What are these colored tabs in my art supply kit?

Question

I got an art kit as a gift and have been going through the different art utensils and came across the picture below. I lost the paper which outlined how many of each art tool were given, however I know that the kit is from Artist's Loft, and it is either the 100 or 126 piece set. I think it may be paints but there is already clearly labeled Acrylic and water color paints in tubes. There is also supposed to be oil pastels but I've worked with those before and this pallet doesn't seem to be holding oil pastels...so what is this art and how can I use it and make it pretty?

This is what I think are the oil pastels

^{Click image to enlarge}

The art in question! What is this and how can I use it?

^{Click image to enlarge}

Answer 1

You probably have the 101-piece set, the 126-piece set doesn't appear to include any supplies that look like those.

Here's the product image of the 101-piece set, for reference:

This set contains, among other things

• 12 oil pastels
• 12 soft pastels
• 10 watercolor cakes

Based on the product image, the oil pastels are likely the items shown leaning in front of the bag in the center, with the blue and white wrappers. They should look and feel kind of like crayons. I've only seen these sold in cylindrical form which also matches with the photograph.

So instead, your first image would be the soft pastels. They usually come in rectangular form, and feel like chalk.

The second image is most likely the watercolor cakes. Although the colors and amount seems to differ from the product page I found, this is the only type that makes sense. The cakes are compressed pigments which you use by adding water (typically by mixing on the palette).