Oil painting has a sense of grandeur about it, beginners often feel intimidated by the medium. The truth is it is one of the most forgiving of mediums. If worked in a controlled and thoughful way it is no harder than any other mediums. In fact, it could be argued it is easier! and there is no doubt about the seductive quality of the juicy oil paint. There are now water soluble oil paints, so there is no need for solvents. Tutor: Mr P Parker.
Equipment you need to bring:
Oil paint comes in three forms.
The artist’s quality, the student’s quality and the new water-soluble oils are all excellent.
Student quality paints are perfectly serviceable and come in at a much lower price. So if starting, this would not be a bad starting point. They don’t have the colour and intensity of the artist’s range of paint, but they are perfectly acceptable.
The water-soluble range is excellent, coming in both student and artist ranges and as whole, tend to be a little cheaper. The Windsor and Newton range artisan is a good starting point.
Artist quality oils are expensive due to the pigments used. They are the real thing and not manufactured man made substitutes, but because of this, some tubes will come in at £35 plus. So not for the fainthearted.
Colour is personal, but you will, in time, find a range to work with to suit your needs.
You can start with a six colour palette –
Cadmium Yellow / Lemmon Yellow / Cadmium Red / Alizarin Crimson / French Ultramarine / Cerulean Blue / Large titanium white
You could also add Burnt Amber if you wish.
What you then have is cool and warm in three primary colours and dark. This will let you mix all the colours you need.
Painting surfaces –
You can paint on canvas, canvas boards, primed card, paper or prepared MDF boards.
Canvas boards are an excellent place to start. Or the pads of oil paper. I would not go too large 6 x 8, 10 x 8 up to 16 x 12 inches would be a good start size.
Brushes of Nylon or Hog are both acceptable. A few square ended and Fillbert. A couple of small pointed rounds and a Rigger will get you started. I think Hog Hair would be the better choice at first. They stand up better in thicker paint, but both are acceptable. If you have a few of each, it will not hurt.
Mediums to start with, you don’t need much, but a quick dry medium would be suitable; liquin is good allowing you to move on quicker.
As with any medium, sundries are helpful.
Implements –
A tear-off paper palette works well.
Two small jars for thinner. You can get an odourless thinner.
If working with water soluble you just need jar for water.
Pencils HB, 2B, 4B. to draw and trace down.
Putty rubber. These will not damage your paper suface.
Kitchen roll.
Craft knife/pen knife.
An easel or table easel is suitable.
A lot of the above you will have if you already paint, just bring what you have and we can go from there.
