Oil painting has been a popular form of art since the13th century in England. However, in the early era, painters usually preferred tempera more than oil paints, as they dried faster. In the 15th century artists began to use a mix of tempera and oil paints. It was not until the 17th century that pure oil paints started being used as an art medium. There are several benefits of oil painting. A few follow:
• The biggest benefit of oil painting is almost everyone can do it with a little know-how. The materials for oil painting can be easily bought from any store selling art supply. The themes can vary as the painter has the full freedom to use his creativity while painting.
• Versatility is yet another benefit of oil painting. The canvases usually lay flat against a wall, and can be moved with convenience to different locations. Unlike other art forms like ceramics, and sculptures, they are not fragile and don’t require too much of space.
• Oil painting requires less drying time as paints are made up of color pigments that are mixed with oil. Some artists find this attribute of oil painting quite troublesome, but mastering it brings rewards.
• Oil paints are of robust quality. They can also be left open for longer working hours. Since oils don’t dry up quickly, artists can use the paints for several sessions without concern.
• Oil paints can bring special glaze effects on the canvas which lends beauty to the painting.
• Oil paints are also considered great for mixing well with neighboring paint on canvas. When applied with a brush, oil paints facilitate an artistic touch not possible using other types of paints.