MEEDEN Soft Oil Pastels Set (72 Vibrant Colours) for Artists & Beginners

The essentials

If you want an oil pastel set that’s geared towards getting stuck in quickly, the MEEDEN Soft Oil Pastels Set with 72 vibrant colours is an approachable choice on paper. The main promise is variety and colour intensity: you get a wide spread of shades aimed at everything from basic painting to more creative blending, layering and shading.

It’s not the sort of set you buy only for one technique, either. This is the type of pack that tends to suit mixed practice—sketching one day, experimenting with colour mixing the next. And because the colours are described as rich and bright, it should help you build depth without feeling like you’re working with a limited palette.

What it’s like to use

Soft oil pastels are all about feel. This set is described as having a soft texture that’s meant to apply smoothly and blend easily on card, oil pastel paper pads, canvas and other surfaces. That matters, because the “how it behaves” side of oil pastels is often the deciding factor: a hard pastel can make blending feel scratchy, while something softer helps you move colour around.

On a practical level, you can imagine building a drawing in layers: start with a light base colour, blend softly to establish gradients, then add darker accents for shadowing. The set is also pitched for shading, illustration, scratching, impasto and dotting—so if you like stylised marks or textured effects, there’s room to play.

Worth noting: soft pastels can be messier than harder media, so having the right surface and taking your time with blending is usually part of the learning curve.

Colour range and lightfastness claims

The standout selling point here is the sheer number of colours—72—and the focus on brightness and intensity. The description also mentions specialised pigment with a level-3 lightfastness, aimed at keeping colours vibrant over time and reducing fading or yellowing.

A small reality check: “lightfastness” is always something you’d treat as a guideline rather than a guarantee of museum-grade results in every scenario (light exposure and storage vary). Still, for everyday art practice and teaching settings, a set that’s designed for colour stability is easier to justify.

Portability and day-to-day comfort

Comfort is part of the package. Each oil pastel is said to be individually packaged to help prevent accidental colour crossing and to keep hands cleaner during use. That’s the sort of detail that makes a difference if you’re working at a desk where colours can get smudged, or if you’re taking materials outdoors.

The set is also described as non-toxic with no irritating smell, which is a good sign if you do long sessions or prefer materials that feel less harsh to work with.

No data is provided on how fast the pastel might wear down compared with other options, so you’ll still want to treat it as a typical soft oil pastel: you’ll get strong coverage, but heavy blending and aggressive texture work may shorten life.

The key trade-offs to consider

This set looks best when you want a lot of colours and flexible techniques without overthinking compatibility. Where it may fall short is for artists who are very specific about pigment performance, consistency between batches, or the particular hardness/greasiness they want—those buyers often end up comparing artist-grade ranges instead.

Also, because the focus is on smooth blending and rich colour, it may not be the best match if you’re after ultra-precise, dry, crisp line work. Soft oil pastels can do sharp edges, but they’re usually happiest when you embrace blending and layered effects.

Who it suits (and who should be cautious)

It’s a good fit if you’re learning oil pastels, teaching in a classroom environment, or you want an easy-to-use set that covers lots of techniques—layering, shading, blending and more.

It might not suit you if you already know you only want a very specific pastel feel (harder vs softer), or if your priority is fine-detail control over heavy colour blending.

Quick check before you buy

• Confirm the surface you plan to use (card, pastel paper pad, canvas etc. are mentioned).
• Think about how you’ll store and transport it—individual packaging helps, but soft pigments still need sensible handling.
• If long-term display matters to you, remember the lightfastness figure is only one part of the story (lighting and storage are still important).

Is it worth it?

The MEEDEN Soft Oil Pastels Set is worth considering if you want 72 vivid colours in a soft, blend-friendly oil pastel format for general drawing, colouring and layered effects. For beginners and casual to intermediate artists, the breadth of shade choice and emphasis on smooth application is the main draw.

You may want to skip it if you’re chasing very crisp, detail-first results or you already have a strong preference for a different pastel hardness/handling. On balance, this is positioned more as a flexible practice set than a precision tool for one narrow style.

FAQ

How well does it blend?

The set is described as soft with smooth blending on surfaces such as card, oil pastel paper pads and canvas, so it’s designed for gradient effects and mixed colour work.

What techniques is it meant for?

The description mentions layering, shading, illustration, scratching, impasto and dotting, so it’s built for a range of creative approaches.

Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes, it’s presented as suitable for all-level artists, including beginners, with a large range of colours intended to cover basic to more creative work.

Will the colours fade quickly?

It claims level-3 lightfastness to support long-lasting vibrancy, but fading depends on exposure and how you store display work.

Is it comfortable to use for long sessions?

It’s described as non-toxic with no irritating smell and includes individual packaging to help keep hands cleaner, which supports longer sessions in day-to-day use.