Basic Information about Oil Paints
This text provides basic information about oil paints, delves into their quality grades, and introduces the products needed for oil painting. The first known oil paintings were made over 800 years ago, but the actual beginning of oil painting is difficult to determine. The oil paint of olden times was grainier and more solid than the oil paint produced today, as artists now demand increasingly finely ground paints. A finely ground paint is considered by many to be more pleasant to use than a grainy one. Oil painting is one of the most respected forms of painting and even one of the most respected art forms.
Properties of Oil Paint
Oil paint is, as the name suggests, an oily paint. Oil paints are made by grinding pigment powder into oil. After grinding, the pigment particles are covered by a layer of oil. This process creates a mixture that is sufficiently pliable and tacky for painting and, once dry, is both durable and flexible. Because the color particles are separated by the oil, light is reflected and travels through the painting in a special way. This special way of light reflection and travel gives oil paints their characteristic depth and luminosity.
Quality Grades of Oil Paint
Oil paints are distinguished from each other by quality grades. It is important to distinguish between fine artist oil paints, practice and sketch paints, as well as hobbyist paints. Generally, factory-made oil paints are divided into three categories: Artist-grade oil paints, mid-grade artist paints, and hobby paints.
The names and number of quality grades may vary by manufacturer. But in general, it can be said that it is possible to achieve the best and most durable result with higher quality artist paints. However, especially in the practice phase, it is justified to use lower-grade hobby paints.
Artist-grade and high-quality oil paints differ from mid-grade and hobby paints in the amount and quality of the pigment used. High-quality paints are generally more lightfast and are made with pure and genuine pigments.
Colorants and Primary Colors
In addition to naturally occurring colorants, i.e., earth colors, a large number of chemically produced colorants are in use today. Although earth colors refer to color pigments originating from nature, one often hears chemically produced colors similar to earth colors also being called earth colors. Earth colors are often available in a raw and a burnt shade. The most famous and most used earth colors are sienna and umber. Other earth colors include ochre, earth black, earth green, and lapis lazuli, from which ultramarine blue can be made.
Earth colors can be considered a kind of original and traditional color, and from earth colors, a wide range of different colors and shades can be mixed and thinned. The following is a list of recommended primary colors, which, by mixing and thinning, can be used to produce virtually all the necessary shades and colors.
- Zinc White
- Cadmium Yellow (warm)
- Lemon Yellow (cool)
- Cadmium Red (warm)
- Alizarin Crimson (cool)
- Ultramarine Blue (cool)
- Prussian Blue (warm)
- Terre Verte (Earth Green)
- Ochre
- Burnt Umber
- Burnt Sienna
Products Needed for Oil Painting
In addition to paints, some basic products and mediums are needed for oil painting. The mediums needed for oil painting are turpentine, varnish, and other mediums.
In addition to mediums, an oil painting requires a painting surface, a palette, a palette knife, and brushes. In addition, it is good to get charcoal for sketching, and it is convenient to attach the painting surface to an easel.
You can learn oil painting on your own, and many famous artists are so-called self-taught. However, an oil painting course is not expensive, and it is recommended to attend one to get basic information about oil painting. For example, community colleges offer high-quality oil painting courses.
Welcome to Itäisenkadun Taidetarvike to get acquainted with oil paints and supplies
Itäisenkadun Taidetarvike is happy to advise on getting started with oil painting and on questions regarding oil paints. We have assembled a basic set for oil painting that includes the necessary colors and tools. In addition to this, a wide range of oil paints and oil painting supplies are available for individual sale in our store, along with good advice.
Through this link, you can view Cobra Artist Watersoluble Oil Colours.
And here Van Gogh traditional turpentine solvent oil colours.