A very adaptable medium, oil lends itself to a variety of painting styles—from precise, realistic strokes to free-flowing, expressionistic forms. And oil paint is an ideal medium for beginners: the paints dry slowly, allowing you to take your time and correct any mistakes. Oil paints must be thinned with turpentine or another mineral spirit, which makes cleanup more difficult than with water-soluble media, but the wonderful qualities of oil make it worth the extra effort.
Oil paints are available in two distinctive qualities: artist’s grade and student’s grade. Artist’s grade paints contain better-quality pigments and fewer additives, so they last longer and produce more intense color. You don’t need to purchase every color you see; you can mix almost any color from just a few, such as the colors suggested in the beginner’s palette shown below. You can always add to your basic palette later as your skills develop—and your budget allows! Colors vary slightly from brand to brand, so experiment with a few different manufacturers to find which ones you like best.
Oil paintbrushes are made with either natural hair or synthetic bristles, though many oil artists avoid synthetic bristles because they can be affected by the corrosive nature of oil solvents. You’ll find several different brush styles to choose from, but a good starter set for beginning oil painters includes only a few brushes: two flat brushes (one large, one small), two round brushes (one large, one small), one filbert brush, and one liner (or rigger) brush. You always have the option of expanding your brush collection as your skills develop.
If you take care of your brushes, they can last for several years. Never allow paint to dry in the hair or bristles; oil is destructive and tends to cling in the bristles next to the ferrule (the metal band). Wash your brushes thoroughly after each painting session, first with thinner (such as turpentine or mineral spirits), then with soap and warm (but not hot!) water. Then reshape the bristles and lay the brushes flat to dry.
Palette knives are ideal for mixing colors on the palette, but they also can be used to apply paint to the support (see page 3 for more on supports). Ranging in shapes from diamond to pear, knives are useful for scraping off paint, creating textures, and blending large areas on the canvas. Use smooth, gentle strokes rather than a heavy stirring motion.
The surface you paint on is called the “support.” You can apply oils to just about any kind of support, as long as it has been primed and sealed so the paints have something to stick to. For beginners, it’s best to purchase either pre-primed canvas board or cotton canvas that has already been stretched and primed. This way, your support is ready to use! Canvases are available in a variety of sizes and textures. A fine, dense weave (which is smooth) has very little texture, or tooth; a coarse, loose weave (which is rough) has more tooth.
Oil painters must use mediums (such as mineral spirits or turpentine) both to thin their paint and to clean their brushes. But additional mediums can be mixed with the paint to alter its qualities—some make the paint softer or thinner, others speed up or slow down the drying time of the paint, and still others add gloss or create a matte appearance.
You’ll need a mixing palette for laying out and mixing your oil paints. Your palette should be non-porous so it doesn’t absorb the oil from the paints. Glass or ceramic are ideal—but when you’re just starting out, you might want to try a disposable palette, a pad of waxed-paper sheets that is available at art and craft stores. With this type of palette, you simply tear off the top sheet and throw it away at the end of a painting session—so there is no messy cleanup! It’s also a good idea to always place your colors in the same order on your palette. This way, you won’t waste time searching for the color you want.
In addition to the essentials, there are several extra items that you may want to purchase to make your painting experience more convenient. Paper towels or lint-free rags are invaluable; you can use them to clean your tools and brushes or as painting tools to scrub in paint or soften edges. Glass or metal cups are helpful for holding your mediums, and a paint box with several compartments is ideal for organizing your tools.