4 Reasons Why You’ll Love Oil Paint.
I’ve been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until I was 15 that I tried what was to become my favorite medium, oil paint.
Before that, I had painted with watercolors and acrylic paint and had a lot of fun creating with both.
I still enjoy painting with watercolors from time to time, but some things are simply unique to oil paint that’s why I love it and so will you !
Let me tell you why,
1. The Amazing Flexibility
Number one might be my absolute favorite aspect of oil paint, and that’s the flexibility of it!
Oil paint will stay wet and movable for hours, if not days.
This makes it possible to work with the paint wet on wet until you feel like you have created the transitions and effects you want without having to repaint everything to be able to continue to paint with moveable paint.
Oil paint is also flexible because you can work with it in many different ways. You can, for example, apply it in thin or thick layers, you can paint in many layers or you can paint alla prima which is when you finish your painting in one session and you only paint wet on wet.
2. There’s No Need To Rush
The flexibility of the paint brings me to the second reason why I love oil paint; There’s no need to rush!
You can take your time and not be stressed by the paint drying if you need to take a small break. You can go have lunch, go for a walk or enjoy a cup of tea without worrying that the paint is dry when you come back.
Now, depending on how thickly or thinly you paint with oil paint, the paint will start to dry at some point.
If you’re not planning on continuing your painting within the next day or so, then you might have to repaint areas, or do a quick oiling out to be able to paint wet on wet.
3. It glows!
Oil paint has a much higher percentage of pigment in the paint than most other paints.
This results in more vibrant and luminous colors. Oil paint will also keep it’s color and values as it dries compared to acrylic paint which usually becomes darker or watercolor which usually becomes brighter when it dries.
Because oil paint is pigment bound in oil the colors will also be able to ‘’glow’’ after just one layer of paint.
If you compare oil paint to acrylic paint which is pigment bound with something called acrylic polymer medium, I know, long technical word, then you need to apply several thinner layers of paint to achieve the same effect.
4. It Forgives And Forgets!
Oil paint truly forgives and forgets!
I have no idea all the times I’ve had to make a change to my painting during the years.
Even though it was scary in the beginning, mainly because I didn’t feel confident that I would be able to make the corrections I needed, it’s now something I don’t even think about!
Repainting and changing are just part of creating a painting and it’s nothing to worry about. If you need to scrape down an area, repaint it or even sand it away with some sandpaper, I’ve been there and let me tell you, with oil paint it's possible.
So these are my four favorite things about oil paint, and they are also the reason why I say oil paint is such a friendly medium.
Happy painting guys,