Introduction to Oil Painting

Lustrous and versatile, oil painting has appealed to artists since the Middle Ages. Oil is widely considered to be the most popular medium in the tradition of Western painting. Painters from Van Eyck to Hockney have been drawn to its vibrant color and sheen. Oil paint is made of pigment dispersed in a drying oil, most commonly linseed oil

Traditional oil paint is a slow-drying paint. It dries by absorbing oxygen from the air in a process called oxidisation. Drying rates depend on several factors: the thickness of the paint, the type of oil, the pigments used, whether any driers or additives have been added to the paint, and the absorbency of the surface it is applied to. Temperature and humidity also play a key part. 

The term ‘drying’ is a bit of a misnomer. Oil paint hardens as the oil oxidises (a chemical reaction with air). This is different to watercolor, for example, where drying is caused by the water content evaporating.

What do I need to start painting in oils?

A set of oil paints is a great investment to start with. Sets are a quick and easy way to explore a selection of curated colors across the spectrum. A limited palette of four or five colors can offer a wide range of colors when mixed in varying quantities with one another. This can yield better results than working with dozens of different paint tubes, which can easily lead to muddy color mixes.

You can start painting with the following materials:

An oil paint set

A set of brushes - hog hair is most popular, sable is softer for smoother marks, or synthetic hair brushes are a good, long-lasting, vegan, alternative

Surface - panel, canvas, or oil painting paper

Solvent - turpentine, white spirit, or citrus-based solvent

Jar for rinsing brushes

Rags/kitchen towel

The following tools are also useful, but not essential:

A palette knife

Oil painting medium

A brush washer

An easel

What is oil paint and how is it made?

Oil paint has been the preferred choice for artists since the early Renaissance. It's a versatile medium known for its rich colors and unmatched vibrancy.

Appearance: Oil paint usually dries with a satin sheen. The sheen of the paint depends on the amount of pigment in the oil, which varies by color. 

Professional quality oils have as much pigment as possible, so the sheen may differ between colors, but the vibrancy stays strong. Some of the world’s best oil paint recipes haven’t changed in hundreds of years because the quality and handling properties have been perfected.

Versatility: Oil paint is highly adaptable. Artists have used it in many ways for centuries. Think of Rembrandt’s soft, glowing layers that show textures like skin or fabric. Compare that to the bold colors and brushstrokes of Willem de Kooning. 

There are endless ways to work with oil paint. You can speed up drying with cobalt or alkyd driers, thicken the paint with mediums, and experiment with techniques like blending, wiping, and glazing to get the most out of your work.

Read inspirational interviews with oil painters on Jackson’s Art Blog.

Further Considerations: 

-  If you’re not using water-mixable oils or a solvent-free method, you’ll need a solvent like turpentine to thin your paint and clean your brushes
- When preparing a surface for oil paint, use a protective layer such as rabbit skin glue or acrylic medium. Then, apply a few thin coats of oil primer. Or, use multiple layers of universal primer without the need for a protective coat

How is Oil Paint Made?

Making oil paint takes time. You can learn more about the paintmaking process in our article ‘The Secrets of Making Jackson’s Professional Oil Paint.’

In short, oil paint is made of pigment and drying oil. The quality of these two ingredients is important in how the paint looks and handles. High quality linseed oil is clearer and less likely to yellow over time. The best quality pigments are free from impurities and will offer higher levels of color saturation. 

Traditionally, artists made their oil paint by hand using a muller and glass slab. Today, while the recipes are often the same, the process is more efficient. Pigments are mixed into the oil using a machine called a ‘triple roll mill.’ This machine uses steel or granite rollers to blend the pigments and oil. The choice of roller depends on the pigment to avoid distressing some of the more temperamental colors. The goal is to suspend the pigment particles in the oil evenly, so light can pass through, releasing the greatest possible color radiance.

Following this process, the paint is tested for quality. It is then put into metal tubes, usually in sizes like 37ml or 40ml. Some brands offer larger sizes, such as 60ml or 200ml tubes. Smaller 15ml tubes are also available in sets, which are excellent for painting outdoors.

How Oil Paints Dry, and the Fat Over Lean Rule

Oil paint dries differently from other paints. Acrylic and watercolor paint dry when their water content evaporates, but oil paint dries when it reacts with air. This process is called oxidisation. As oil paint oxidises, it slowly hardens.

The solvent in the paint evaporates quickly, but the oxidisation process is much slower and never fully stops. As the oil paint oxidises, it expands and contracts. However, it always stays slightly larger than before because it absorbs oxygen. This is different from acrylic paint, which shrinks as it dries. If faster-drying paint is put on top of oil paint that isn’t dry enough, it can crack.

That’s why oil paint can be used over acrylics, but not the other way around. It’s also why you should always follow the fat-over-lean rule. Paint with more oil (or fat) takes longer to dry. Always put paint with more oil on top of paint with less oil (which is thinner due to more solvent).

A Note About Toxicity and Avoiding Solvents

It is a common misconception that oil paints are highly toxic. This is not true for most. Oil paints don’t give off strong fumes, and most are low in toxicity. However, certain pigments like Cobalt, Cadmium, or Lead have higher toxicity, so it’s best to handle them with care—using gloves if possible.

Strong fumes come from solvents like turpentine or white spirit, which are used to thin paints and rinse brushes. However, solvents are not essential for painting with oils. You can clean brushes without them by using vegetable oil to remove excess paint, blotting with a rag, and then washing with brush soap as usual.

What’s the difference between professional, artist and student grade oil paints?

Professional oil paints contain the most pigment. The pigments are carefully ground to show off the best qualities of each color. Sometimes there’s so much pigment that it sinks to the bottom of the tube, causing separation. You can fix this by stirring the paint with a paper clip.

These paints bring out the unique properties of each color, like sheen, transparency, and staining power. This makes your paintings more vibrant. Professional oil ranges often contain a greater number of single pigment paints, which means colors are purer and easier to mix. On our website, paints labeled ‘Highest’ are professional quality.

Artist quality oil paints have slightly less pigment but are usually made using very similar processes as professional paint. The pigments still keep their unique qualities, though the colors are less intense. Paints labeled ‘Excellent’ on our website are artist quality.

Student quality oil paints use less pigment to keep costs low. They may also have fillers to make the paints more uniform in thickness, tinting, and covering power. Driers are often added so that all colors dry at the same rate.

Painters moving from Student to Professional paints may notice that drying times vary more. Inexpensive pigments are often used in place of more expensive ones and are labeled as ‘hue.’ These paints may look more chalky and have fewer color options, but they are a good option if you’re new to oil painting and want to save money. Paints labeled ‘Mid-range’ on our website are student quality.

What’s the difference between traditional oils, water-mixable oils, alkyd oils and oil sticks?

Traditional oil paints are made by suspending finely ground pigments in drying oils, like linseed oil. Lighter colors might be mixed with poppy, safflower, or walnut oil. The paint has a thick, buttery feel but can be made more fluid with a palette knife. 

You can change the paint’s qualities—like transparency, sheen, or drying time—by adding mediums, which are either ready-made or created by mixing oils, solvents, and resins.

Water-mixable oil paints are similar to traditional oils, but don’t need solvents for thinning or cleaning. They can be a bit more fluid or stringy than regular oils, but many people prefer them because they have no strong fumes and are easier to clean up with soap and water. 

There are also special mediums for water-mixable oils. You can mix them with regular oils, but that takes away their water-solubility.

Alkyd oil paints dry faster because they contain alkyd resin. They feel and act like traditional oils but dry quicker, which is great for painters who don’t have much time. You can even mix alkyd oils with regular oils to speed up the drying of the oil paint.

Oil sticks (or pigment sticks) are traditional oil paints with just enough wax to form them into a stick. They are a hands-on, expressive tool that can be used for both drawing and painting. They can be used directly on a prepared surface. You can thin the marks with solvent or oil, just like regular oil paint.

Oil paint pastels are made from pigment, wax, and a non-drying oil. They have less oil than oil sticks. This makes them softer and keeps them workable for a long time. Read more in 'The Difference Between Oil Sticks and Oil Pastels' on Jackson's Art Blog.

Oil Mediums and Solvents

Painting Mediums

Oil paint can be used on its own, but you can change its properties by adding mediums. These can adjust drying time (faster or slower), fluidity, thickness, sheen, and transparency. 

Most mediums are a mix of solvent and oil or alkyd resin, with other ingredients like beeswax. For example, glaze mediums help you create thin, glossy, transparent layers, while beeswax mediums thicken the paint for impasto techniques. 

Alkyd mediums make the paint dry faster, as does siccative (a cobalt-based drying agent) – but be careful with siccative as it is highly toxic and should be used sparingly.

You can also make your own painting mediums using ingredients like drying oils, solvents, and resins. Read our blog articles about making oil painting mediums:

Making Beeswax Impasto Medium for Oil Painting
How to Make Dammar Varnish with Vincent Gordon

Drying Oils

Drying oils are natural oils from seeds or nuts that harden by absorbing oxygen from the air. They don’t dry by evaporation. These oils are mixed with pigments to make oil paint and added to mediums to improve flow and increase transparency. 

As the oil hardens, it permanently changes, and thicker layers take longer to cure. Remember the ‘fat-over-lean’ rule: apply layers of paint with increasing amounts of oil as you go, ensuring each layer is dry before adding the next to avoid cracking.

  • Refined Linseed Oil: A pale yellow oil that increases gloss and transparency. It is stable, dries evenly in 3-5 days, and is great for underpainting.
  • Cold Pressed Linseed Oil: A higher-quality oil that is slightly yellow. It is extracted without heat, increases gloss and transparency, and reduces brush marks.
  • Alkali Refined Linseed Oil: Has impurities removed to reduce yellowing over time. It mixes well with solvents to create a versatile, glossy medium.
  • Alkali Refined Safflower Oil: Pale in color with low yellowing. It is often used with whites and blues but has a longer drying time than linseed oil.
  • Linseed Stand Oil: A thicker oil that slows drying and creates a tough, elastic finish. It levels brush marks and is ideal for glazing or impasto.
  • Walnut Oil: A pale yellow oil that resists yellowing and cracking. It dries faster than safflower and poppy oils and is good for whites and blues.
  • Purified Poppy Oil: A clear oil that mixes well with light colors and has low yellowing but slower drying. Best used in the final layers of your painting.

 

Solvents

Solvents remove extra paint from brushes and are used to thin paint. However, using too much solvent can weaken the paint’s binding. Very thin layers of diluted oil paint might not adhere well and could fade or wear off over time unless you protect them with a layer of varnish.

  • Turpentine: The traditional artist’s solvent made from pine resin. Cheap turpentine contains impurities and can have an unpleasant smell. High grade turpentine is purer but should still be used in well-ventilated spaces.
  • White Spirit: A petroleum-based solvent that thins oil paint. 

Low odor options like Gamsol and Pure-sol are also available for those sensitive to turpentine fumes.

For more information, read ‘What is the Best Non-Toxic Oil Painting Solvent?’ on Jackson’s Art Blog.

Solvents

Solvents remove extra paint from brushes and are used to thin paint. However, using too much solvent can weaken the paint’s binding. Very thin layers of diluted oil paint might not adhere well and could fade or wear off over time unless you protect them with a layer of varnish.

  • Turpentine: The traditional artist’s solvent made from pine resin. Cheap turpentine contains impurities and can have an unpleasant smell. High grade turpentine is purer but should still be used in well-ventilated spaces.
  • White Spirit: A petroleum-based solvent that thins oil paint. 

Low odor options like Gamsol and Pure-sol are also available for those sensitive to turpentine fumes.

For more information, read ‘What is the Best Non-Toxic Oil Painting Solvent? on Jackson’s Art Blog.

Cold Pressed Linseed Oil
-
 High quality, slightly yellow
Extracted without the use of heat
Increases gloss and transparency and reduces brush marks
Highly recommended for grinding pigments
Cold Pressed Linseed oil is the least brittle form of linseed oil, very stable, dries thoroughly, least yellowing but more expensive than regular linseed oil

Alkali Refined Linseed Oil
-
 Impurities have been removed to minimize the yellowing of the oil over time
-  Mix with solvents in equal measure (or more oil than solvent depending on your preference) to make a versatile oil painting medium which flows and dries glossy

Alkali Refined Safflower Oil
-
  Pale colored alkali refined oil with little tendency to yellow
-  Favored for use with whites and blues
-  Longer drying time than linseed oil
-  Does not form as strong and elastic of a paint film as linseed oil

Linseed Stand Oil
-
 Paler, more viscous oil than refined linseed oil
-  Slows drying
-  Gives tough elastic finish
-  Mix with turps or white spirit to help color flow and reduce brush marks
-  Made by heating linseed oil without air at very high temperatures. This partly polymerizes the oil, making it thicker in consistency yet maintaining a smoothness that allows it to level brush marks and be the ideal component in a glaze medium. Also, its viscosity means you can use it to paint using impasto techniques (if mixed with powders or waxes to make an impasto medium) knowing that the paint will not wrinkle and that it will dry in a more stable manner than when just applying the color thicker or with more regular linseed oil added to it. 
-  It yellows less than refined linseed oil and is also slower drying

Walnut Oil

Very pale yellow oil
-  Excellent resistance to yellowing and cracking
-  Yellows less than linseed oil over time
-  Also works as an effective brush cleaner that helps retain moisture in brush hairs
-  Dries faster than safflower and poppy oils but is equally favoured for using with whites and pale blue hues
-  Does not form as strong and elastic of a paint film as linseed oil

Purified Poppy Oil

A clear oil medium to mix with and reduce light colors
-  Less inclined to yellow than linseed oil, but slower drying
-  Enhances gloss and flow, but too high a proportion of oil prevents the color from thorough drying
-  Should only be used for the final layers of a painting, and only in moderation (mixed with solvents)
-  Does not form as strong and elastic of a paint film as linseed oil

Solvents

Arguably, the quickest way to remove excess paint from oil brushes at the end of a painting session is by rinsing them in solvent. Following this treatment, they would ideally be washed with a brush soap and warm water to complete the clean-up operation. Solvent can also be used to thin paint to a more watery consistency. The more you use, the more it will break down the oil content of your paint, so it’s worth being aware that very watery applications of dilute oil paint may not have sufficient binding properties, meaning the pigment could ‘wear off’ the painting surface in time, unless protected with a layer of varnish. Additionally, always ensure successive layers of paint have a greater oil content, so that the upper layers are always more flexible and slower drying than the paint in the layers beneath.

Turpentine

The traditional artist’s solvent is turpentine, a distillation of the resin extracted from pine tree sap. Cheap household turpentine is made from forest waste gathered from woodland ground and will contain impurities, which give an unpleasant smell, and make it less suitable for painting with; its exact contents is unknown, and likely to degrade a painted surface over time. Higher grades of turpentine are made from purer natural resin distillations, and will smell more pleasant as a result, although all turpentines should be used in a well ventilated space and may cause headaches with prolonged usage.

White Spirit

Artist white spirit is a petroleum distillation, and is suited to thinning oil paint. The heady fumes of turpentine or white spirit can be off-putting for some who are otherwise intrigued by oil painting, but these days you can work with a number of solvents that have little or no fragrance, and are less likely to give you a headache.

Low-odor White Spirits

Pure-sol is one such example, a low-odor solvent that is effective in cleaning brushes and thinning oil paint. Other examples include Gamsol, Sennelier Green Thinner and Zest-It.

Brushes for Oil Painting

Oil painting requires brushes that are strong and long-lasting. These brushes have to handle solvents and rough surfaces like canvas or panel. It’s worth spending more on good quality brushes. They hold paint better and, with care, keep their shape and bounce for longer. 

Brushmaking is a skilled craft that uses carefully chosen hair, ferrules, and handles. Hog hair brushes are great for oil painting because they are strong and springy. Sable hair is softer for fine details, and synthetic brushes are a good, long-lasting option for those who want to avoid using animal hair.

What's the Difference Between Brushes for Oil, Acrylic, and Watercolor?

Many brushes used for oil painting also work with acrylic paint. Stiff brushes like hog or synthetic are good for heavy body acrylics, while soft brushes work with fluid acrylics for smooth strokes. Some synthetic brushes are made to act like natural hair. Stiff synthetic brushes can work like hog bristles, while soft synthetic brushes can perform like sable. Soft synthetic brushes are more durable than sable and can be used with oils.

Oil brushes usually have longer handles, which let the artist stand back while painting. Watercolor brushes, however, have shorter handles and softer hairs to hold more water or paint, releasing it slowly and evenly onto the paper.

It’s best to have separate brushes for each medium to keep them in good shape and avoid mixing materials. No matter what type of brush you use, proper cleaning and care will help them last longer.

What are the Different Types of Brushes for Oil Painting?

Hog Brushes: These are the workhorses of oil painting. They can handle thick, heavy paint and move it around the surface easily. Made from hog bristles, they are strong, springy, and can handle thick paint and solvents. Hog brushes are versatile and can be used for both thin glazing and thick impasto techniques. High-quality hog brushes cost more but will hold their shape and spring for longer.

Sable Brushes: These are softer and good for detailed or fine work. Sable brushes allow for glazing without visible brush marks. They are delicate and less durable than hog or synthetic brushes, but ideal for fine details. Sable brushes for oil painting usually have long handles for painting from a distance.

Synthetic Brushes: These brushes offer a vegan, affordable alternative to natural hair. Soft synthetic brushes can be used instead of sable, while stiffer synthetic brushes can mimic hog hair. They are strong and last longer than sable.

Brush Shapes and Sizes

Oil painting brushes come in different shapes and sizes to suit various techniques. You can apply oil paint in thin washes, glazes, or thick impasto strokes, so having a mix of brushes is helpful. 

Brush sizes range from 000 (smallest) to 16 (largest), with some brands offering larger brushes up to size 24. Extra-large flat brushes are called mottlers and are sized by their width. Sizes vary by manufacturer and differ between sable, synthetic, and hog hair brushes.

The most common shapes are:

  • Flats: Versatile and good for large areas or washes
  • Brights: Shorter and stiffer than flats, ideal for thick, textured strokes and more control
  • Rounds: Good for fine details and holding lots of paint for both soft and bold strokes
  • Filberts: Similar to flats but with rounded corners for soft, tapered strokes and blending

Other shapes include fans for blending and riggers with long, flexible hairs for fine lines.

What Brushes Do I Need to Get Started with Oil Painting?

To start, it's best to have a few brushes to avoid constantly cleaning them between colors. Aim for at least two brushes—one for light colors and one for darks—to prevent mixing them. 

Medium to large brushes work well for both large areas and details. A good beginner set might include:

Hog Brush - Round: Sizes 2, 4, 6
Hog Brush - Flat: Sizes 2, 4, 6
Hog Brush - Filbert: Sizes 6, 10
Synthetic Soft Hair - Round: Size 4

Brush sets are a great way to start your collection.

Care and Cleaning of Oil Brushes

Always clean your brushes thoroughly after each painting session. Keeping them clean will extend their lifespan. If paint dries near the ferrule (where the hair meets the handle), the brush will become stiff and harder to use. Clean your brushes with artist brush soap to restore the natural oils in the hair.

For more information, read our Brush Cleaning Guide on Jackson’s Art Blog.

What is the best surface for oil painting?

Oil paints can be used on canvas, paper, boards, and panels. However, oil paint can damage natural surfaces if they aren't sealed properly. The oil can seep into the surface, leaving pigment without a binder, which might cause the color to flake off or create a yellow halo around brush marks. To avoid this, only use surfaces that are sealed or sized to protect them.

Primed Surfaces: Acrylic or universal primed surfaces may feel less smooth and more absorbent than oil-primed ones. Some clear primed canvas panels may need another layer of clear primer to ensure they are sealed. These are great if you want the look of painting on raw canvas.

Oil Painting Paper: Some papers are treated during production to resist oil absorption (like Arches oil paper). Others are coated after they are made, or you can apply a sealant yourself.

Boards and Panels: Smooth, lightly textured, or with primed canvas glued to them. They can be flat or cradled (with a frame on the back for strength). Cradled panels can be hung without framing, while flat panels are easy to store and transport.

Stretched Canvas: This is often lighter than board, especially in larger sizes. Stretched canvas is usually made from linen or cotton duck and is pulled tightly over a wooden frame. It’s a responsive surface, meaning it may slightly bounce when you paint, adding energy to your painting session.

The surface you choose depends on your preference. Consider whether you want something lightweight, rigid, textured, or smooth. 

If you’re unsure, try different surfaces to see what feels best. The surface you paint on affects the experience and the final look of your painting. What you paint may also help you decide which surface to use.

Palettes for Oil Painting

Oil painting palettes are usually made from wood, glass, or plastic (though not all plastic palettes work well for oils). You can also use a disposable palette, which is a pad of non-absorbent paper sheets called a tear-off palette. The palette provides a smooth, non-absorbent surface for mixing colors.

A white palette helps you see how the paint will look on a light surface. If you’re using a glass palette, placing white paper underneath can make your color mixes more visible. 

Untreated wooden palettes can absorb paint and stain easily when first used. To reduce this, you can varnish your wooden palette or rub linseed oil into it and let it dry before use. The palette will absorb less paint over time as it comes into contact with more oil.

Oil paint dries slowly compared to acrylics or watercolors, so you can often leave color mixes on your palette for use the next day. However, after two or three days, the paint will start to dry and can be hard to remove. To prevent this, cover your paint in an airtight container or add a drop of oil to the paint to keep it workable longer.

If you paint standing at an easel, a hand-held palette is a good choice. You can also use a palette on a table if you prefer.

Useful tools for Oil Painters

Easels

An easel is not essential, but it can be helpful. You can tape paper to a wall, hang your canvas from screws, or prop it on a table. You could even work on the floor. However, an easel lets you move your work to better lighting and helps with posture during long painting sessions. Here are some things to consider when choosing an easel:

  • Will you paint at a table? A table easel is compact and holds your canvas or paper upright. Many have drawers for paints and brushes. They are easy to store and move.
  • Will you paint outdoors? A sketching easel is portable, usually made from wood or aluminium. Lightweight and foldable, these easels are easy to carry. If you paint in windy conditions, you might need to secure it with string and tent pegs.
  • Do you need an easel that tilts? Some easels tilt to a horizontal position, which is useful if you paint with thin, watery layers that might run.
  • Will you paint large works? H-frame easels are stable and can hold large paintings. They are heavy and take up space, but crank handles can make height adjustments easier.

 

Brush Washer Pots

Brush washer pots help extend the life of your brushes and solvents. These pots let paint sediment sink to the bottom, so you can reuse the clean solvent. Some pots have built-in springs to suspend brushes, which prevents the brush hairs from bending and getting damaged.

 

Palette Knives

Palette knives are great tools for oil painting. They allow for thick, textured applications of paint, and are also useful for scraping off paint or mixing colors. They are easier to clean than brushes—just wipe them on a rag. Having one or two palette knives can help keep your color mixing organized.

 

Brush Soaps

While you could use dish soap, brush soap is better because it is formulated with natural oils to clean and moisturize brush hairs. This keeps brushes in good shape for longer. Without proper cleaning, brushes may splay and dry out. Washing with brush soap after rinsing in solvent will extend the life of your brushes and remove leftover solvent.

 

Apron

An apron protects your clothes from stains, like stubborn Phthalo Blue. It helps you stay focused on painting without worrying about your clothes. Deep pockets are useful for keeping pencils, erasers, or a measuring tape close at hand.

Brush Washer Pots

A brush washer pot is designed to allow oil paint sediment accumulated from rinsing brushes to sink away to a different compartment, allowing you to get maximum usage from your solvent. Two Jackson’s brush washers have a spring holding system inbuilt, which holds your brushes so that they are suspended in the pot, rather than sitting on the bottom of it, which will bend the hairs of your brush and may damage them. A brush washer is not an essential, but it will help to prolong the lifespan of your brushes, help to keep your colors clean and bright and also help to get the most use from your solvent.

Palette Knives

Palette knives are incredibly useful for oil painting. They can be used as an alternative to brushes, facilitating thick impasto applications of color that can either be completely smooth or highly textured. They are also great for scraping wet paint away from your painting or palette, and mixing colors on your palette. In comparison to brushes they are much easier to remove paint from, one wipe on a rag and your knife will be clean for the next color mix. They are available in a range of shapes and sizes, one or two in your armoury will significantly help keep your color mixing organized.

Brush Soaps

You could use washing up liquid, but brush soap is especially formulated with natural oils to moisturise and cleanse brush hairs, so that your brushes keep their shape and hairs for longer. Without brush soap treatment, your brushes will prematurely begin to splay out, and may become caked with dried paint at the ferrule. Washing your brushes with brush soap and warm water after rinsing in solvent is an excellent habit to fall into, as you’ll be regularly moisturising the hairs which will prolong their lifespan as well as rinse away any residue solvent which would dry hairs out further.

Apron

Once you accidentally get a spot of highly staining Phthalo Blue on your clothes, it can be almost impossible to remove. An apron can protect your clothes and provide the peace of mind you need to focus on the more important aspects of the painting process. Deep pockets can help to ensure you have a pencil, eraser, or measuring tape always within easy reach! 

Varnishes for Oil Paintings

Varnishing a painting is optional, however, it can add depth and shine, give a smooth finish, and protect the surface from dust and moisture. Ideally, varnishes should be removable so they can be cleaned or replaced later.

Oil paintings need to be fully dry before using a final varnish. This can take up to six months to a year, or longer for thick paint. The surface may feel dry sooner, so you can use retouching varnish until the painting is completely dry.

Varnishes are made from natural or synthetic resin mixed with a solvent, like turpentine. Synthetic varnishes, like alkyd or ketone varnishes, offer a strong and flexible finish.

There are Two Main Types of Varnish for Oil Painting:

Retouching Varnish: This can be used on paintings that are touch-dry but not fully dry. It forms a thin layer, allowing the painting to keep drying underneath. It dries quickly and gives a smooth finish. Retouching varnish is also good for protecting unfinished paintings that are on display. Spray versions help create an even coat.

Picture Varnish: This is used on fully dry paintings. It forms a solid layer and is usually glossy. Matte versions are available. An oil painting can take from six months to several years to be ready for picture varnish.

How Do You Apply Varnish to an Oil Painting?

  1. Make sure the painting is fully dry before using picture varnish. For retouching varnish, the painting should be touch-dry.
  2. Clean the surface of the painting with a lint-free cloth.
  3. Choose gloss for bright colors or matte for a softer look.
  4. Apply varnish in a well-ventilated, dust-free area.
  5. Use a wide brush for smooth application. Apply the varnish in long, even strokes.
  6. It’s better to apply 2-3 thin layers than one thick layer.
  7. Position the painting under a light to see where the varnish has been applied.
  8. Let the painting dry flat before standing it up. Once it is touch-dry, it can be leaned against a wall with the front of the painting facing downwards. This will protect it from dust whilst it dries fully.

Is it Possible to Remove Varnish From an Oil Painting?

Varnish can be removed with solvent. This should be done carefully to avoid damaging the paint. It is best to have a professional restorer handle this.