tiny little forest things made big, oil pastel

[synchronicity]

I´ve never used oil pastels before, so I set to practicing on some pretty things I came across.  I saw that butterfly in a park in Ecuador, and it captivated me with its transparent wings...I hope its transparency comes across.  The black paper drawing was my first attempt, butterfly second, and then most recently the yellow/orange flower.  I think I can see a progression in my ability to control the pastels.  It´s challenging to get them not to smear all crazily.

If you have some useful tips for using oil pastels, I would love to hear them!