It has been my mission to get artists to use oil paints for most of the past 20 years. Obviously if you are here, then you have been tempted by the Oil Painting muse as well. In this first course of a series I will lay out the basic fundamentals of Oil Painting. My goal is to make you comfortable and unafraid of the medium, and also excited to use it right away!

People repeatedly ask me for explanations of various terms and materials in oil painting. I believe it is really important to start with these definitions. It seems like oil painting is made up of all kinds of terms and phrases that can appear mysterious and confusing at first, but a few definitions and explanations will open up this world for you. In this first class we will define terms and describe materials so that the shroud of mystery dissolves.

Toxicity and safety are the two most common concerns of students unfamiliar with oil paints. In this section I hope to clarify these issues and to put your mind at ease so that you are never again fearful of the materials.

I give you these Basic Principles with the caveat that ALL RULES CAN BE BROKEN. You will inevitably find artists who work in direct conflict with the following concepts. These principles are, however, traditional oil painting “rules” used by most beginning (and experienced) painters. Once you understand your materials, feel free to break the rules!

In this demo I work on an acrylic toned canvas which had an unfinished acrylic painting underneath. This is what you see on the canvas when I begin the painting. I will often paint directly over old paintings and encourage you to do so as well. Just keep in mind the rules that I laid out in the Basics.

I continued the still life on the same day so all of the paint was equally wet. If you have to take a break in your process for a day or two, you will want your painting to either be: 1. Very wet. 2. Dry to the touch (which it probably will be if you have been painting thinly), or 3. Very close to dry to the touch (barely sticky). After a few paintings you will learn what the appropriate level of ‘dryness’ is to begin your next layer.

This course should have answered many of your questions regarding the fundamentals of oil painting, and now given you the knowledge about safety issues regarding mediums and oils. The best way to learn is to paint lots of paintings. Try to keep that sense of play and experimentation in your work. Enjoy the process and have fun!