Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that
are bound with a medium of drying oil -- especially
linseed oil, poppyseed oil, walnut oil, and safflower oil. These oils confer
various properties to the oil paint, such as less yellowing or different drying
times. Certain differences are visible in the sheen of the paints depending on
the oil. Painters often use different oils in the same painting depending on
specific pigments and effects desired. The paints themselves also develop a
particular feel depending on the medium.
Paintings in this medium are very popular amongst artists
and collectors because of their ageless character. They lend themselves to a
plethora of subjects, and well executed paintings remain vibrant and attractive
for several centuries. The two paintings here were painted by Rembrandt and
Caravaggio almost 400 years ago!
Traditionally, artists begin by sketching the subject onto
the canvas. The oil paint is mixed with turpentine or artist grade mineral
spirits or other solvents to create a thinner, faster drying paint. Then the
subject is built up in layers. A basic rule of oil paint application is 'fat
over lean.' This means that each additional layer of paint should be a bit
oilier than the layer below, to allow proper drying. As a painting gets
additional layers, the paint must get oilier or the final painting will crack
and peel.Oil paint remains wet longer than many other types of
artists' materials, enabling the artist to change the color, texture or form of
the figure. At times, the painter might even remove an entire layer of paint
and begin anew. This can be done with a rag and some turpentine for a certain
time while the paint is wet, but after a while, the hardened layer must be
scraped. Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation, and is usually dry to
the touch in a day to two weeks. It is generally dry enough to be varnished in
six months to a year. Art conservators do not consider an oil painting
completely dry until it is 60 to 80 years old.
A still-newer type of paint, heat-set oils, remains liquid
until heated. Although not technically not true oils, the paintings resemble
oil paintings and are usually shown as oil paintings.
The easiest way to
start painting with oils may be with
Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oils. These water-soluble oils are
easy to clean up and have no hazardous fumes.
Time to stretch a canvas, grab a brush, and start!
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that
are bound with a medium of drying oil -- especially
linseed oil, poppyseed oil, walnut oil, and safflower oil. These oils confer
various properties to the oil paint, such as less yellowing or different drying
times. Certain differences are visible in the sheen of the paints depending on
the oil. Painters often use different oils in the same painting depending on
specific pigments and effects desired. The paints themselves also develop a
particular feel depending on the medium.
Paintings in this medium are very popular amongst artists
and collectors because of their ageless character. They lend themselves to a
plethora of subjects, and well executed paintings remain vibrant and attractive
for several centuries. The two paintings here were painted by Rembrandt and Caravaggio almost 400 years ago!
Traditionally, artists begin by sketching the subject onto
the canvas. The oil paint is mixed with turpentine or artist grade mineral
spirits or other solvents to create a thinner, faster drying paint. Then the
subject is built up in layers. A basic rule of oil paint application is 'fat
over lean.' This means that each additional layer of paint should be a bit
oilier than the layer below, to allow proper drying. As a painting gets
additional layers, the paint must get oilier or the final painting will crack
and peel.Oil paint remains wet longer than many other types of
artists' materials, enabling the artist to change the color, texture or form of
the figure. At times, the painter might even remove an entire layer of paint
and begin anew. This can be done with a rag and some turpentine for a certain
time while the paint is wet, but after a while, the hardened layer must be
scraped. Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation, and is usually dry to
the touch in a day to two weeks. It is generally dry enough to be varnished in
six months to a year. Art conservators do not consider an oil painting
completely dry until it is 60 to 80 years old.
A still-newer type of paint, heat-set oils, remains liquid
until heated. Although not technically not true oils, the paintings resemble
oil paintings and are usually shown as oil paintings.
The easiest way to start painting with oils may be with
Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oils. These water-soluble oils are
easy to clean up and have no hazardous fumes.
Time to stretch a canvas, grab a brush, and start!
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