Do unopened oil paints get too old to use?

Question

I work mostly with acrylics and watercolor, but a long time ago (probably 11 or 12 years back), I received a gift set of oil paints from a relative for Christmas. I was pretty young back then, and mom was afraid our house didn't have good ventilation and that I'd get it on her furniture or something, so I never did open them.

I found that same, unopened gift set again when we moved to a new house just recently. I've painted with oils before and really like them, but they're so expensive. The gift set is Windor & Newton, so it's obviously good quality, but very old. Could I still use these, or will they have deteriorated too much by now?

Answer 1

They should be fine but, if you need to, some linseed oil will re-generate the pigment. I love the smell of oil paint in the house, I haven't used it in a long time. Like you, I prefer acrylics to oil.

What ever the condition of the paint, now is a good time to practice applying oil with a knife to a nice canvas, I'll bet you will enjoy that. Good luck.

Answer 2

Never,...
Oil Based paints, can last nearly forever. If they are kept in a stable container. Which is why they take a long time to dry.
It depends upon the artist's preferences, some artists like to tinker with what they are working on, hence the reason artists of the distant past took so long to "complete" a particular piece.

Then came modern Acrylics, which in comparison dries considerably quicker.

Sweetie, if you have the time to explore, take those old oils somewhere and just paint with nature, with peace and serenity.
At a time where there was a whole lotta less stress & strife in the world.
I like to think that Oil Paints are like an artist's time machine, because they require you to paint in the technique of classic style.

Answer 3

I paint in oil and I never use turpentine as a medium. I use a mix of linseed oil and mineral spirits or a combination of stand oil and mineral spirits. These are good mediums. When I do a palette knife painting, I use galkyd gel or Lukkas paint butter (but these are done alla prima). When adhering to the timeless 7-layer or fat over lean rule apply thicker layers of paint over thin layers; hence the percentage of mix changes depending on what layer. For instance, I use only mineral spirit in the initial wash or stain. Even the “odorless” turpentine isn’t as good a solvent as mineral spirits. Here's an exerpt on the difference betw turp & min spirits from "Ask the Experts" "The biggest difference between mineral spirits and turpentine is that the turpentines can be more harmful to use. They are distilled from the sap of various species of pine trees (the most familiar being the Long-Leaf Yellow Pine, although there’s a wide variety) and they can be quite toxic, depending on the species. I avoid using any sort of turpentine unless I’m dissolving a varnish resin that requires it or using a medium that contains a resin dissolved in gum turpentine, because in most other cases I find it unnecessary. Mineral spirits is a fine solvent, and it can even be used by itself to thin your oil paint in the early stages of a painting. Just be careful not to overuse mineral spirits as a thinner or you’ll end up with an underbound paint that won’t stick to your ground."

Answer 4

Unopened hmmm Ive found a few acrylics in tubes 5 or 6 yrs old with some paint still usable,and deffinately on oils.
Acrylics do tend to mold,and oils tend to dry up eventually. watercolors in tubes probably the same unless any of these have been in extreme heat or cold.
Open them up and see.

Answer 5

As long as they are not exposed to air,the paint should still be usable.
Ink blocks used in Chinese Calligraphy actually age like wine and the older they are the better and costlier they are. But only top quality ones.
However,oil paints dont' work this way. They might be usable,but like one of your "advisors" mentioned, the color pigment might be a little off as you may discover a layer of oil/liquid floating and separated on the top. You may do a little stirring,longer than usual, to mix them up well before use. Results should not differ from a new bucket. :)

Answer 6

I am an oil painter and I have tubes of oils that I still use from 25 years ago. As long as they haven't dried out, they will be fine. Even if they are a little dry, you can add linseed oil to the paints to make them pliable once again and they will paint as good as if they were new. Good luck with your new endeavors!

Answer 7

Squeeze the tubes. If they still feel soft and flexible, they will probably be all right. Through the tube, the texture and feel of the contents should be about the same as your acrylics.

By all means, open the tubes and play a little with them. Bring out your pallette and mix a few batches of your favorite tints.

Be sure you have a supply of the proper cleaning solutions ready.

Answer 8

As far as I know, the only problem you may have will be getting the lid off! It will probably be dried shut, so use pliers or channel locks to get the cap off.
Oil paint shouldn't go bad in your lifetime, my advice is to dispence a libereral amount onto a pallete, and make sure to mix it well before use. This will likely result in a little wasted paint, but it's better than throwing it away.

Answer 9

I have a Bob Ross gift set I got when I was 14 (12 years ago) they've all been opened (and used) and they're STILL good. They should be fine as long as they haven't gotten a hole in them somehow and dried out.

Answer 10

I came across some old oil paint tubes awhile ago and some were opened and the caps were impossible to get off, but the unopened were perfectly OK to use.