how can i start with an oil painting?

Question

oil painting should be done only on canvas or can we even use cardboards

Answer 1

oil painting is a little more complex than people seem to realize. first, don't draw your image in pencil. the graphite will rise to the surface over time and will become visible. lightly sketch your drawing in charcoal--vine or compressed.

second, not only can you paint on canvas, but you can paint on paper and board. paper, in my opinion, is the best for a few reasons: it's inexpensive relative to canvas; it can be cut to any size--in other words, you can cut the paper to fit your composition you don't have to fit your composition into your canvas; it can be mounted to board and displayed just as you would display a canvas, but it's much lighter.

the catch to all this, of course, is using the right ground. a ground is the "primer" of the surface. it seals the surface providing something for the paint to adhere to. for canvas and board you can use a couple of coats of gesso, for paper you can use equal parts denatured alcohol and amber shellac. as for the type of paper, you can use murillo paper or a heavy watercolor paper--something with some weight--and get a cream colored or other neutral colored paper, not white.

you also have to use a medium when painting, you can;t just use the paint straight out of the tube.

honestly, if you really want to learn how to do all this take a class. these are things that you can't learn from a book or from reading a few paragraphs on a website. there are no tricks or tips, but rather a litany of techniques that have developed and evolved since the time of the renaissance--when oil paints were invented. the mastery of your materials is just one of the things that's going to make you a good painter, and there is no short cut around this. it takes years and years of hard work and dedication. work ethic and the willingness to never stop learning is what sets the great painters apart from the mediocre. you have to paint everyday. you also need to understand color theory and the principles of design, i.e. composition, learn how to see the world around you, and most importantly you have to be able to draw, well.

for some reason people fail to realize that all it boils down to commitment and dedication. but, people want to believe that there is some magic bullet, or miracle pill that can turn it around over night. there's not.

Answer 2

I'm a professional artist and I paint with oils. I have painted on paper, linen, cotton, canvas board, glass, plaster walls, wood, masonite, plastic hard hats, motor cycles, cars, slate and fabric.

On paper, I first applied ordinary acrylic flat indoor house paint on the paper in an even coat. After it dried, I applied another coat and waited for that to cure for at least 3 days.

The linen I use for museum quality work. This is sized with rabbit skin glue and then painted over with a lead ground, sanded lightly and painted over again and cured for a couple months. You can buy linen and cotton canvas already primed and stretched. Less aggrevation.

Canvas board has canvas glued on, but if you want to use real cardboard, paint it with house paint or gesso, let it dry and do a second coat.

For painting on wood and plaster walls, I recommend that you use an oil base white paint. Sand between coats.

If you use oil paints on fabric, like a tee shirt. Tack the shirt down and paint directly on the fabric without thinning the paint. I used to do Harley wings and skulls on black tee shirts, using white paint.

This information I'm giving you comes after many--many years of painting every day. I've completed 594 paintings to date and the first one is still in existence and looks as if I painted it just yesterday.

Answer 3

Oils are best painted on canvas after it's been gessoed and treated with spar varnish. I would not use oils on cardboard ever.

If you want to try a different medium, you can use particle board or hard board and use acrylics instead. The gel medium will slow down the drying time.

Answer 4

of course you could also start with cardboard, why not.
Oil painting is only a art format not fixed, if only you could express your art feeling, anything you could do.

Answer 5

from watching tv you start with the back ground the sky if it's sunny paint the back ground light blue feather it out smooth then just start adding what you want to some times pbs has painter on it watch for it

Answer 6

I don't recomend cardboard.Canvas is better- just make sure it is well secured. Draw your design with pencil and get cracking.

Answer 7

it Can be done on plywood, glass, wall, cloth,children dresses,pants , shirts, you name it .. provided u choose the right paint for the surface and prepare the surface

Answer 8

have talent and passion