")

</div>

Oh, when working with any type of oil medium (oil paints, soft, hard, and oil pastels). I always were snug-fitting gloves because the mediums can be bad for you. I use the non-latex gloves because they are easier to put on. You can buy them at a place like Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, or any art supply house such as Jerry’s Artarama or Dick Blick,  
Lenora