Oil painting without the brushes, the palette, or the setup — Sennelier Oil Sticks are one of the most liberating tools available to a painter working in oils. Genuine artist-quality oil paint in solid stick form, they bring the full richness and permanence of traditional oil colour to a format that can be used directly on the support, held in the hand, and applied with complete freedom of mark-making.
The formulation is straightforward and honest. Pure, concentrated pigments are ground into safflower oil — chosen specifically for its exceptionally low yellowing tendency over time — with a proportion of the oil replaced by a neutral mineral wax to give the paint its solid consistency. There are no fillers or extenders. The result is a stick that handles with a creamy, buttery quality, glides smoothly onto the surface, and delivers the same depth and intensity of colour as a tube of professional oil paint. Colours are available in opaque and transparent variants depending on the pigment, exactly as with conventional oils.
Because they are genuine oil paint, Sennelier Oil Sticks behave exactly as oil paint does. They can be blended directly on the surface using a finger, a brush, or a palette knife. They can be thinned with turpentine, low odour thinners, or any standard oil painting medium to create washes, glazes, and varied consistencies. They can be used alongside tube oil paints and mediums without any compatibility issues. Layers can be built up in the same way as conventional oils — working fat over lean for sound, lasting paint films. Once fully dry, finished work can be varnished exactly as a traditional oil painting.
The surface of each stick develops a thin protective skin when not in use — this simply needs to be peeled away before use and will reform naturally after a few days, preserving the paint inside. The sticks can be stored for extended periods without any special attention beyond keeping them away from excessive heat.
Drying time for the surface film is typically one to two days depending on colour and application thickness. Full drying for varnishing purposes requires a minimum of six months, as with conventional oil paint.
Available in 38ml individual sticks across a range of 64 colours including 28 single-pigment colours, spanning the full spectrum from warm yellows and earthy ochres through the complete range of reds and violets, across the blues, into the greens, and through the neutrals, greys, and blacks.
What are Sennelier Oil Sticks made from? Pure concentrated pigments ground into safflower oil, with a proportion of the oil replaced by neutral mineral wax to give the solid stick form. No fillers or extenders are used. The quality of pigment is equivalent to Sennelier's artist-grade tube oil paints.
Can they be used with conventional oil paints and mediums? Yes, fully. They are completely compatible with tube oil paints, linseed oil, stand oil, alkyd mediums, turpentine, and all standard oil painting solvents and mediums. They can be mixed directly with tube paint on the palette or on the support.
Do they need any preparation before use? A thin protective skin forms naturally on the surface when the stick is not in use. Simply peel this away before starting to paint — it takes a few seconds and exposes fresh paint underneath. The skin will reform on its own after a few days if the stick is not used.
What surfaces can they be used on? Any surface suitable for conventional oil paint — canvas, canvas boards, oil-primed panels, and oil or universally primed paper. The paint should be applied in a relatively thin film rather than very thickly, as with conventional oil paint technique.
How long do they take to dry? The surface becomes touch dry within one to two days. Full drying for the purposes of varnishing takes a minimum of six months, consistent with conventional oil paint drying times.
Can the colour be thinned or diluted? Yes. Turpentine, low odour thinners, or any standard oil painting medium can be used to thin the colour, create washes, or adjust consistency. A dedicated clear medium is also available from Sennelier for achieving glazing and transparency effects specifically designed for use with the oil sticks.
