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Americans For The Arts

Art Materials 101

Oil Paints

Oil paint is one of the granddaddies of artists’ color. Here lies tradition and technique, mystique and mastery, romance and reputation. An oil painting is unique. The observer may not be aware of the subtle elements of a fine oil painting but they are there, and they grab our attention and make us really study the painting. By manipulating and enhancing the characteristics of pigment, by layering color to create depth and glow, a skillfully done oil painting radiates internal energy.

Oil paintings may be done in one layer, often in a short period of time. Alla prima (or direct painting) is the term for this process. The body of the painting may be done in broad, expressive strokes. Composition, mixing, laying in color and making corrections are all done as the painting takes form. Detail may be added at the end of the session. The painting may give the feel of less structure, and may be more expressive, as the focus is not on particular element but the total visual experience. If the paint does not dry, the artist is working wet-in-wet.

Impasto, Italian for dough, is the method of applying paint in thick layers. Oils have a long “open time.” In other words, they don’t dry quickly and can be reworked over a longer period of time than other paints. This allows the artist time to develop dimensional texture or patterns. The painting knife is an invaluable tool for impasto techniques. It can apply large amounts of paint, but it may also be used to draw in fine detail or scrape away excess paint.