Today we would like to introduce you to the materials you will need for oil painting at the Academy of Fine Art Germany.
Oil paint has been used by the old masters and is still valued today for its color strength and flexibility. You can work alla prima or in multiple layers, choose direct or indirect paint application, and adjust drying time and consistency using oils and solvents.
It's a complex topic, but definitely worth diving into.
Oil Paints and Their Properties
Oil paints primarily consist of pigments and oil as a binder, with the pigments having various properties. Some are transparent, others opaque; some are natural, others synthetic. Some dry slower, others faster, and some are toxic and should be handled with caution.
5 Oil Paints That Should Not Be Missing for Practice
At the Academy of Fine Art Germany, we start with a limited color palette for practice. This palette consists of the following oil paints:
- Lead or Titanium White
- Yellow Ochre
- English Red
- Ivory Black
- Raw or Burnt Umber
Additional Oil Paints for the Palette
The palette is expanded to include the following oil paints:
- Naples Yellow or Cadmium Yellow Light
- Vermilion or Cadmium Red
- Permanent Alizarin Crimson
- Cobalt Blue
- Ultramarine Blue
Painting Mediums and Solvents
For painting mediums, we use cold-pressed, purified linseed oil.
Walnut oil is a slower drying alternative.
As a solvent, we use a substitute for turpentine. It's important that this solvent is as odorless as possible and stored with a closed lid to avoid toxic fumes.
Palette
You'll be well-equipped with a lightweight wooden palette that is hand-held and has a small container attached for the painting medium. Depending on whether you are right-handed or left-handed, the palette should suit you accordingly. As a right-hander, you hold the palette in your left hand while painting with your right hand, and vice versa for left-handers. We generally recommend a large palette to have enough space for mixing colors.
Brushes and Other Materials
In addition, you'll need brushes with long natural bristles, preferably in a cat's tongue shape, in various sizes (around 6-12), or synthetic alternatives. Include at least one very large brush (e.g., for backgrounds) and at least one liner brush for fine lines.
For mixing colors, use a palette knife.
You'll also need paper towels, masking tape, and possibly gloves, as well as a metal trash can with a lid, as oil-soaked cloths can self-ignite.
Painting Surface
The canvas should be oil or universal primed and made of linen (not cotton), which can be bought ready-made or stretched onto a stretcher frame yourself.
To achieve a neutral mid-tone surface, spread a mixture of Umber pigment and solvent evenly over the canvas using a paper towel as an "imprimatura."
If oil paints are new to you, start with some simple exercises to get used to the consistency and try different methods of paint application.
After working with oil paints, it's important to clean and store your materials properly. You can see how to clean the palette and brushes in the video above.
We wish you a successful start in working with oil paints. Enjoy!
For a practical introduction, we also recommend attending one of our oil painting workshops.