What Do I Need To Begin Painting In OIl ?

What do I need to begin Oil painting?

Beginners often ask "What kind of paint should I use ? What materials will I need to buy?"

The single biggest mistake beginning artists make when buying art materials for painting is this: They buy too much!

A simple understanding of how the different types of paint are used , and what type of work you expect to do will give you the knowledge you need to proceed.
So with that in mind, I will present to you an economical and effective list of items that you can get by with to see if you like any particular medium ,without spending a small fortune.

Part 1:

Oil: Oil paint is a slow drying paint, this allows the painter to correct work by scraping out and repainting the areas they wish to .Because of this, oil paint is highly recommended for beginners. Oils are very flexible in terms of the variety of styles and techniques you can use them for .Straight from the tube oil paints are thick and buttery and dry in about 2-14 days depending on the pigment in the paint , thickness of application,whether or not there are driers in the paint and the ambient humidity and temperature of the room .Various mediums can be added to thin out the consistency of the paint and accelerate the drying time.Available in the traditional variety that thins with solvents such as turpentine and odorless mineral spirits , or the newer watersoluble oils that thin and clean up with water.Oils are usually used in an opaque manner, meaning white paint is added to lighten the colors, and can also be used in a transparent manner: using glazes of paint rendered transparent by adding a prepared or homemade medium .

Needed to start: For beginners I would recommend a starter set of paints available at an art supplier like dick blick or others for ten dollars or so.Try and get an extra tube of white oil paint (37 ml or 150 ml) as the amount of white included in the little set is not sufficent to paint even a single painting. A pack of cheap hog bristle brushes will suffice for now.If they are only available individually then a # 4 flat hog bristle will be enough to start with.If a cheap paint assortment is not available then get a large tube of white (Titanium) and a smaller (37ml) studio size tube of Ivory black .For a basic set of three colors I recommend Ultramarine Blue,Cadmium Yellow Light or Pale and Alizarin Crimson or Permanent Alizarin Hue .A small container of odorless paint thinner to thin colors and clean brushes.Some sort of palette to mix on: an empty milk carton cut open will work or a plastic plate later you will want to use something more substantial such as a wooden or glass palette.A couple of small canvas boards (11X14"aprox.) or a stiff piece of smooth cardboard either sealed with a few coats of a glue/water solution or a piece of Masonite sanded then primed with gesso to paint on.You will also need something to mix the colors with: a metal palette knife is best, but a plastic one will serve for the first few experiments.If you choose watersoluble oils instead, simply omit the oderless thinner from this list.  Any questions ? Comment below and I'll do my best to answer! Have fun painting !


-Phil