Oil painting tips for beginners

Oil painting tips for beginners

Oil painting tips for beginners that are recommended for those who are new to the field. The oil colors are flexible and fun, allowing for a wide variety of techniques and personal expression. Here is a collection of useful tips and advice.

A collection of oil painting tips was created over time and is updated from time to time. If you are starting out in painting and thinking of starting with oil paints - this is a great idea. Although oil painting may seem complex, it is an excellent field for beginners. Use the tips below for a smoother start. We would love for you to share your tips with us for the benefit of everyone.

Tips for painting with oil paints for beginners:

  • Gain knowledge and experience in registration. Before starting in color painting it is advisable to experiment with drawing. Knowledge in registration Is the basis for color painting and will help you achieve more compelling and accurate results. When you start a new drawing it is advisable to make an initial sketch drawing, this will make it very easy for you when you switch to color. When creating a sketch for oil painting on canvas, use an oil-based pastel pencil or oil pastel chalks.
  • Equip yourself In oil paints in basic shades. It is enough to start with basic colors (red, yellow, blue) and white (used a lot) from which you will learn to create any desired shade (even black). Later, when you discover the preferred and common color palette for you, add flickers of more specific shades. Additional shades which can be useful in the beginning: ocher (mustard yellow), ombre / burnt sienna (shades of brown), green (petalo or emerald), cerulean blue and magenta (as in printer inks). The oil colors are very concentrated colors that always come in small, medium or large sparkles.
  • Regarding the question Which oil paint company to choose - The quality is determined by the permanence and continuity of a specific shade of color in the tubes of the same manufacturer over the years. You should rely on the recommendations of experienced painters who have gotten to know colors from different companies.
  • Equip yourself with useful and necessary equipment. When you are just starting to paint with oil colors it is important to understand what equipment is necessary for this and to equip yourself with what you need. The quality level of the oil paints, as well as the accompanying equipment - affects the final result and the painting experience itself. But you also don't need to exaggerate and buy the most expensive equipment at the beginning. Those who start painting with oil paints, and also fall in love and continue - will find out over time What types of brushes or drawing knives he prefers, etc. The toolbox can be upgraded gradually, the main thing is to start.
  • Work in a ventilated or open space. Oil paints have a noticeable odor compared to other paints. It is advisable to paint in a ventilated room, in a painting studio or even in the open air. Many students testify that they avoid painting with oil in the house because it makes a smell that may be unpleasant to all members of the household. It is not similar to the smell of fuel, but similarly there are people who can not stand the smell and there are people who even like it. If you have a suitable study or a covered balcony - this is great. And regardless of whether you paint at home or in the studio, go out and paint in nature 🙂 Find a shady corner when the weather is nice and enjoy quality time.
  • Be prepared to get dirty. During the work with the oil paints, the hands, the clothes and the working environment tend to get very dirty. If this discourages you, you can use disposable gloves without powder. In any case, the turpentine will help you clean the stains and the work area easily, even from the clothes - dip the stain in turpentine and then wash it normally in a washing machine. In general, we recommend that you arrange for yourself comfortable work clothes and those that you don't mind getting dirty.
  • Do not give up Yes drawing. The use of an easel is highly recommended for drawing and sketching, as the drawing surface will be vertical, in front of the eyes at an angle that is comfortable for work, thus preventing visual distortions in the perspective and proportions of the object chosen for sketching, which may be caused when the canvas is placed on the table as in writing.
  • Meet Color theory. For a richer color effect, you can cover the first layer of the painting with colors that complement the desired colors, using oil paints or even acrylic paints.
  • Start with short exercises. Before you start working on your first painting, do some exercises to familiarize yourself with the oil colors, for example Exercises in mixing colors and drawing a simple still life. For the exercises, a flat canvas cloth, a performance cardboard covered with gesso paste or Canvas pages.
  • Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Using turpentine you can remove paint that went wrong during the painting. If the fresh layer of paint is placed on dry layers of oil paint, remove gently with turpentine using a brush or a clean cloth. If you use force to remove the paint, the canvas may be exposed through the dry layer. If the whole drawing is not to your liking - you can cover it with gesso paste and start over.
  • Save the colors and materials for further painting. The validity of the mixture of linseed oil, turpentine and oil paints in the work jar is about 3 months. In addition, at the end of the painting, the oil paint palette can be kept for reuse by covering the palette with cling film, which extends the freshness of the colors for about a week.

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