Chapters
“Painting is an illusion, a piece of magic, so what you see is not what you see.” - Philip Guston
The number of people visiting museums and art galleries is increasing. Art is still popular. Would you like to stop looking at it and start making your own? Learning to paint with oil paints requires a lot of practice. Impasto, undercoat, first coat, craquelure, when it comes to oil paintings, you can’t skip a step.
The History of Oil Painting
Oil painting techniques are used by the most experienced artists. These techniques aren't always easy to do. So what are they exactly? Oil painting involves mixing pigments and drying oil (linseed or poppyseed oil) to make a slow-drying paste. The drying time allows the artist to work on the colours and shapes for longer. Check for affordable Brisbane painting classes here.
How Do You Paint with Oil Paints?
Have you studied art for a few years and want to start painting with oil paints? Or have you just started learning about art? Are you sick of coloured pencils, Indian ink, watercolours, poster paints, acrylics, pastels, and pencils? When you paint with oil paints, you have to follow several precise steps to ensure your painting doesn’t crack. Here’s what you need to know about painting with oils. Whether you’re painting abstract or impressionist pieces, this advice should help.
The “Fat over Lean” Rule for Oil Painting
Have you ever heard of oil painting’s most important rules? What is it? Fat over lean is a way of painting with oils that focuses on putting thicker layers (those with more oil) over thinner ones. If you don’t, you run the risk of your work ageing terribly. Discover the best painting classes Perth here.
Respect the Drying Time
In order for the “fat over lean” concept to work, you have to give your canvas enough time to dry. As we explained before, even if the surface is dry, the layers underneath may not be ready yet. It’s important to leave between 2 and 3 weeks between each layer. This is not a technique for impatient people! If you want to paint quickly, you'd be better with an acrylic painting. Acrylic paint dries very quickly, after all. How much drying time is required when painting with watercolours?
Follow the Traditional Method
The traditional oil painting method can take weeks to do. Art teachers will stress how important it is to wait between painting each layer of your work. If you don’t, you can expect to see your work start to crack, giving your composition an awful texture. Get valid information on painting classes in Canada.
How to Paint Alla Prima
Over time, painters got sick of waiting for their canvas to dry. This is why they decided to paint it all at once (alla prima). However, the artist needs to be sure of themselves because once they’re done, they won’t be able to paint back over their work without it cracking.
What Equipment Do You Need for Oil Painting?
If you’re studying art, you’ll need some equipment. But what equipment do you need for oil painting? If you’re doing an art class, private tutorials, or attending a workshop, your teacher might decide to loan you the right materials. However, if you want to regularly practise oil painting, you should invest in some of the essentials.
Buy a Support
What are you going to paint on? While Canson paper is generally recommended for drawing, what should you use oil paints on? You won’t be using paper, that’s for sure!
Getting Oil Paints
If you’re just starting out with oil paints, it’s a good idea to opt for pre-mixed paints. This is good for getting to grips with the paint and what you can do with it. Keep in mind that there are plenty of different types of oil paints available. There are different concentrations available. Keep in mind that extra-fine paints have more pigment in them than fine paints. Make sure to ask for advice from those working in your local art shop.
Buying Brushes for Oil Paints
If you think that just one brush will do the trick, you’re wrong. A brush’s quality depends on both its bristles and its handle. There are a lot of different types of brushes available and choosing the right one is almost as important as how well you can paint. You can get natural bristles, synthetic bristles, badger hair, camel hair, etc. Start by testing out a few brushes with short bristles and long handles. This helps you to paint while taking a step back, which is really useful if you’re working with a large canvas. Don’t forget to get yourself a solvent (turpentine or white spirit) in order to dilute or remove the oil from the brush. Clean your brushes with soap and water. Find out whether you need brushes to paint with pastels!
Using an Easel
While we often forget about it, an easel is an essential tool for painting. It allows you to stand or sit while painting on canvas. There are plenty of different ones available. Make sure to check them all out! While some artists prefer realism, like a photo-realistic landscape oil painting, others prefer applying the paint in more expressive ways in order to create an abstract oil painting. In fact, some artists made it so you could see every single brushstroke on their canvases while others were applying oil paints with a palette knife rather than a brush! If you're looking for inspiration, then make sure to visit a fine art museum and check out the artistic talent on display! Artists like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Monet all used oil paints in different ways. If you don't have a clue where to begin, how the artists painted like they did, or how to use a palette, then you should get in touch with a private painting tutor or online art tutor to help you. Now discover the difference between the many painting media available to you!
The platform that connects tutors and students