Painting with Oils Demystified

Rembrandt, Vincent Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet—some of the most celebrated painters of all time created their most famous works with oil paints. But you don’t have to be a Renaissance master or Impressionist icon to appreciate the unparalleled flexibility, enduring colors, and timeless beauty of oil paints. 

With just a few basic supplies and a spark of inspiration, you can start painting with oils right in your own home, no classical training required. 

The Basics of Painting with Oils 

For those unfamiliar with oil paints, the prospect of learning how to use them can seem daunting. Fortunately, the basics are a lot simpler than you think. 

Painting with Oil vs. Acrylic

To learn what makes oil paints unique, compare them to their more popular acrylic paint counterparts. 

Acrylic paints are composed of water, pigment, and an acrylic polymer emulsion (i.e. liquid plastic). Popular in elementary school classrooms and professional art studios alike, acrylic paints are affordable, easy to find, and simple to apply. They don’t require any special preparation to use, and they dry quickly. And when it comes to cleanup, acrylic paints can simply be washed off of brushes and surfaces with water. 

Oil paints, on the other hand, are made of pigment and oil. They typically have a consistency comparable to room-temperature butter, but with patience (and many brushstrokes) can be spread over a relatively large area. Some painters like to thin their oil paints with the help of a solvent such as turpentine, but doing so isn’t strictly necessary. A solvent is necessary for cleaning brushes and surfaces afterward, though—turpentine is the most common and traditional choice, but mineral spirits and citrus-based solvents can also be used.

Because they’re much more pigmented and concentrated than acrylic paints, oil paints tend to be more expensive. And because they require a solvent to clean up, they also involve purchasing extra supplies. 

So why would you want to use oil paints instead of acrylic paints, watercolor paints, or another alternative? 

The answer comes down to oil paint’s unique benefits: 

• Color payoff: Oil paints are much more concentrated than acrylic ones, which makes them ideal for achieving rich, deep, and vibrant colors. As an added bonus, the color of oil paints doesn’t change when dry, while the color of acrylic and watercolor paints typically becomes less intense once it’s dried. 
• Slow drying time: Oil paints take a minimum of 1–2 days to dry, and some formulations can take months or even years to fully dry. This slow drying time makes oil paints exceptionally easy to blend, since there’s no need to worry about the paint drying out before you can blend it. It also makes it possible for artists to work on and modify their painting over long periods of time.
• Durability: If properly stored and preserved, oil paintings can last for hundreds of years—just ask the Mona Lisa. Oil paint is also scratch- and stain-resistant, which means you won’t have to worry about a splash of water (or a misbehaving cat) ruining your creation. 
• Coverage: Because oil paint is so pigmented and concentrated, it can easily create completely opaque coverage. In other words, you won’t have to layer several coats of paint in order to achieve full coverage. 

For many artists, those advantages make oil paint well worth the extra cost and supplies. 

Water Mixable Oil Paint

Since oil paint is made of, well, oil, you can’t use water to thin, mix, or blend it. As we mentioned above, you instead have to use a solvent such as turpentine. 

That’s not the case with water mixable oil paint, though. This specially formulated paint contains an emulsifier, which is a substance that makes it possible for oil and water to be blended into a stable mixture. 

The result is an oil-based paint which doesn’t require a harsh solvent to blend. Instead, you can simply dip your brush in water and mix it directly into the oil paint. When applied to a canvas, water mixable oil paints are almost indistinguishable from traditional oil paints: 

Thanks to water mixable oil paint, it’s possible for any painter to enjoy the benefits of real oil paint without the need to purchase an additional solvent.  

Safety First

While oil paints themselves aren’t necessarily toxic, there are some safety concerns you should keep in mind when painting with oils. 

• Solvent fumes: Traditional solvents such as turpentine and mineral spirits are toxic when consumed or inhaled. That means it’s crucial to work in a well-ventilated space if you’re using such solvents to thin your oil paints—you don’t need to install an industrial-strength ventilation system, but do be sure to open a window and turn on a fan.  
• Flammability: Solvents like turpentine are also highly flammable, as are any rags soaked in them. To avoid starting any fires, learn how to safely store turpentine and oil- or solvent-soaked rags. 
• Poisonous pigments: Most oil paints are non-toxic, but some shades may contain dangerous pigments such as cobalt and cadmium. To stay safe, learn about the hazardous substances oil paints can contain and only purchase paints from reputable brands. 

Learn How to Use This Versatile Medium

Introduction to Oil Painting by Ashleigh Atmore

Take the Course

How to Paint with Oils

Ready to find out why so many artists are smitten with oil paints? Learn how to paint with oils like a pro. 

Oil Paint Supplies

To get started, you’ll need a few basic supplies. 

Paintbrushes

Just about any brushes will do. Traditionally, brushes’ bristles are made from animal-derived fibers such as hog hair, squirrel fur, sable fur, and the like. But if you want a more affordable and animal-friendly option, rest assured that synthetic brushes perform just as well. 

When selecting your brushes, keep in mind that different brushes create different effects. A fan-shaped brush, for example, is perfect for creating a soft edge. A brush with a dense, flat tip, though, is best for creating a sharp and defined edge. 

Solvent

Unless you’re using water mixable oil paints, you’ll also need a solvent or cleaning solution. Even if you don’t plan on using a solvent to thin your paints, you’ll need something to clean your brushes. 

Your choices include: 

• Turpentine: Toxic; requires ventilation; flammable. 
• Mineral spirits: Toxic; requires ventilation; flammable. 
• Citrus solvents: Non-toxic; ventilation recommended; flammable. 
• Oil-based cleaners: Non-toxic; ventilation not typically required; possibly flammable. 

Canvas

Both cotton and linen canvases can be used for oil paintings, although cotton is less expensive and easier to find. 

To save time, you can purchase a pre-primed canvas that’s ready to paint on. Or if you prefer to take a more DIY approach, prime it with gesso yourself. 

Palette

You’ll need something to mix your paint on, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy a dedicated wooden or glass palette. For now, you can use a plastic or paper plate, a clipboard, a piece of cardboard, or even an old takeout container (just be sure to wash it first). 

Oil Paint Techniques 

Once you’ve assembled your supplies and you’re ready to start painting, begin by sketching out the basic shapes of your painting. You can use a pencil, or you can use paint—whichever you prefer. 

Next, begin filling in your painting while keeping these three guidelines in mind: 

• Fat over lean: The first layers of paint you apply should be the most diluted with solvent or water (i.e., lean), while the last layers should be the least diluted (i.e., fat). 
• Thick over thin: Similarly, the first layers of paint should be the thinnest, while the last layers should be the thickest. 
• Slow drying over fast drying: Apply the fastest drying layers of paint first, and the slowest drying layers last. 

Doing so will help prevent your painting from cracking, and will also ensure it dries from the bottom layer up. 

As you continue your journey, you may wish to explore more advanced oil painting techniques such as chiaroscuro, scumbling, and glazing. But for the time being, those three rules are all you need to create your first painting. 

Oil Painting with Texture

Depending on the tools and techniques you employ, you can add a little or a lot of texture to your oil paintings. 

For instance, by dabbing the brush on the surface—a technique known as stippling—you can create a subtle texture throughout your work. 

Or if you want to create a bolder look, you can try molding the surface of your painting with a palette knife, or heavily applying paint with a technique called impasto.

As you paint, be sure to experiment with several texturing techniques as you go. With oil paints’ flexibility, you can always revise what you don’t like and keep what you do.

Mixing Colors

To get the exact color you’re looking for, you’ll likely need to mix two or more oil paint colors on your palette. 

Start mixing with small amounts—this will ensure you don’t waste paint creating a less-than-ideal shade. Once you create a mixture you like, take note of the ratio so you can recreate it again later. 

To learn how your paints interact with each other, you may find it helpful to create a color chart:

With such a chart, you can familiarize yourself with the colors in your collection, all while getting a feel for the principles of color mixing. 

How to Clean Oil-Based Paint Off Brushes

Unlike acrylic paints and watercolors, oil paint can’t be easily rinsed off brushes with water. The solution (pun intended) is to use a solvent such as turpentine, or an oil-based cleaner if you’d prefer to go solvent-free. 

Here’s how you can go about getting your brushes squeaky clean: 

1. Dip them in a jar of solvent or solvent-free cleaner, then wipe them on a rag, paper towel, or newspaper. Repeat until most of the visible paint is removed. 
2. Dip in your jar once more, then brush against a bar of brush soap. Work up a lather, rinse in warm water, and repeat until the lather shows no signs of paint. 
3. Dab the excess water from the bristles, gently mold them back into their original shape, then set them out to dry. 

Remember that your brushes should never be allowed to dry with paint on them, as this will make the bristles stiff at best and rock hard at worst. 

And when you’re done cleaning your brushes, remember to responsibly store and dispose of your solvent- and oil-soaked rags and paper towels. 

Embrace Oils, Ditch the Stress

Once you know what oil paints are made of and how they work, it’s clear they’re no more intimidating to work with than any other type of paint. And with some practice and plenty of brushstrokes, you can create richly pigmented, impeccably blended oil paintings of your own.

Written By

Carrie Buchholz

Carrie Buchholz is a freelance writer who lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and dog.

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