ABOUT OIL PAINTS

Price is generally a reliable indicator of the quality of artists’ colors. The more expensive they are the better they are likely to be. The dividing line between them is a little vague, but there are basically three grades: professional, hobbyist, and student.

Professional
Professional paints are made of the finest pigments and oils that are cleansed and refined to the highest standards before they are combined in carefully controlled conditions to make them into paint. Compared to other grades, professional colors (also called “artists’ colors”) have cleaner and more brilliant tone, greater coloring strength, and – in opaque colors – more covering power. Although they are more costly, much less paint is needed with professional paints to do the job than with other grades, and with much more satisfying results.

Hobbyist
Hobbyist paints are normally of good quality and perform well. For the hobby or professional artist who paints regularly, they are a reliable and more affordable alternative to professional colors. They contain less pigment than professional paints, but enough to meet the needs of all but the most demanding painters. Selection of ingredients and production methods are not as rigorous as with professional paints, but nonetheless acceptable for many purposes.

Student
Student paints can be quite inexpensive, but are not recommended for permanent work. For the individual on a tight budget, or the student just starting out and being uncertain whether he or she will continue painting in the long-term, these may be the wisest choice in terms of economics. Unlike hobby or professional paints, little care is taken with the materials chosen and methods used in making student paints. They contain an overabundance of fillers, and often questionable adulterants are added. Many colors are “hues” (see below) or imitations, colors can be dull and pasty with minimal covering power, and they are extremely low in pigment content. The amount of pigment in a student paint can be as little half that in a hobby paint, and 1/5th or less than in a professional paint. Poor pigmentation is obvious with pale colors like the bright yellows and reds, which are easily overpowered by other colors in mixtures. It can take a substantial portion of a tube of bright yellow, for instance, to do what a small dab of a professional yellow can – and still the results will probably be disappointing. For those who must buy student paints, it is strongly recommended that a hobby or professional bright yellow and red be obtained.

A Note About Color Names: 
The names of some tube colors may be labeled as "hue" or "extra." This indicates the color is not the true pigment named (such as cerulean blue), but is composed of less expensive pigments intended to mimic the named color (for example: cerulean blue hue). Genuine colors usually perform better than hues, but hues are acceptable for my classes.

ABOUT OIL PAINTING BRUSHES

Brushes are the primary tool in the painter's arsenal. Poor quality brushes can impede a student's progress, while those of good or excellent quality facilitate it. 

Brush Materials

Oil painters’ brushes fall into two broad categories: stiff and soft. Both types are offered in natural hair and synthetic filament varieties.

Stiff
Stiff natural hair brushes are made from boar bristle, which loads plenty of paint, can be worked vigorously, and can produce textural impasto effects. Synthetic imitations are wimpy by comparison. They lack body, are less responsive (springy), cannot load as much paint, and are not stiff enough to do the kind of rugged work that a bristle brush can.

Soft
Soft-haired brushes are used for delicate work, blending, glazing, and detail. Listed in descending order of cost and performance, soft brushes are made of kolinsky sable, red sable, mongoose, sabeline (ox hair dyed red), or synthetic materials.

Kolinsky sable has long been a favorite of watercolor painters, but has usually been overlooked by oil painters because of its high cost. In recent years, due to changes in the geopolitical climate, kolinsky has become more affordable. Still, it is quite expensive and, in my opinion, not of any great advantage in most oil painting tasks. Traditionally, red sable has been the most favored natural hair for soft oil painting brushes. It can be brought to a sharp point or edge, is responsive, and is durable. Mongoose, which has grown in popularity in over the past few years, performs nearly as well as red sable, is slightly less expensive, and holds up better. Sabeline wears more quickly than other soft natural hair, losing the precision of its point or edge. It remains, however, a serviceable brush for many tasks, and is much less expensive than other soft natural hairs.

Synthetic filament brushes of many different qualities and prices are available, but many are considerably less expensive than natural materials. Most do not assume an adequately sharp point or edge, and they wear quickly. With improving technology, however, they continue to get better.

Brush Shapes

There are six basic shapes of oil painting brush.

Round
Rounds are cylindrical. A soft-haired round of good quality can be brought to a fine point and are mostly used for details. Round bristles are more blunt and are capable of forcing paint deep into the picture as well as drawing out long lines of consistent thickness throughout.

Flat
Being long haired, flats make somewhat soft marks. The tip of the flat is squared off.

Bright
Brights resemble flats, but their shorter hairs make them firmer for producing better defined marks and for working paint vigorously into the picture.

Filbert
A filbert looks like a flat with a rounded tip to producing marks that are softer than those a flat makes.

Egbert
An Egbert is a very long-haired filbert, making extremely soft marks.

Fan
The fan brush is fan-shaped and is used mainly for blending techniques.

Brush Shopping

Brush heads are coated with a weak glue that hardens them to prevent damage during shipment. To test a brush, first remove the glue with warm water (ask the sales clerk for some). When wet, it should be possible to groom a soft-haired brush to a sharp point or edge. All brushes should assume a defined shape and be free of loose hairs, splits, and other anomalies. Test the brush for responsiveness by bending it in the palm of your hand. When released, the brush should spring back to its original position.

Brush Care

Keep brushes in good condition if they are to perform well for a long time. Protect their tips by storing and transporting them in an appropriate manner. Rinse and clean brushes thoroughly with soap and warm water when done painting to prevent dried paint from building up in them.

It is possible to paint with oils on nearly any properly prepared material.

Canvas Paper
Sold as a stack of sheets bound together into a pad, canvas paper is literally just paper with a canvas-like texture that is thinly coated with cheap acrylic gesso. It should never be used for permanent work. Canvas paper is highly absorbent, making it a real challenge for students to use. The only justification for purchasing canvas paper is its extremely low cost.

Canvas Board
Like canvas paper, canvas board’s absorbent surface is difficult to paint on and it should never be used for serious work. Slightly more expensive than canvas paper and prone to warping, canvas board is constructed of a sheet of cardboard wrapped with thin fabric coated with an inferior grade of acrylic gesso.

Duck Cotton
Cotton canvas is available in several weights, with heavier varieties being more durable. Offered mainly in a medium-coarse surface, it is also available with a rough or smooth texture. Cotton may be purchased by the yard in raw form or coated with acrylic gesso, or coated and “pre-stretched” on a wooden frame.

Raw cotton must be prepared before applying oil paints to it (see section below). Although pre-stretched canvases can often be obtained at a very reasonable price, most are light in weight and prepared with student grade acrylic gesso. A few companies now offer a premium cotton canvas coated with professional quality gesso as well.

Linen
Far more expensive than cotton, linen is prized for its durability and for its responsive surface. It is available by the yard in both raw and prepared forms, as well as pre-stretched. Preparation may have been done with a high grade acrylic gesso (for either acrylic or oil painting) or with a traditional oil ground (for oil painting only). Sold as extra-smooth (portrait), smooth, medium, or rough, linen is rated for weight (in ounces) and thread count (per inch). Better quality linen, especially in heavier weights, may be double-weave using double-ply threads. Raw canvas that can be held up to the light with little or no light showing through is superior to linen that allows much light to penetrate.

Hardwood, Plywood, Masonite
Panels of hardwood, plywood, or Masonite provide a reliably stable surface. Being quite smooth and unyielding, these materials are excellent for creating highly detailed pictures. Since they are heavy, paintings done on these surfaces are normally of small or modest size.

Scraps, planks, and sheets can be obtained at reasonable cost at a lumber yard, be cut to the desired size(s), and then prepared for oil painting (hardwood and plywood should be sanded smooth before coating them; see below for preparation information). Thin sheets and planks should be cradled for support (glued to a frame of wood strips). Cradled and prepared panels of wood and Masonite are available through art supply retailers.

Plywood is less likely to warp than a plank of regular hardwood or Masonite. “Good one-side” is less expensive than plywood labeled “good two-sides.” The best type of plywood for painting on is called “die board.”

Only untempered Masonite at least 1/4" thick should be used.

Choose hardwood planks that are free of knotholes and other surface flaws, and which are not warped.

Watercolor Paper, Museum Board
Many artists paint on these materials because they are highly portable, easy to store, reasonable in cost, and provide a permanent surface. Paper and museum board require preparation for oil painting (see below).

Museum board is an archival type of mat board available it several thicknesses or plies. Select those heavy enough to be fairly rigid. Heavy weights (300 lb. or higher) of watercolor paper are preferred over light weights. Use only acid-free, archival papers for permanent work. Watercolor papers are made with surfaces that are hot-pressed (smooth), cold-pressed (slight tooth), and rough (pronounced texture) that is too craggy for most oil painting methods.

ABOUT PREPARING SURFACES
FOR OIL PAINTING

Almost all oil painting surfaces must be coated with a “ground” or “primer” to protect them from the corrosive effects of the oil in oil paints.

Acrylic Gesso
Basically a white paint, acrylic gesso may be applied directly to the surface to be painted on, or the surface may first be treated with an isolating coat of PVA sizing (do not use animal hide glue sizes with acrylic gesso). To obtain an effect similar to that produced by rabbit skin glue, which tightens the canvas, apply Golden Artist Colors' GAC 400 instead of sizing.

Select professional grade gesso for the best results. With a wide, flat brush, stroke the surface in a back-and-forth or up-and-down motion, but not both. Allow the gesso to dry completely, sand it lightly to remove imperfections, and then apply a second coat crosswise to the first. A third coat is optional. To reduce glare on the finished painting, apply the final coat in a vertical direction.

In addition to their faces, be sure to treat the edges of panels and stretched canvases. An equal number of coatings of gesso should be applied to both the front and back of paper, museum board, and thin panels to help prevent bowing and warping.

Acrylic Painting Medium
Some artists do not completely cover the surface with paint when executing pictures, intentionally leaving portions of the underlying support material exposed. Of such painters, many prefer that the natural tone and texture of the surface (canvas, wood, paper) be visible rather than the white gesso. Yet, the support must still be protected. Acrylic painting medium dries transparent and can serve the same purpose as gesso, protecting the underlying support material. Medium is made with the same ingredients as acrylic gesso, but without the white pigment. Either gloss or matte medium may be applied in the manner described under “Acrylic Gesso” (above). For a tighter canvas first apply Golden Artist Colors' GAC 400, which dries transparent and produces an effect similar to that of rabbit skin glue, but which is safe to use with acrylic products.

Traditional Oil Ground
An oil ground provides a much more desirable surface for oil painting than an acrylic primer.

Before applying the ground, the canvas, wood, paper or other material must be sized to protect the support from the corrosive effects of the oil in the ground. Either animal skin sizing may be used (usually rabbit skin glue), or a synthetic size like PVA (Poly Vinyl Acetate). Follow the package directions for preparation and application of the sizing.

Oil grounds are white oil paints. Lead white paint is the favored material of a reliable oil ground. Select the type labeled as cremnitz white and which is round in linseed oil instead of in the usual safflower or poppyseed oil; safflower and poppyseed oils yellow less than linseed, but produce a brittle film. Ordinary titanium and zinc white paints are too inflexible to make a good ground, but many companies offer cans or tubes of “oil ground” made with modified versions of these paints that are acceptable for the purpose.

An oil ground can be troweled or brushed onto the painting surface.

To trowel it on, use an oversized painting or priming knife to spread the paint evenly as you avoid leaving behind marks made by the spreader. Make certain that the paint is worked well into the weave or grain of the support. Drag the knife in one direction only to finish, either lengthwise or crosswise, to produce a very thin layer.

To brush the ground onto the surface, mix together a pound of stiff lead white with 3 ounces of rectified spirits of gum turpentine. Apply it in the same manner as acrylic gesso (see above).

Allow the ground to dry about a week before painting or applying a second coat, although only one coat is usually necessary. If you decide on more than one layer of ground, the previous coating should be scuffed with a small piece of canvas rolled into a ball to shave off stiffened canvas-fuzz.

ABOUT RECYCLING SOLVENTS

Paint thinners and turpentine should not be discarded when soiled. These materials are expensive and are easy to recycle by following these steps:

• Fill a large jar about half-way with paint thinner.
• Use it until it is too dirty to continue using, then set the jar aside for several days (turpentine may take longer).
• A sludge will settle to the bottom of the jar, leaving the paint thinner clean. 
• Pour the now clean paint thinner into a fresh jar, leaving behind the sludge in the bottom of the original jar.

OIL PAINTING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES 

CONTENTS

• Brush Brands 
• Painting Knives
• Thinners & Solvents 
• Oils for Oil Painting
• Painting Mediums
• Canvas & Paper Brands 
• Gesso Brands 
  
• Easels for
  Landscape Painting

Brush Brands 
Some reliable brands are Utrecht, Princeton series 6300, Silver Brush Grand Prix, Robert Simmons, and Isabey Chungking bristle. For details about brush shapes, materials, and care, see "About Oil Painting Brushes" at left. 

Oil Painting Knives
Painting and palette knives allow for more precise color mixing than does a brush, and also serve as painting tools. Metal is preferred over plastic. Choose a knife with an offset handle and a blade that is firm but springy.

Thinners & Solvents  
Solvents are used to rinse brushes and tools, as an ingredient in painting mediums, and occasionally in tiny amounts to change the consistency of paint. 

Only odorless paint thinners may be used in group classrooms. Those who wish to use turpentine at home or in a private studio should purchase the types offered by art supply retailers; hardware store varieties are usually not suitable for artististic applications.

Weber Turpenoid odorless paint thinner is reliable and versatile. The company also makes a "Natural" version that is safer for you and the environment. Other brands are Crown, Best Klean, Gamblin Gamsol, and Eco-House. Some of these companies make products similar to Turpenoid Natural.

A gallon is the most economical size, and you will use it up over time. In no event should you obtain less than a quart. To prolong the useable life of your solvent, recycle it in the manner described at left as "About Recycling Solvents."

Oils for Oil Painting 
Oil painters may use a natural oil alone or as an ingredient in a painting medium to modify the characteristics of oil paint.

Linseed: "Refined” linseed oil is adequate for many oil painting purposes. Some artists prefer the slower drying and reduced yellowing character of "stand" or "sun thickened" linseed oil, however. Utrecht offers its own brand at a reasonable price. Anything smaller than a pint is unreasonably expensive (per ounce), and a quart is even more economical than a pint. 

Walnut: About the same consistency as refined linseed oil, it is said to yellow less readily.   

Poppyseed: A very thin-bodied oil sometimes preferred for use with white and pale colored paints due to the fact that it yellows minimally over time.

Oil Painting Mediums 
Painting and glazing mediums are employed in small amounts to accelerate drying of paint, make it more fluid, or to increase its translucency. 

Suggested for the beginning student is a 50/50 mix of odorless paint thinner with refined linseed oil. Other recipes may call for other oils or additional ingredients. For suggestions, refer to a good painting manual.  

Avoid manufactured oil-based painting mediums. They are overpriced, may contain questionable ingredients, plus you can easily prepare similar mediums yourself at much lower cost.  

Alkyd painting mediums may  also be used with oil paints. They dry more swiftly than most oil-based mediums, but cannot be prepared at home. Reliable brands include 
Winsor & Newton Liquin, Gamblin Galkyd, and Weber Res-N-Gel.  

Canvas & Paper Brands 
For a complete review of surface materials for oil painting, see "About Surfaces for Oil Painting" at left. 

Economically priced pre-stretched cotton canvas can be found at A.C. Moore, Michaels, and 
Jo-Ann craft stores. For better quality, but still at reasonable prices, try Utrecht. Utrecht also offers excellent raw, prepared, and pre-stretched linen canvas. Similar and equally excellent products are also available in Fredrix brand.

Artists who paint on watercolor paper should use only heavy-weight, archival grades. I have had particular success with Lanaquarelle hot-pressed paper, and have also been reasonably satisfied with Arches.

If you prefer to prepare your own painting surfaces, see "How to Prepare Surfaces for Oil Painting" at left.

Gesso Brands 

If using acrylic gesso, avoid student grade. Artists' quality products are made by Pebeo, Fredrix and Golden.

Easels
for Landscape Painting 
There are two basic types: telescoping and French. Whichever you choose, be sure it is well constructed and sturdy, and that it elevates your painting to a comfortable height when standing.

Telescoping easels are made of wood or aluminum; aluminum holds up better. These easels are essentially tripods with legs that collapse into themselves for easy carrying. They have a support shelf to hold the painting, and a clamp to grab the top of the canvas.

French easels resemble paint boxes. They have legs and a canvas support that fold out, along with a fitted palette, and the box holds your supplies. A full-box model is about the size of a standard paint box and holds plenty of items; the half-box type is half as wide, holds less, but is considerably lighter in weight. A French easel is sturdier than a telescoping easel, more stable in wind, and holds your painting more securely. They are heavy, however, especially when loaded up with paints, and can cost several times the price of a collapsible easel.

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OIL PAINT PRICES
AND QUALITY

Listings under each heading are arranged from the least expensive at top to most expensive at bottom. Price ranges are based on the average retail cost per milliliter of a company's paints as of September 2010.

An asterisk (*) indicates that I have little or no experience with a brand.

Traditional Oil Paints

$
($0.028 - $0.274 per Ml.)
Student oil paints of
Poor to Acceptable Quality

• Daler-Rowney 
  Georgian
  (marginal; lacks body)
• Royal Talens 
  Amsterdam *
• Maimeri Classico *
• Grumbacher 
  Academy
  (cheaply produced; caps break easily; low tinting strength)
• Sennelier Etude
  (creamy consistency; some colors dull; performs reasonably well; good value; recommended)
• Gamblin Sketching *
• Royal-Talens
  Van Gogh *
• Winsor & Newton 
  Winton
  (poor quality; low tinting strength)

$$
($0.349 - $0.423 per Ml.)
Oil paints of Fair Quality

• Weber Permalba
  (decent paint at a reasonable price; gummy consistency; plastic tubes)
• Richeson Shiva *
• Schmincke Norma
  (good tinting strength; buttery with good body; overly fluid consistency)
• Utrecht Artists’
  (reliable; good value; recommended)
• Gamblin Artists’
  (gummy, stringy consistency)
• LeFranc & Bourgeois 
  Artists’ *   

$$$
($0.437 - $0.485 per Ml.)
Professional oil paints of Good Quality

• Grumbacher
  Pre-tested
  (good paint at a reasonable price; cadmium colors replaced by less costly cadmium-barium pigments which are preferable to “hue” versions of cadmium colors)
• Royal-Talens Rembrandt
  (overly fluid consistency; poor cap design; modestly priced paint of very good quality; recommended)
• Jaurena Art Mir *
• Da Vinci Artists’
  (well pigmented; erratic performance)

$$$$
($0.619 - $0.790 per Ml.)
Professional oil paints of Excellent Quality

• Pebeo Fragonard *
• Sennelier Extra Fine
  (creamy consistency; many composite colors not properly labeled as such)
• Michael Harding 
  Artists’
  (vibrant colors; silky consistency; recommended)
• Williamsburg 
  Handmade
  (heavily pigmented; stiffer consistency than many brands; recommended)
• M. Graham Artists’
  (ground in walnut oil instead of the more standard linseed oil; bright, clean colors; silky consistency)
• Winsor & Newton 
  Artists’
  (consistent quality; buttery; well pigmented; informative and accurate labeling; recommended)

$$$$$
($0.945 - $1.452 per Ml.)
Professional oil paints of Exceptional Quality

• Holbein Extra Fine Artists’
  (buttery consistency)
• Schmincke Mussini
  (well pigmented; good body; contains dammar varnish to facilitate glazing techniques)
• Rublev Artists’
  (highly pigmented; all pigments from natural sources; rare and unusual colors available; very creamy consistency; recommended)
• Old Holland Classic
  (highly pigmented; stiffer consistency than many brands; clear and honest labeling of color names; highly recommended)
• Blockx Artists’
  (highly pigmented; most colors buttery, but some are excessively fluid)

Water Mixable
Oil Paints
Water mixable oil paints offer an alternative to those who prefer to avoid the solvents used with traditional oil paints. To retain the water mixable properties of these paints, employ only mediums and solvents made for use with them.

Note: My experience with water mixable paints has been disappointing. Paints dry more rapidly than traditional oils and are of poor consistency.

• Winsor & Newton 
  Artisan
  ($0.332 per Ml.)
• Grumbacher MAX
  ($0.444 per Ml.)
• Holbein Duo Aqua *
  ($0.752 per Ml.)

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