Faber-Castell Oil Pastels: Top Picks and Buying Guide

Choosing the right art supplies can feel like the first creative step in a new project. For students, hobbyists and aspiring artists, finding materials that offer both quality and value is key. When it comes to oil pastels, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. You need a set that delivers vibrant colour and smooth application without a prohibitive price tag.

This guide is designed to provide clear, practical advice on selecting a Faber-Castell oil pastels set that suits your needs. We will explore the features of the popular Goldfaber studio oil pastels, helping you understand what makes them a reliable choice for unleashing your creativity.

How to Choose the Right Faber-Castell Pastels Set

Before selecting a set, it helps to consider a few key factors. These tips will help you match the product to your artistic goals and skill level.

1. Match the Set Size to Your Ambition

The number of colours in a set directly impacts your creative range. A smaller Faber-Castell pastels set, such as a 12-piece collection, is an excellent entry point for oil pastels for beginners. It provides the essential hues needed to learn basic techniques like blending and layering. For art students or more ambitious hobbyists, larger sets of 24 or 36 colours offer a broader palette, enabling more complex compositions and subtle colour transitions without constant mixing.

2. Prioritise Texture for Smooth Blending

The defining characteristic of a good oil pastel is its texture. Look for soft blendable oil pastels with a creamy, waxy consistency. This allows the colour to glide onto the paper and makes it easy to smudge, layer and blend with your fingers, a cloth or a blending stump. The Goldfaber Studio range uses a wax-based formulation that provides this desirable soft texture, ensuring rich colour laydown and smooth, painterly effects.

3. Look for Versatility in Application

Great art materials should not limit your imagination. The best artist oil pastels UK creators can find are those that work across various surfaces and techniques. Faber-Castell’s oil pastels are known for their versatility. They adhere well to paper, card and even canvas. Furthermore, they are suitable for a wide range of applications beyond simple drawing, including experimental techniques like encaustic work, graffiti-style art and creating effects that mimic oil paint or tempera.

Top Faber-Castell Oil Pastel Picks

Based on their features, versatility and user suitability, here are our recommendations from the Faber-Castell Creative Studio range.

Faber-Castell Creative Studio Oil Pastels, Wallet of 36

Why It Stands Out: This comprehensive 36-piece set offers an expansive and vibrant palette, providing maximum creative freedom. The rich pigmentation and smooth, waxy texture allow for intense colour application and seamless blending, enabling artists to create an almost unlimited range of intermediate hues and painterly effects.

• Pros:

  • Extensive range of 36 bright and intense colours.
  • Excellent for advanced layering, shading and colour mixing.
  • Highly versatile for mixed media, encaustic and graffiti-style techniques.
  • Comes in a sturdy cardboard box for organisation and protection.

• Who is it for: Art students, dedicated hobbyists and artists who require a broad and expressive colour palette for their projects.

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Faber-Castell Creative Studio Oil Pastels, Wallet of 24

Why It Stands Out: The 24-colour set strikes a perfect balance between a foundational palette and creative versatility. It provides a generous selection of vibrant hues that are ideal for developing skills in blending and colour theory. The soft, creamy texture ensures a smooth laydown, making it a rewarding choice for those progressing beyond the basics.

• Pros:

  • A well-balanced palette of 24 bright colours.
  • Soft, creamy consistency allows for effortless blending.
  • Can be thinned with white spirit for painterly wash effects.
  • Durable pastels that maintain their shape during use.

• Who is it for: Developing artists, students in art classes and hobbyists looking for a versatile set that covers most creative needs.

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Faber-Castell Creative Studio Oil Pastels, Wallet of 12

Why It Stands Out: As an introductory set, this 12-piece collection is an excellent and affordable starting point. It contains a core range of bright, intense colours that allow beginners to explore the fundamental techniques of oil pastels. The characteristic waxy feel and blendability make it easy and enjoyable to learn with.

• Pros:

  • An ideal starter set with 12 essential, vibrant colours.
  • Typical waxy feel is perfect for learning blending and layering.
  • Suitable for a wide range of surfaces and techniques.
  • Compact and easy to store or transport.

• Who is it for: Beginners, young artists and anyone looking for a high-quality, affordable introduction to the world of oil pastels.

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Looking for Something Else?

These pastel sets are conveniently packaged in a protective wallet-style box, making them easy to carry to class or the studio. If you are also in the market for personal wallets or other organisational accessories, you can browse our curated collection to find a style that suits you.

Explore Our Full Range of Wallets

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Faber-Castell oil pastels good for beginners?

Yes, the Goldfaber studio oil pastels are an excellent choice for beginners. The 12 and 24-piece sets, in particular, offer a manageable range of colours and a forgiving, soft texture that makes it easy to learn blending, layering and other core techniques without a large initial investment.

How do you blend Goldfaber studio oil pastels?

Their soft, waxy formulation makes them very easy to blend. You can use several methods:

• Fingers or Palm: Use the heat from your hands to soften and smudge the pastels directly on the surface.
• Cloth or Paper Towel: A soft cloth can be used to create smooth, large-scale blends.
• Blending Stumps: For more precise blending in smaller areas, a paper blending stump (tortillon) works very well.
• Thinners: For painterly effects, you can use a brush dipped in white spirit or other suitable thinners to dissolve and move the pigment around.

What surfaces can I use these oil pastels on?

Faber-Castell oil pastels are highly versatile and can be used on a variety of surfaces. They perform well on different types of paper (including textured pastel paper), card and illustration board. They can also be used on canvas and wood, making them suitable for a wide range of fine art and mixed media projects.