A Question About Oil Pastels.....

[POUX]

I'm kind of guessing it's not 'healthy' to burn oil pastels due to the fumes..
I have EXPRESSIONIST oil pastels and I've recently started holding them above a flame on a candle, they melt for a little while and when you put it on paper it looks like paint. It creates an awesome rich texture. But the thing I want to know is...is it safe? I looked for a 'non-toxic' label but it doesn't have one. It says 'Extra Fine Quality' so they're soft oil pastels. The box also fails to list what the pastels are made of ex:cobalt, cadium. Also when I was burning them, there were hardly any fumes...it smelt like nothing really..
:mod:

[Black Spot]

Whoa! That sounds interesting. Can't answer the question but would love to see the results.

[dbclemons]

I wouldn't recommend holding a small oil stick over an open flame. You can dissolve them without using heat at all, just use either mineral spirits or turpentine. You can also apply them dry and brush on the solvent afterwards. You can also use linseed oil, but not on unprotected paper.

Expressionist is made by Cray-Pas, a division of Sakura.

If you like your oil pastels more painterly, I'd suggest having a look at oil sticks or bars which is more like oil paint with wax added, using linseed oil instead of petroleum.