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Your cart is empty. In 1925, Sakura Color Products of Osaka, Japan, invented oil pastels using quality pigments, wax, and oil. Today, the finest elements continue to make up the Cray-Pas family of oil pastels. Cray-Pas oil pastels are the standard by which all other pastels are measured. The Expressionist color range allows students, hobbyists, and professional artists to achieve a range of painterly effects. Expressionist oil pastels are extremely smooth to apply, can create broad strokes, and allow the user to blend colors to build texture and depth.
The uniquely smooth and blendable oil pastel formula further extends the range of skin tones. Colors include salmon pink, pale orange, naples yellow, raw sienna, yellow ochre, olive brown, burnt sienna, brown, vandyke brown, sepia, black, white.
Sakura Cray-Pas oil pastels can be used for portraits, landscapes, still-life, abstracts, scratch art/sgraffito, wall art, stenciling, water color resists and more.
About Sakura
To be human is to be uniquely creative. While technology will change the way we live, only we as humans have the particular ability to imagine and unlock possibility. At Sakura of America, we foster this incomparable human capability to think, dream, experiment, and connect.
We know everyone is capable of creativity. This trait is within everyone, not just select people. Whether you are using our products for artwork, expression, problem solving, storytelling, or organization, creativity is at the core—allowing us to connect with ourselves and with others. We believe if you foster your creative abilities, you can reach your full potential.
We encourage people to take a moment to explore how creativity unlocks new perspectives, self discovery, and human connection.
Stephanie Brent
September 6, 2025
I bought this brand of oil pastels because they were used by an art teacher I follow. They are noticeably easier to blend than other moderate price traditional oil pastels. It's a nice range of colors. I'd buy this brand again.
LW Raboys
September 2, 2025
Previously, I wrote a review saying these are good but Sakura's "Specialist" line is better. It's not better, just different. If you've used regular pastels and are new to oil pastels (as I was when I wrote my initial review) these are as close to good quality, soft, dry pastels as you will find. There are others that look like they are similar to soft dry pastels, like Holbein and Van Gogh, but they are overly dry which make it difficult to get a rich surface.The Specialist are square thus more like square dry pastels. Each has its uses and I recommend getting both if you can afford both, plus a few buttery Senneliers for some finishing touches. (Available in single colors from sites like Dick Blick).The colors for both the Expressionst and Specialist lines are similar, and both can be used for covering broad areas and underpainting, but the square is advantageous when making fine lines and for hard edges.I highly recommend both!The colors of the Expressionist and Specialist lines are very similar. If you are switching from dry pastels to oils, start with the type you are used to, square or round, but ultimately you'll find both useful - the square especially for fine lines and hard edges.
Kindle Customer
August 31, 2025
This brand was the first oil pastel to come on the market. They were invented in 1925. I have been using them since 1964 when I was a teenager who couldn't afford oil paints and all the products that are needed to use it properly. Over the years I have used other oil pastels including the water soluble kind, but I find Cray-Pas to be my favorite and these days I just don't bother with any other brand. I like this expressionist set very much. The colors are beautiful and vibrant, and the 2 extender/blender sticks that were included will make it easy to get the effects I want.
tenniis
August 24, 2025
I found these oil pastels to be pretty good quality. To cut to the chase these are a decent quality, but nowhere as good as other oil pastels. Sure, they are a bit creamy but it’s not the smoothest application. It took me awhile to build the layers of color because of their stiffness, so I ended up using a lot more pastel than expected. Overall, I think these are good if you want to try out pastels that are a higher quality, but don’t want to shell out a million dollars for Senneliers to try out.The only issues I have with this set is that there aren’t a lot of browns to choose from when doing animal portraits.I had an oil pastel set before that was honestly horrendous, but this pastel set has lifted my faith in this medium. I look forward to doing more portraits and experimenting with these.
Rachel Zamora
August 10, 2025
A wonderful set for artist of any skill range. I see these on sale fairly often and it's really just a great value for the amount of colors
Julie T from AZ
July 25, 2025
I bought this as an abstract artist that primarily works acrylic on canvas and wanted to add some mixed media to my work. I can't speak to anything other than that.It works for my purposes wonderfully. I have so many colors to choose from, and the sticks are a generous size. I started out with the kid's pack, and these are more generous in size. There are still a couple of favorite colors that I am going through fairly quickly, but this set is going to last me some time.The colors are great. It is kind of like drawing with crayons. Not water soluable, for that I got my neocolor IIs, but for oil pastels you can't go wrong with these.
Nobody Mc nobody
July 18, 2025
So I have to say I’m a total newbie to pastels this is my 3rd time ever using them. The first two times I used pastels from one of those all in one art kits that people give to new artists well those were not great quality so I looked online for some affordable but still quality pastels and theses had good ratings. I thought they blended nicely (my problem is over blending I’m still learning also I need to get actual paper for drawing with pastels) I like the color choices and vibrancy. Like I said I’m new so I don’t know what high end pastels are like but do know what the low end were like and these were much better. I recommend theses
Bernard Webster
July 16, 2025
Vacation drawing.
Christian sv Beatrice Tasmania
June 29, 2025
Prompt delivery which affects work expectations, and means continuity in producivity and employer satisfaction.
Betty Montero
June 8, 2025
A mi hija le gustó mucho, se lo compre como regalo de dÃa del niño, y no me arrepiento, estaba en oferta y muy buen producto. Ideal para fomentar a los niños que se inclinan por el dibujo para que mejoren sus técnicas.
Vickyg
June 4, 2025
I bought these as they are what is used by the art class I’m attending. I am just a beginner but they’re easy to use, feel nice, blend well and the colours are great. The picture is the very first oil pastel work I’ve done.
Helen9081
May 26, 2025
Estos colores de Sakura, que aparecen como "Expresionistas" no son pasteles al óleo, son simples ceras, como lo conocemos en España, no llevan aceite de linaza, deben estar tratadas con parafina. Lo explico poque observo que en muchas marcas aparecen también con la misma denominación y son simples crayolas o ceras. Los tonos de los colores son variados, pero en cuanto a calidad dejan que desear, tenemos las ceras Manley españolas, que son fabulosas y las hay de 50 colores y mucho más económicas. La gran mayorÃa de las pinturas que aparecen como pasteles al óleo, incluidas las Faber Castell, que también las he comprado son ceras y por tanto bastante caras. Estoy pendiente de recibir las de Sennelier, por lo cual no puedo opinar aún, pero quizás sean las únicas que son al óleo y posiblemente las de Windsor & Newton.
M. Wittgenstein
May 25, 2025
Es handelt sich um sehr schöne Stifte für ausdrucksstarke Bilder. Das Produkt kam schnell und genau wie abgebildet an. Vielen Dank.
Stephanie Brent
May 4, 2025
I bought this brand of oil pastels because they were used by an art teacher I follow. They are noticeably easier to blend than other moderate price traditional oil pastels. It's a nice range of colors. I'd buy this brand again.
LW Raboys
April 28, 2025
Previously, I wrote a review saying these are good but Sakura's "Specialist" line is better. It's not better, just different. If you've used regular pastels and are new to oil pastels (as I was when I wrote my initial review) these are as close to good quality, soft, dry pastels as you will find. There are others that look like they are similar to soft dry pastels, like Holbein and Van Gogh, but they are overly dry which make it difficult to get a rich surface.The Specialist are square thus more like square dry pastels. Each has its uses and I recommend getting both if you can afford both, plus a few buttery Senneliers for some finishing touches. (Available in single colors from sites like Dick Blick).The colors for both the Expressionst and Specialist lines are similar, and both can be used for covering broad areas and underpainting, but the square is advantageous when making fine lines and for hard edges.I highly recommend both!The colors of the Expressionist and Specialist lines are very similar. If you are switching from dry pastels to oils, start with the type you are used to, square or round, but ultimately you'll find both useful - the square especially for fine lines and hard edges.
Kindle Customer
April 22, 2025
This brand was the first oil pastel to come on the market. They were invented in 1925. I have been using them since 1964 when I was a teenager who couldn't afford oil paints and all the products that are needed to use it properly. Over the years I have used other oil pastels including the water soluble kind, but I find Cray-Pas to be my favorite and these days I just don't bother with any other brand. I like this expressionist set very much. The colors are beautiful and vibrant, and the 2 extender/blender sticks that were included will make it easy to get the effects I want.
tenniis
April 21, 2025
I found these oil pastels to be pretty good quality. To cut to the chase these are a decent quality, but nowhere as good as other oil pastels. Sure, they are a bit creamy but it’s not the smoothest application. It took me awhile to build the layers of color because of their stiffness, so I ended up using a lot more pastel than expected. Overall, I think these are good if you want to try out pastels that are a higher quality, but don’t want to shell out a million dollars for Senneliers to try out.The only issues I have with this set is that there aren’t a lot of browns to choose from when doing animal portraits.I had an oil pastel set before that was honestly horrendous, but this pastel set has lifted my faith in this medium. I look forward to doing more portraits and experimenting with these.
Rachel Zamora
April 11, 2025
A wonderful set for artist of any skill range. I see these on sale fairly often and it's really just a great value for the amount of colors
Julie T from AZ
April 7, 2025
I bought this as an abstract artist that primarily works acrylic on canvas and wanted to add some mixed media to my work. I can't speak to anything other than that.It works for my purposes wonderfully. I have so many colors to choose from, and the sticks are a generous size. I started out with the kid's pack, and these are more generous in size. There are still a couple of favorite colors that I am going through fairly quickly, but this set is going to last me some time.The colors are great. It is kind of like drawing with crayons. Not water soluable, for that I got my neocolor IIs, but for oil pastels you can't go wrong with these.
Nobody Mc nobody
April 4, 2025
So I have to say I’m a total newbie to pastels this is my 3rd time ever using them. The first two times I used pastels from one of those all in one art kits that people give to new artists well those were not great quality so I looked online for some affordable but still quality pastels and theses had good ratings. I thought they blended nicely (my problem is over blending I’m still learning also I need to get actual paper for drawing with pastels) I like the color choices and vibrancy. Like I said I’m new so I don’t know what high end pastels are like but do know what the low end were like and these were much better. I recommend theses
Bernard Webster
March 21, 2025
Vacation drawing.
Christian sv Beatrice Tasmania
March 20, 2025
Prompt delivery which affects work expectations, and means continuity in producivity and employer satisfaction.
Betty Montero
February 27, 2025
A mi hija le gustó mucho, se lo compre como regalo de dÃa del niño, y no me arrepiento, estaba en oferta y muy buen producto. Ideal para fomentar a los niños que se inclinan por el dibujo para que mejoren sus técnicas.
Vickyg
February 17, 2025
I bought these as they are what is used by the art class I’m attending. I am just a beginner but they’re easy to use, feel nice, blend well and the colours are great. The picture is the very first oil pastel work I’ve done.
Helen9081
February 8, 2025
Estos colores de Sakura, que aparecen como "Expresionistas" no son pasteles al óleo, son simples ceras, como lo conocemos en España, no llevan aceite de linaza, deben estar tratadas con parafina. Lo explico poque observo que en muchas marcas aparecen también con la misma denominación y son simples crayolas o ceras. Los tonos de los colores son variados, pero en cuanto a calidad dejan que desear, tenemos las ceras Manley españolas, que son fabulosas y las hay de 50 colores y mucho más económicas. La gran mayorÃa de las pinturas que aparecen como pasteles al óleo, incluidas las Faber Castell, que también las he comprado son ceras y por tanto bastante caras. Estoy pendiente de recibir las de Sennelier, por lo cual no puedo opinar aún, pero quizás sean las únicas que son al óleo y posiblemente las de Windsor & Newton.
M. Wittgenstein
December 23, 2024
Es handelt sich um sehr schöne Stifte für ausdrucksstarke Bilder. Das Produkt kam schnell und genau wie abgebildet an. Vielen Dank.
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