| Oil paint is an amazing versatile | | | | difficulty, but the results are |
| medium. It can be applied in a thick | | | | something truly unique to any other type |
| buttery fashion or thinned down to a | | | | of oil painting technique. The |
| watery consistency. This versatility | | | | composition is first painted with an |
| opens the door to a number of different | | | | opaque monochrome underpainting, usually |
| painting techniques.My personal | | | | in shades of gray. After this initial |
| preference is to begin my oil paintings | | | | underpainting is thoroughly dry, thin |
| by first sketching out the composition | | | | layers of transparent oil glazes are |
| using acrylic paint or with | | | | applied. Colors are not mixed directly |
| water-soluble oil paints. The popular | | | | but added in separate layers to get the |
| approach to oil painting is to thin the | | | | desired color.If you are the adventurous |
| paint with turpentine to apply your | | | | type, put the brushes aside and try a |
| initial layers. Turpentine is quite | | | | set of painting or palette knives. You |
| toxic and I prefer not to work with it. | | | | can achieve some very interesting |
| Acrylic or water-soluble oil paints can | | | | results with knives that aren't possible |
| be thinned down with plain old water and | | | | with brushes. The oil paint can be |
| are more pleasant to work with in my | | | | spread on thickly and scraped off with |
| opinion.You can also begin your oil | | | | ease. What I enjoy most about using |
| painting by first drawing out your | | | | knives is the tendency to not focus on |
| composition. There are a few drawing | | | | the small details. I am forced to paint |
| mediums that work quite nicely with oil | | | | in a more relaxed fashion that creates |
| paints. My two favorites are vine | | | | an impressionist style painting. Get |
| charcoal and water-soluble pencils. I | | | | yourself a set of painting knives and |
| prefer vine charcoal because it doesn't | | | | try to complete an entire painting with |
| smudge like other charcoals and it can | | | | just the knives. It's challenging at |
| be erased easier. Water-soluble pencils | | | | first if you are used to brushes, but |
| are wonderful because they can be | | | | it's an enjoyable exercise.Perhaps you |
| applied like ordinary pencils and can be | | | | would like your painting to have more |
| spread around like paint with a damp | | | | body and texture. You could try the |
| brush.If you are the impatient type, you | | | | impasto painting technique and apply |
| may want to try your hand at the Alla | | | | your paint in thick heavy strokes, |
| Prima oil painting technique. The Alla | | | | leaving evidence of all those |
| Prima method is when you complete the | | | | wonderfully artistic brush strokes. Take |
| painting in one sitting rather than | | | | a look at a Van Gogh painting and you |
| paint in layers and wait for the paint | | | | will see this technique in action.It's |
| to dry. Although I usually prefer to | | | | really no wonder why oil painting is |
| work out my paintings in layers, I | | | | such a popular choice for painters. |
| occasionally enjoy this exciting and | | | | There is so much to discover in oil |
| spontaneous approach to oil painting.If | | | | painting. You will never get bored |
| you are the careful, patient type of | | | | trying out all the wonderful tools, |
| painter, you may be interested in | | | | mediums and techniques.For more oil |
| working with the glazing technique. | | | | painting techniques, including free |
| Glazing has lost popularity these days, | | | | step-by-step demonstrations from |
| partly because of the time needed to | | | | experienced oil painters, head over to |
| complete such a painting and it's | | | | today. |