I bought a cheap set of oil paints at Walmart and some brushes and started painting in the last couple of days and I must say I find it really relaxing and fun. I've always been into illustration/drawing, but I've been more of a pencil/marker/ink and Illustrator/Photoshop kind of girl. I've done a little bit with acrylic paints, but it isn't quite like oil painting. Anyway, since I'm a total newbie at it, I was wondering if any of you have any experience with oil painting and if you could offer me any tips/advice. What kind of brushes and what brand of paint do you recommend? How can I go about protecting my paintings? It seems like they never dry almost and I'm afraid I'll smudge them one day being the clumsy girl I am. :\ Thanks in advance!
Oil painting anyone?
- Thread starter eff
- Start date
Hey eff.
I studied fine arts when i first started college...Anyways.. I had to purchase lots of supplies for my oil painting class. oil paint is great because it takes forever to dry and you can constantly change it.. plus the range of colors is limitless with oil paints... the color is definitely more rich than acrylic paint.
I reccommend getting only natural bristle brushes... There was this mixture of certain oils that my professor MADE us use, but later on I figured out that the mixture made the paint mix so much easier and made your paints last a lot longer than usual. It was a mixture of linseed oil and something else... Hm.
I honestly have to sift through my oil paints and home and let you know what all I've bought.
I wouldn't spray your oil paintings with anything after you're done with them.. if you want to protect them, keep them out of direct sunlight.. when you store them, cover them with a natural cloth of some sort.
What kind of canvases are you painting on? Are you buying the store bought already treated canvases?
Your post makes me want to break out my paints again... hehehe.
I studied fine arts when i first started college...Anyways.. I had to purchase lots of supplies for my oil painting class. oil paint is great because it takes forever to dry and you can constantly change it.. plus the range of colors is limitless with oil paints... the color is definitely more rich than acrylic paint.
I reccommend getting only natural bristle brushes... There was this mixture of certain oils that my professor MADE us use, but later on I figured out that the mixture made the paint mix so much easier and made your paints last a lot longer than usual. It was a mixture of linseed oil and something else... Hm.
I honestly have to sift through my oil paints and home and let you know what all I've bought.
I wouldn't spray your oil paintings with anything after you're done with them.. if you want to protect them, keep them out of direct sunlight.. when you store them, cover them with a natural cloth of some sort.
What kind of canvases are you painting on? Are you buying the store bought already treated canvases?
Your post makes me want to break out my paints again... hehehe.
Oooh nice step, I adore it but I don't think I could do it..
can't draw well lol but my mother in-law used to few years back..
can make some really beautiful pictures!
sorry can't advise you since I'm clueless about it
but best of luck! would love to see the paintings you make!
can't draw well lol but my mother in-law used to few years back..
can make some really beautiful pictures!
sorry can't advise you since I'm clueless about it
but best of luck! would love to see the paintings you make!
Thanks so much! I bought canvas at Walmart also... I bought everything cheap so I could just try it out. I'm probably going to buy more canvas, paint, etc. from dickblick.com in the next few days if I figure out what all it is I should be buying. I'll look into getting natural bristle brushes, I had no idea those were better than synthetic. Thanks again!
Thanks so much! I bought canvas at Walmart also... I bought everything cheap so I could just try it out. I'm probably going to buy more canvas, paint, etc. from dickblick.com in the next few days if I figure out what all it is I should be buying. I'll look into getting natural bristle brushes, I had no idea those were better than synthetic. Thanks again!
Are you just buying canvas and stretching it yourself or buying already made canvases?
Make sure your canvas is treated so that it doesn't soak up all your paint... Gesso is good for this... seals the canvas off and makes it a nice white surface for you to paint on. I also like Acrylex... leaves you with a clear coated canvas surface... sometimes working on a natural canvas is better than working on a white-washed canvas.
I reccommend giving Pearl Paint a try... that store is freakin' amazing.
I tended to buy the student oil paints:
http://www.pearlpaint.com/shop~ocID~8999~parentID~8999~categoryID~8990~layoutIndicator~horizontal.htm
Also, I remember the oil mixture that'll help you prolong your paints and might help them dry quicker... add 2 parts Linseed Oil to 1 part Turpentine... When you go to mix a color up... dab your brush in this stuff.. and just mix it into a dolop of paint... remember you dont need a lot of pigment on your palette... oil paints go a long way. Get lots of white and black paint.
Stock up on jars, you'll love 'em... and get a good brush cleaner and some good quality turpentine if you're going to get natural brushes.... over time synthetic brushes won't survive with oil paints and turpentine.
Pearl Fine Art Supplies - Artist oils watercolor paint canvas paper portfolios frames easels drafting supplier
HTH
I'm actually buying them already made, I don't think I'd be able to handle stretching my own canvas!
Thanks so much for all the info, I really appreciate it!