Oil Paints are known for its nice, smooth, bright and buttery texture. For hundreds of years, artists have been using oil paints. Because of their versatility, consistency and colour, oil paints continue to be popular around the world. Also, an oil painting can never really be ruined, because it can always be fixed and painted over. While it's relatively easy to get going with oil painting, there's a little more to it than acrylics, as the drying time is a lot longer. Individual artists who have been painting for a while have their favourite brands, brushes, palettes, and media, but don't fear our fellow artist; we've curated oil painting tips for beginners to help you start your journey with oil painting.
Use the Palette Knife:
To beginners, we advise using a palette knife instead of brushes to create a painting. Using a palette knife takes you away from precision and line ideas and helps you to concentrate on how colour and shape can be used through ‘push and pull’ action of the knife. It is a good practise to start it on at least 9-by-13 inches of paper, as a wider area will allow you to make larger, more confident strokes.
Bob Ross designed and uses the knife to create snow on mountains, and marble effects on cabins and paths. He even created the special paint mixture of Titanium white to ease this marbling effect.Bob has DVD’s or Lise King is a CRI and does workshops for beginners and intermediates to learn thewet-on-wet techniques that Bob simplified for anyone to be able to paint a beautiful landscape, wildlife or floral.
Practise oil painting on the same subject:
When you continue painting a similar subject for quite a while, you will be relieved from the pressure to "pick" what goes into your image, and rather your creative imagination will shine through when working on your painting. When you are centred around the procedures of oil painting, you will focus on each stroke of the brush, for example, how light is guided, how thin or thick it is applied, or what it implies.
A painter's style can be intricate as the subject they're painting. This is usually the situation when artists work "wet-on-wet"– – a system where wet paint is applied over a previous layer of paint, which isn't yet dry. When you work in this style, you must remember the rule of fat over lean.Meaning, add more oil to the paint mixture to adhere to the previous layer. As the layers dry they absorb oil from the above layer and if no oil above the paint will develop cracks.
It is challenging to paint and layer it to create the illusion of a realistic image, so the tactility, brush strokes and smoothness of paint becomes a central idea.
Safety First:
If using traditional oil paint. It's incredibly important to take proper safety measures when you start with oil paints. To protect yourself, wear protective gloves and clothing. Many professional oil painting artists will reserve certain clothing items while working and developing a studio wardrobe slowly. Moreover, artists usually buy latex gloves in bulk, but if you're allergic to latex, you can opt for nitrile gloves. Also, if you ever work with loose pigments, make sure you're wearing a respirator mask.
The Artisan Water Mixable Oil Assorted Colours are safe oil colours that do not contain hazardous solvents unlike other traditional oil paints which King’s Framing & Art Gallery does not stock. These colours are perfect for artists who share a workspace, schools or painting indoors at home. No ventilation needed.
At times, it’s the way a painting is made that tells a story, rather than communicating the narration through paintings.
Smartly Shop Art Supplies:
After working on the safety precautions with oil painting, the next step will be to figure out the best art supplies, materials and equipment. The most common oil painting supplies are a set of good and durable brushes, palette, palette knives, rags, supports (called painting surfaces), a primer, a medium, turpentine oil or any oil-based medium like linseed oil or stand oil, and paint.
Oil paint takes time to dry, and the paint below may still be wet even if the surface feels dry. Keep these two rules in mind when using oil-based paint,
A) Paint fat over thin – Start with thin paint washes, and as you proceed, apply less odourless or natural turpentine or turpenoid oil mediums and apply more oil-based media. If you do not follow this, the drying process will be uneven, and the surface of your oil painting may crack with time.
B) Never paint acrylic over oil – This helps prevent cracking. So, always put oils on top of acrylics.Another rule of thumb, do not apply a faster‑drying oil paint over a slower‑drying oil paint.
The Lukas Studio Fine Artists’ Oil Paint Colours are high quality, even drying yet economical oil paints with the well-balanced colour spectrum of 48 brilliant colours and 25 single-pigment-colours. Shop for them here.
Make use of Water Soluble Oil Paints:
Here the key distinction is that these aren’t water-based oil paints, but they are water-soluble oil paints. Unlike what we learnt in school that oil and water do not mix, these paints have the ability to mix with the water and are easily cleanable. Water soluble means the oil paint can be thinned with water. These oil paints have everything that painters love about oil paints. In fact, these colours are more convenient, accessible and easier to use as compared to traditional oil mediums.
Water soluble oils are every oil painter’s favourite because,
● It allows you to enjoy with oils without the unpleasant contaminants and chemicals found in other traditional oil paints.
● Dry time faster than traditional oils.
● More time to work with the paint than acrylics based on water would allow.
● Mixable to different effects with water, linseed oil, or other solvents.
● These can be combined with conventional oils and some acrylic paints.
The WOil Water Mixable Artist Oil Paints is a professional grade oil paint formulated with modified linseed and safflower oils to create a stable emulsion which retains the characteristics of traditional oils and can be cleaned through simple soap and water. For lighter, cleaner mixtures, the 33 colours in the wOil range are produced with single pigments, and have variable saturation of pigment for greater coverage. WOil ® is suitable for home, workshop and classroom artists, students and teachers as it is non-toxic, environmentally friendly and does not require solvents for cleaning.
Another best sellers in the water soluble oil paint category is Winsor & Newton’s Artist's Oil Assorted Colours. It is available in 40 different shades and can be bought online from King’s Framing & Art Gallery.
Artisan Water Mixable Oil paints does not require hazardous solvents, and developed to look and work just like conventional oil colour. Unlike traditional oils, this range can be thinned and cleaned up with water, and all brushes and equipment can be cleaned up with soap and water. With a balanced spectrum of 40 colours, Artisan includes 25 single pigment colours for colour brilliance and clean colour mixing.
Ideal for artists who share a work space, for those in education or at home, those looking for a safer painting environment, and for travel.
There is no water within the Artisan formulation; the linseed and safflower oils have been modified to allow the colour to accept water.This creates a stable emulsion, and retains the working
characteristics of conventional oil colour.The pigments, together with the most suitable oil, bring out each colour’s individual characteristics, from opacity to natural transparency.
Artisan has its own range of thinners, oils, mediums and varnishes to allow all oil painting techniques.Created specifically for Artisan these ensure the best performance and a painting experience very close to traditional oils.
Be careful with Brush Strokes:
Every single brush stroke has a reason. Don't merely knock the paint on the surface and trust it will look great. Consider how you apply each stroke and how you put it down -- is it a brush flick, a light canvas tickling, or an intense palette blade smear? Utilize an assortment of strokes to make surfaces, shapes and qualities. If there is no purpose for your strokes, your painting will look overworked.Fortunately, you can continue, including layers!
The M. Graham Solvent Free Oil paints are the best of both worlds, when it comes to traditional and solvent free.When it comes to layering,the oil paint is creamy and the colour is made with walnut oil and has a unique refractive index and non-yellowing nature, producing a colour that is more natural and brilliant, which in turn gives a fresher look to your work. Get it on King’s Framing & Art Gallery at the best price.
You can also use the Shiva Artist's Oil Paintstik that are oil colours in the form of sticks. You can use them as standalone paint to start with or combine it with regular oil paints and Sennielier Artist Oil Paint Sticks and Oil Pastel Paint sticks Sennelier's Oil Sticks are made from pure concentrated pigment, the finest safflower oil, and high-quality mineral wax. They can be used alone or in combination with tube oil paints. They can be diluted with turpentine just like oil paints. They dry to a hard film.
We love painting with oil here at King’s Framing & Art Gallery, and we trust that these tips will assist you to love it as well! In case you're searching for more guidance, please drop by the Art store or register for our Art workshops to find out about oil painting and learn other mediums.
Don’t forget to checkout more blogs on Oil Paints,
Oil Paints – Deep, Rich and Luxurious
Oil Painting: Tricks of the Trade
