Discover the joy of creating fine art with oil pastels!


In this course, Lena shows you how to paint what you see with oil pastels. Through detailed lessons, she explains how to blend colors, layer them effectively, simplify your subject, and capture light so your painting looks both realistic and visually striking.

 
To learn more about this course and save $100 on enrollment, fill in your email below
 

Oil pastels offer a quick, direct, and uncomplicated way to create art. There’s something incredibly freeing about simply grabbing a box of pastels, a sheet of paper, and diving right in.

They’re loved for their vibrant colors, ease of use, and versatility. With no need for brushes or solvents, the process is simple, the cleanup is effortless, and their long shelf life means they’re always ready when inspiration strikes. Their tactile nature invites experimentation, allowing you to explore a wide range of marks, textures, and techniques.

This is an 8-module program with 20 hours of detailed video classes designed to help you develop a painter’s mindset and gain the skills to create harmonious art using oil pastels.

We’ll start with the essential foundations—drawing, oil pastel application, and color blending. From there, we’ll move into advanced techniques, giving you everything you need to create expressive, beautiful artwork and bring your creative vision to life.

This is a self-paced course, structured to provide all the knowledge and techniques you need to grow as an oil pastel artist and develop your unique style.

What Students Say

I highly recommend this oil pastel course! Lena is not only a talented artist but also an incredible teacher. She shares everything she knows about this medium, which can be tricky if you don’t understand the basics. Luckily, Lena explains all the techniques and tips in a clear, straightforward way, helping you get the most out of oil pastels. After a few theory lessons, we dive right into beautiful and fun subjects. After each lesson, I’m blown away by what I’ve accomplished! — Jennifer, France

I’ve tried oil pastels before, but I always felt like I was just guessing. This course finally gave me the structure and guidance I needed! Lena explains everything so clearly, from the basics to more advanced techniques, and now I actually understand how to use this medium. I also love the variety of subjects we paint in the lessons—it keeps things fun and really helps to build confidence. If you’ve ever struggled with oil pastels, this course is exactly what you need! — Susan, USA

I’m loving the way Lena clearly explains everything—and her explanation of color theory, along with how she demonstrates adjusting color saturation and values, is fantastic! — Anna, Australia
In this course you will learn how to:

  • Apply oil pastels in a way that keeps your paintings fresh and dynamic, avoiding overworked areas.

  • Layer oil pastels strategically to achieve rich and vibrant colors. .

  • Set up a functional and efficient oil pastel palette that makes the painting process easier, faster, and more enjoyable.

  • Use a simple drawing technique that will help you accurately map out your paintings and establish a strong foundation for any subject.

  • Keep your oil pastel paintings loose and expressive without losing control or clarity.

  • Layer and mix colors directly on the surface with confidence, understanding how each color interacts to create depth and harmony.

  • Analyze complex subjects and simplify them into clean, manageable shapes and forms.

  • Paint a variety of subjects using a flexible oil pastel approach that works for landscapes, still life, portraits, and more.

  • Create stunning effects of light by using optical color mixing. 

  • Fill shadows with color to bring life and depth to your paintings.

  • Apply different types of contrast to achieve strong visual impact and make your work stand out.

  • Build the illusion of space and depth to give your work a sense of dimension.

  • Observe and capture essential details, making your paintings more believable and realistic.

  • Design engaging compositions that guide the viewer’s eye through your artwork.

  • Paint from photographs while maintaining creativity and avoiding rigid copying.

THIS COURSE WELCOMES ARTISTS OF ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS

In this course, you will start with essential skills like drawing and color mixing, laying a strong foundation before progressing to advanced oil pastel painting techniques. Each lesson is carefully structured to help you grow your knowledge gradually, guiding you through the painting process with clarity and purpose, one step at a time.

This step-by-step online course will provide you with all the essential knowledge to create vibrant, light-filled paintings!
 
To learn more about this course and save $100 on enrollment, fill in your email below
 

Hello, I’m Lena Rivo.

I’m an artist specializing in both plein air and studio painting. My style blends impressionistic and realistic elements, aiming to capture the world with a sense of life and vibrancy. Each painting is a window into a unique moment.

When I paint, I think abstractly, looking for interesting contrasts, shapes, and color combinations. My focus is on capturing a scene’s mood, simplifying what I see, and omitting unnecessary details. This allows the viewer to enter the painting and feel immersed in the moment. I work with gouache, oil, pastel, and acrylic.

As a passionate painter, I also teach other artists who want to capture the beauty of the world around them. I help my students create the illusion of light and atmosphere in their paintings and make the most of the colors on their palettes