Oil Pastels and Watercolors

Today we experimented with watercolors (a favorite language for both of us) and oil pastels . Would they mix? If yes, how? If no, why not? How do these materials work together? 

“I brought all of my materials right now.  I’m going to start to work, and you will organize your materials.” - Saul

We can make a choice.  We can start by putting watercolors on the paper first, or we can put the oil pastels on the paper first. - Elyse
“Oil pastels first.” - Saul

“I didn’t think about fire again [as he did on Monday]. I’m thinking about umm…a shake coffee. I just need to have the materials to make it. I’m going to use blue. You can’t even imagine how blue it is.” - Saul 
Does the watercolor change the oil pastels? - Elyse
“No!” - Saul

​“I made another choice.  Brown on blue.” - Saul

The watercolor won’t stick to the oil pastel lines? - Elyse
“Oh, it keeps moving around. Maybe it’s just silly watercolors.  Why don’t you use oil pastels to make it not move.” - Saul 
You can use oil pastels to keep your watercolors in place.  It’s called resistance. - Elyse
“I made it [oil pastel] a little bit wet to make the watercolor still and not move.” - Saul 
A little bit of water does change the texture. - Elyse
“That’s what we’re trying. I really want to draw with the side [of the oil pastel].” - Saul
“I’m taking the paper from the oil pastel because it makes it easier to draw.” - Saul

Looking at other artists who have drawn fire with oil pastels

“This looks like a little bit of a bend.” - Saul

“It’s made out of blocks, but it looks like just block fire.” - Saul

A framed image

“I thought you might make a rainbow fire.  A fire rainbow. You have to use the oil pastel to make the fire.” - Saul 
Is there fire on top of the rainbow? - Elyse
“Yeah. Don’t forget that we have to make a fire picture, but we can’t feel it because it’s flat.  Fire pictures are flat.” - Saul 
“We have to make the frame of the picture because it’s a picture of fire.  We can’t even feel the fire because we’re drawing it.” - Saul 
[There was a gap in his frame]
“There’s only one more oil pastel to add.” - Saul 
“I made my frame. Now I’m going to put inside all of the paper to make the fire. Don’t forget the little pieces. It’s a picture of a fire! The paper was the fire. It’s a hot picture.” - Saul  [started dropping the oil pastel papers into the middle]

Saul's oil pastel frame and paper fire.