8 Oil Painting Tips for Beginners

Oil paints are high quality and versatile. Plus, they are available in tons of colors. That's the reason they are used by artists all over the world. Although it's easy to get started with oil painting, there are a few things to learn. If you are into painting, you may have your favorite brand, mediums, palettes and brushes, but there are some general tips for you. Let's read them.

Start small If you start with small paintings, it will give you a better idea of the techniques, and you won't invest too much time or stuff in the process. So, it's a good idea to go for small canvas boards or canvases. You can try on paper as well. Get Organized It's a good idea to choose a place that is well-ventilated and spacious enough so that you can put all of your stuff near you. Moreover, it will make the process a lot easier for you, and you will be able to paint more often.

Buy Quality Brushes If possible, you should invest in professional standard paints instead of the student grade. In the same way, when it comes to buying brushes, opt for high quality ones. If you are just getting started, buying three different sizes is a good idea. You can opt for synthetic brushes, but there is a host of natural hairbrushes as well. Generally, painters make use of bristle brushes. Prepare your painting surface As far as choosing the painting surface is concerned, know that you can choose from paper, wood or canvas.

No matter which one you opt for, it's important to use a primer known as gesso on the surface. This will keep the paint from getting into the surface. As an alternative, you can choose a good quality pre-primed board and apply another coat for making the surface even smoother. Color mixing It's important to note that the primary colors don't fall under the category of "pure". Actually, they lean towards blue or yellow. So, it's important that you know how to mix them. Painting palette If you think you have to use all the colors when you are just getting started, you need to think again. At first, you may want to do a monochrome painting. In this case, you will use just one hue, its shades, and tints.

Based on what you want, you can go for either of the two. Oil sketch An oil sketch is a thin sketch of color and turpentine. Know that it will dry pretty quickly. Next, you can add layers of paint without waiting too long. Clean your brushes After you are done with a painting, don't forget to clean your brushes using water and soap. You may want to use rags and paper towels for wiping the excess turpentine and paint from your brushes. So, these are a few basic tips that may help you get started with oil painted if you are a beginner. Hopefully, you will be able to get the hang of it.