I need help with oil paint!!!?

Question

You see, I have been using acryillic paints now for five years, and as of... as soon as I can, I would like to switch to oils and give them a shot on canvas, I have never touched oils, before and all I know is they stink and they need varsall to clean them, I am truethfully petrified to try them but you guys can help by telling me tips and pointers about oil paints that worked for you. Thanks ahead of time...I feel better already.

Answer 1

Oil paints are WONDERFUL really the only thing !!! Acrilics dry rather falt and you cannot paint wet paint into wet paint .
I am a pro and I also have 6 children so I cannot and would not like to have a studio all alone . My 'studio' is behind the sofa in tele room about 1 x 3 metres. Some of my paintings are very large otheres small .. I only use linseed oil and white spirit in a small jar on the floor in a metal tin which contains my tubes so that the white spirit will not and cannot fall over . Never use turpentine it is very bad to breath in and yes it does stink.
Now for the fun .Oil paint can be squished around and changed and glazed over and etc . Look at Velasquez ( I always have a book of his close by to inspire me , my children often say 'why do you have a picture of this man when you are doing a portrait of a lady ' and i am looking at the wqy he uses paint ..just look at the way he throws it on !!! But beware at first .Look at his early work and see how tight it is and the same with Rembrandt you must work exceedingly hard at first to get it right . It is a bit like a pianist who , however talented must get every note rigth and then he can play with abandon only when he is practised .
To clean your brushes first get all the paint out in the white spirit and then wash that out with soap and warm water . For a pallet use a throw away paper one and have it on a little table ...you can hold it as it is light but a real wood one is bad for the back and a devil to clean a unless you do it every day and what a waste of paint .
( As I must always economise I have a board covered with kitched grease proof paper .) Look at my website www.janedunn.co.uk.
Although of course acrillic paints have there place I think you will be so delightsd you have tried oil you will never look back .

Answer 2

Since oil paints usually dry very slowly, it gives the artist the opportunity to effectively work on the painting over several sessions without any concerns of the canvas drying up early. You have adequate time to consider certain decisions that you require to make and thus produce better paintings. Oil is the simplest medium to work with. In general, creating oil paintings is relatively simple in contrast with using other mediums like water color or using pastels. Most beginners use oil paints due to this reason. The paint also does not move or run when painting on the canvas and this allows for a more precise painting. In addition, it is easier to make corrections on the canvas when using oil paints. All you require doing is scrapping off the paint using a knife and then repainting the scrapped area.

Answer 3

I have used oils for painting for some time and know that some brands seem to have a stronger odor than others. The two brands i work with the most are Gorgian and Reeves oil paints and use linseed oil only to improve flow or glaze and an odorless paint thinner for thinning and cleaning my brushes. My studio is located in a small corner of the house so keeping the odor down is important. My work can be checked out at hellosanantonio.com under the name Guerro.

Answer 4

Oil paints require a thinner, either turpentine or turpenoid.
To lessen the 'stink' when using oil paints, substitute turpentine for turpenoid, which is odorless and colors (albeit, still toxic).

I think you'll like oil paints; they are much easier to blend than acrylic. However, if you are used to painting in 'layers' in acrylic, know that that method doesn't work with oil--it takes about a week for an oil painting to dry.
In addition, some find it easier to paint on canvas BOARD, rather than canvas (it is also cheaper).
If you glop on too much paint at once, it is possible to remove it using a paper towel.

Lastly, you should mix oil paints on either a "disposable pallet" (from any arts store) or wax paper. A pallet knife is handy for mixing.
Hope you enjoy working in oil!

Answer 5

Acrylics are only slightly different from watercolors, and if you can work in watercolors, you can work in anything. Oils are certainly much more forgiving, due to the fact that they take forever to dry. If you make a mistake, just dab a rag in some turpentine/turpenoid, and wipe it off.
If they're a little too thick for you, just thin them out with turpentine or turpenoid. Turpenoid doesn't have as strong a smell. You'll find that the colors are definitely much more saturated than acrylics or watercolors. I've found that Windsor Newton, and Shiva are both pretty good. As far as preserving your finished work, I've heard that damar varnish is good, but you may want to find out for sure. You'll enjoy oils. Don't be afraid, have fun.

Answer 6

there are two ways to deal with the smell of turpentine
one get used to it! like me
two put it in out side of your room use multiple brushs one for each primary colour red blue and yellow
use a rag to clean them and when the brush gets too much dirty go out side and use the turpentine
or you can by an odorles turpentine it is more expensive but it dose not smell you can find it in art stores.
in oiles unlike acryillic you work in layers you have time so it is easy to make repairs but you should do a sketch on the canvas before you paint
and most important do not use the colour black.
it will ruin your painting. its all in the primary colours red blue and yellow
you can use white. black is no colour it the absence of colour.
I am not a racist its the Michel-Eugène Chevreul's colour theory.
if it was for the impressionists it is good for me.
have fun

Answer 7

I used oil paints briefly but mainly work with acrylic paint. I liked the weight and substance of the oil better but found it easier to work with acrylics. I guess I should spend more time with oils so I'll like them better!