Paul Rubens has released a new version of their oil pastels called Haiya, which is the improved version of the original and Macaron set. How does Haiya perform? Read on for a detailed review, as well as comparison to the old formula!
Packaging and Presentation
The new Haiya oil pastels from Paul Rubens have a bullet design, and I love that they come with a swatch card printed on pastel paper. There is no smell to these pastels; I wanted to point that out since some art supplies smell pretty strong. According to Paul Rubens, this is an improved formula, and we will get to that in the comparison against the original.
In addition, the box that the pastels come in is sturdy like all the Paul Rubens packaging. The pastels pop out easily so they don’t make a mess.
Specs and Deets
Each pastel has a 1.1cm diameter and complies with EU safety standards for heavy metal. Most importantly, each pastel has pigment information on the label, and is lightfast, which makes it suitable for professional work.
Swatches
I had a good feeling about this set when I swatched all 48 pastels. They glide on smoothly, and feel light and creamy. Except for one or two pastels that went on a little sticky and thick, almost all of them had a light feel to them, lighter than the original version. The colours are vibrant and richly pigmented as the product description claimed.
In addition, the colour selection is fairly well balanced, slightly blue-heavy but not anything to complain about.
On Canson Mi-Teintes Paper
First, I did a painting on Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper (rough side), which was the least toothy paper I used with these pastels. I had no trouble laying down multiple layers, even though the paper isn’t particularly toothy. The pastels blended well, and did not feel sticky or gummy when layered. This is a big improvement from the original version, which I find a little sticky and gummy.
On Watercolour Paper
Next, I painted a quick piece on cold pressed watercolour paper which has a lot of texture. This isn’t my go-to paper for anything, so it was more of a curious choice to see whether a toothy paper works well with the pastels. The pastels performed well and layered easily on this heavily textured paper.
On Canson XL Sand Grain Paper
Last, but not least, I tried Paul Rubens Haiya oil pastels on Canson XL sand grain paper. The texture of this paper is toothier than the Canson Mi-Teintes, but does not feel much like sanded paper such as Uart sanded paper.
The pastels worked best on this paper out of the three. I liked this paper (I will be reviewing it separately) with oil pastels and I was able to do quite a few layers without any gummy buildup.
Comparison to Old Version
Compared to the old version, Haiya oil pastels feel lighter, hence layer better without gumming up. The smooth feel of the Haiya oil pastels actually reminds me of Sennelier, which is much more expensive. Moreover, the Paul Rubens representative I communicated with said that the Haiya formula has less oil, which probably explains the lighter feel and less stickiness. Not that the old version was bad, but the Haiya oil pastels perform better.
By the way, even though the Haiya pastels come in a bullet shape, they do wear down to the same blunt/flatter tips when you use them. This is not a design defect but just the way any pencils or crayons wear down.
Overall Review
Paul Rubens Haiya Oil Pastels are creamy, lightfast and light without being sticky or gummy. They are easy to work with and blend well. Since they are less sticky and lighter in feel, they are more forgiving if you have less toothy paper. These are really good, professional quality oil pastels that compare favourably to the ones that are several times more expensive. I highly recommend them!
Where to Purchase
Website: https://bit.ly/3FeA4eY
Paul Rubens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulrubensart/
Disclaimer: This set is sent to me for review purposes only. All my opinions are my own. The links provided are not affiliate links; I do not make any commission off them and they are listed here for your convenience only.
