Have you ever thought to yourself, "I want to try oil painting myself!"
Have you ever thought that?
Maybe you have had such an experience and would like to try oil painting again.
Perhaps you have had such an experience and would like to try oil painting again.
In this issue, we would like to share with those who are new to oil painting,
How to start oil painting?
What kind of oil painting tools should I have?
What kind of oil painting tools should you have?
We will explain the following one by one.
What is oil painting?
Pink mist by Ruslan Kiprich
W 65.00cm x H 50.00cm / ¥120,000
Definition of Oil Painting
An oil painting is a work of art created using oil paint.
Basically, a painting is composed of
painting material" + "painting material to be painted" = painting material + support
The painting is basically composed of two types of materials: the painting material and the support. From here on, we will use the terms "painting material" and "support.
Oil paints are applied to the painting material. Other drawing materials include transparent watercolors, acrylics, mineral pigments used mainly in Japanese painting, tempera paints, inks and dyes, markers and pens, pencils, and charcoal.
There are many types of supports as well. Commonly available on the market are canvas, wooden panels, cotton cloth, Japanese paper, watercolor paper, drawing paper, etc. In addition, walls, the ground, and any other material surface that can adhere to some kind of drawing material can be used as a support.
Characteristics of Oil Paint (1) Slow drying
The greatest characteristic of oil paint is that it dries more slowly than other painting materials.
As the name suggests, oil is used as a solution to adhere the pigments, which are the source of color, to the screen, so the drying time of oil is longer than that of water.
It may take 1~3 days for the paint to dry so that it does not stick to the surface when touched with a finger (surface dryness), and in the case of thick paintings, it may take several months to a year for the inside of the paint layer to dry completely.
Therefore, it is possible to slowly create colors and gradations without worrying about drying time during a single painting, but conversely, if you want to wait until the next painting to dry, you must leave the paint for several days or else you may inadvertently scrape off the half-dried paint.
Characteristic of oil paint (2) Easy to make colors
As mentioned in the section above, one of the greatest advantages of slow drying is the ease of creating gradations.
It is also possible to use oil paint in such a way that the paint dries with such transparency that the underlying layers appear transparent. Even after the paint has dried and hardened, it can have a luminous quality as if it were still freshly painted and wet.
Characteristic 3: Wide range of matière
Matière is a French word meaning "surface texture.
Oil paints can be used with a high viscosity, especially compared to watercolors. If placed on the screen in this state, it is even possible to control the unevenness of the surface as if one were working with clay.
Oil paints can be used to express a bumpy texture with a sharply uneven surface, or, conversely, a slippery texture by placing the paint on a flat, smooth surface. Oil paint offers more freedom in the expression of texture than any other painting medium.
What tools are necessary for oil painting?
Now that you have a general understanding of the properties of oil paints, let's look at the tools required for oil painting.
Next, I would like to list the tools you will need when actually painting.
Essential tools
Oil paint set
First of all, you will need an oil paint set. We recommend a 12-color set, which is the easiest to purchase and use for the longest time on the market. It does not matter which manufacturer's 12-color set you use, as it contains the most widespread and carefully selected types of paints, called basic colors.
For those who want to use a variety of beautiful colors, we recommend 24- or 36-color sets, although they are more expensive. If they are made by Holbein, the largest manufacturer in Japan, they are relatively inexpensive.
There are several common domestic manufacturers, and foreign products tend to be more expensive. The reason for this is that they contain a higher percentage of pigment or come with foils such as those used by famous masters that everyone knows and loves.
With recent products, you can be sure to choose the major players, as even domestic paints are of world-class quality. Manufacturers such as Holbein and Kusakabe are reliable.
Holbein official website
Kusakabe official website
Brushes
There are various types of brushes. When selecting a brush, look at two criteria: "shape" and "bristles.
The first is the shape and the second is the bristles.
Shape types include flat (flat / filbert / angle), round (round), fan, and face brushes.
Hair types include, in order of hardness: pig, nylon, ox, horse, raccoon (tanuki), squirrel, sable, and Kolinsky (red marten).
Oil paints are very hard = more viscous than watercolors, so they are said to work best with thick, firm, strong brushes such as pig hair. Pig hair brushes are the stiffest bristles commonly used, so they are useful for brushstrokes left on raised paints.
When you get to Kolinsky and other brushes, they become softer and better at containing paint. These are called soft bristles. Soft bristle brushes are very useful for applying paint in thin, inconspicuous brushstrokes.
Canvas
There are different types of canvas.
The most common type of canvas is woven from a type of fiber called hemp (asa). It is also called linen. When you buy "stretched canvas," which is stretched on a wooden frame at an art supply store, it is usually coated with white paint as a primer.
When you look at it from the back, it is a dark, dull brown cloth.
Canvas blends of cotton (cotton) and synthetic fibers are also often sold.
Palette
Pallets are often made of wood, traditionally wooden pallets.
Wooden pallets are also commonly included in beginner sets.
Disposable palettes, called "paper palettes," are also widely used. This one can be peeled off after using one and a new one used, as it is difficult to wash off the palette, especially after the oil paints have dried.
Painting fluid (oil solution)
There are approximately two types of painting fluids (oils) that can be used.
One is a volatile oil such as petrol (turpentine) and the other is a dry oil such as linseed or poppy.
Volatile oils are silky and when mixed with paint, they produce a thin, crumbly paint. They also dry quickly and, as the name suggests, volatilize quickly.
On the other hand, dry oil, which is also found in paints that originally come in tubes, is sticky and slow to dry. Dry oils improve the coloring of paints, making it possible to mix colors and use glazing techniques such as layering.
Painting oils, which are easy to use for beginners, are also available. Painting oil contains just the right combination of various soluble oil materials, including volatile oil, dry oil, and resin, and can be used from start to finish with a single bottle.
Small plates and oil pots
You can mix and match several kinds of melting oil by yourself. It is common to use small small plates or oil pots, which can be attached directly to a palette.
Painting knife
This tool can be used in a variety of ways, such as for mixing paints on the palette or for applying thicker coats directly to the canvas.
It can be used to mix paints as you would mix cream, using just the right amount of nudge.
Brush rinse liquid and soap
After painting, first remove the paint roughly with a terebinth or similar tool.
Next, wash with brush rinse solution to remove oil.
Finally, soap is used to thoroughly remove the brush washing liquid, and the brushes are drained and dried well to prolong their life.
Rags and kitchen paper
When you want to quickly remove paint from a brush, such as when applying another coat of paint while painting or before washing the brush for the last time, it is best to use a cloth called a rag or a piece of kitchen paper.
You can also use it to wipe paint off the screen while you are painting.
Key Points for Selecting Tools
A "beginner set for oil painting" that includes all the essential sets listed above is also available from various manufacturers.
It is most economical and efficient in terms of learning to start with this set and then buy more tools as you need them or as you find tools you want to use.
Tools that are not indispensable but will broaden your range of expression
Rollers
Masking tape
Modeling Paste
Gesso
Gel Medium
Acrylic paints
Hard brushes (pencils, charcoal, colored pencils, oil pastels)
Easel
Acrylic paints
Recommended Oil Painting Art
Painting your own oil paintings can be fun.
However, our company, TRiCERA ART, has many high quality and affordable artworks.
There are many uses for the paintings, such as to give as a gift to show your appreciation, or as a reference for your own painting hobby.
Here are three works that make good use of the characteristics of oil painting that we have described.
A horse living in a fragment of the stars by Takuya sasaki
W 30.00cm x H 30.00cm / ¥200,000
RED BLACK by by miho nishikawa
W 91.00cm x H 116.70cm / ¥500,000
KS180512 by Zeng Chao
W 53.00cm x H 53.00cm / ¥160,000
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