OIL PAINTING INFO YOU NEED TO KNOW

Oil Painting INFO You Need To Know

6/25/2024

Oil painting can be daunting to explore because there's so much information and insider jargon that can be difficult to decipher. However, it doesn't have to be hard to get started; with the correct info on supplies, you'll be able to effectively oil paint easily in no time! This post will be organized in a True or False format, presenting common misconceptions about oil painting and providing the correct information for each statement. This format lets you quickly skim and get a good idea of where to start or take your time to learn more in-depth.

Before we get into it, some terminology in this post that is specific to art can be a little confusing, like the word "medium." I could explain it, but this article from ThoughtCo explains it in a really concise way, and I couldn't have written it better myself! Now let's dig in!

TRUE: THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE TO OIL PAINTING

Oil paint is very different than other common painting mediums like watercolor, acrylic, and tempera. Oil paint on its own is a very thick paint that is great for texture, but with the right mediums it's creamy, smooth, and pigmented.

One of the best things about oil paint is how far it can go when using mediums. Because of its creamy texture, it spreads out very nicely and dries substantially slower than acrylic paint—think hours to months depending on how thick the paint is and if mediums are used! This means you'll have more time to play around with your blending before the paint sets, making gradients a breeze.

Sometimes oil paints' slow drying time can make things tough, though, especially if you like painting in a more graphic or color-block style you may have a little bit of trouble because wet paint on wet paint can get muddy really fast.

TRUE: PAINT IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA

While oil paint is much safer to use than it used to be, it still has substantial fumes, so using it in a well-ventilated area is not just wise, it's essential for your safety! Plus, if you're like me and you're sensitive to smells, you may want to get a fan going or paint by an open window. These simple measures can make your painting experience more comfortable and safe.

TRUE: CLEAN UP CAREFULLY

As discussed in our previous section, oil paint isn't the safest to breathe in an enclosed space for extended periods; that also means it's not great for skin or water pipes, so you may wonder how you're supposed to clean up after a painting session. There are two easy ways to clean up! 1. Wear gloves while you paint to avoid skin exposure. 2. Use Odorless Mineral Spirits or Linseed Oil to clean your brushes well; when all visible oil paint is off the brush(you can see more clearly by wiping your brushes on a paper towel), you'll want to wash it thoroughly with dish soap or Brush Soap!

TRUE: OIL PAINT TAKES A LONG TIME TO DRY

Especially in comparison to acrylic paint, oils take ages to dry. It can take anywhere from days to months, depending on many factors. You can speed up the process by getting a painting medium like Liquin and Galkyd and Linseed Oil that you'll mix with your oils as your painting. Or if you haven't gotten started with using mediums, drying your painting in direct sunlight will speed up the process substantially, so setting it up to dry facing a window is definitely the way to go!

FALSE: OIL PAINTING ISN'T FOR BEGINNERS

One main reason this is absolutely true is that acrylic paint didn't exist until 1934! Before that time, everyone had to learn to paint with either watercolor or, of course, oil paint. Additionally, it took a lot of work to find the exact paint colors you wanted to work with for many reasons. Pigments were too expensive, rare, or even toxic.

So, if they could do it, you definitely can! The processing for oil painting has come so far in the last century; we now have safe, synthetic pigments that perfectly match older toxic or rare pigments of the past, we have new pigments that never could've been dreamed of before, and we have new mediums and varnishes that age and work better than ever before. We also have the internet, the most valuable resource for new oil painters. The internet is a treasure trove of tutorials, tips, and resources. If you want to learn a new technique or research a new medium, it's only a click away!

FALSE: YOU SHOULD START WITH THE PRICEY PAINTS

One of the biggest lies in art is that you need the most expensive, fancy supplies to make good art. But I argue that starting with lesser-quality supplies will make you a better artist! Suppose you can learn to work with the most basic supplies and their problems (less pigment, grittier textures, etc.) and still make fantastic art using them. In that case, you will be unstoppable with higher-quality paints!

If you need more persuasion, it's also better to only invest a little bit of money into a new medium in case you don't like it. This way, you can experiment with different mediums without feeling guilty. As an artist, you're not going to enjoy every medium you try, but you should always be willing to try new things and see where your creativity takes you!

FALSE: YOU NEED TONS OF MEDIUMS

Mediums or additives are just that—additions! Mediums aren't a requirement to paint well with oils. In fact, I wouldn't recommend getting any aside from the three I mentioned earlier simply because those are fantastic, basic mediums that won't overcomplicate your painting process! Once you're more familiar with oils and have begun to unlock your 'style. ' Then, you can use that style as a jumping-off point for any additional mediums you may need, whether you want to make your paint thicker, creamier, matte, etc.

FALSE: OIL PAINTING IS EXPENSIVE

The incredible thing about being an artist in the 21st century is that there are all sorts of great supplies for a wide range of budgets that will still give you excellent results. One such example is the Blick Studio Oil Paints. These paints are an incredible value, offering a good balance between quality and affordability. We even use them in our studio for classes and private lessons, and they consistently deliver outstanding results.

You can also have a limited assortment of brushes to cut down on unnecessary expenses. If you need help deciding on your brushes, check out our post, Paintbrushes Every Artist Needs In Their Arsenal. As a general rule, you should also go for oil-specific or stiffer mixed media brushes, as oil paint is a very dense paint!

ONE FINAL NOTE

Now that you know the basics of oil painting, the last thing I recommend is watching loads of videos of artists using oil paints. I recommend this in particular because most creative people are visual learners, so of course, seeing artists working in real-time and seeing how they use their paint, brushes, different mediums, and techniques will help you learn! Don't limit yourself to watching people paint in styles you like most either; expand that a bit because you never know when you could learn a whole new technique!

Here are some great videos for a starting point!

The Basics Of Oil Painting by Alpay Efe

OIL PAINTING TIMELAPSE II "Blossom" by Daria Callie

HUNGRY FOR MORE PAINTING KNOWLEDGE?

We have just the thing! For an amazing introduction to understanding art fundamentals like value, contrast, color theory, color mixing, and more, check out our Foundations Studies curriculum. Our at-home art lessons will implement acrylic paint, but these foundational skills will translate into any variety of painting or drawing!