Getting the Right Supplies for Oil Painting
Oil painting is a popular an interesting form of art. Its popularity is mainly due to the fact that the paints dry slowly, enabling the artists to work for extended periods of time. And once the first coat of paint has dried, a second coat of paint can be applied to create a dramatic effect. Oil paints are usually thick and buttery. They can be diluted with several types of thinners available. Oil paint supplies are easily available on the market but you must get the right ones to get the desired effects on the canvas. Here are some tips that will help you choose the right supplies for oil painting.
Oil paints
The first thing you need to buy for oil painting is obviously some paint. Oil paints typically come in tubes. It is advisable that you buy good quality primary colors and some secondary colors. Invest in a good brand instead of buying cheap oil paints.
Solvents for oil paints
Solvents or thinners are used to dilute the oil paint and create a mix that is favorable for painting. Traditionally, the solvent used is turpentine, which is known to maintain the oiliness of the paint. But, turps can small really bad. There are several low-odor solvents available in the market – opt for those. Normally you should avoid buying your solvents in a hardware store as they are usually not good for painting.
Mediums for oil paints
Oil paint mediums are used for several applications such as diluting paints, increasing the glossiness, transparency etc. They also help to reduce the drying time of oil paints. Before buying a medium, it is advisable to read the description on the bottle to know what it does.
Brushes for oil painting
This is most important item required for oil painting. Stiff hair brushes are perfect for thick oil paint. The cheap hog brushes are as good as the expensive ones, with the exception that they don’t last long. Buy soft bristled brushes for smooth painting where you don’t want brash marks to show.
Primers for oil paint
Primers must be applied on canvas and boards before painting. If you wish, you could use acrylic paints for oil painting as they require less drying time.