A Guide to Oil Painting

Introduction To Oil Painting

What Do I Need to Start Painting With Oil Paint?

What Is Oil Paint and How is it Made?

What’s The Difference Between Professional, Artist, and Student Grade Oil Paint?

What’s The Difference Between Traditional Oil Paint, Water-Mixable Oil Paint, Alkyd Oils, and Oil Sticks?

Oil Mediums and Solvents

Brushes For Oil Painting

-  What's The Difference Between Brushes for Oil, Acrylic, and Watercolour?

-  What Are The Different Types of Brushes for Oil Painting?

-  Brush Shapes and Sizes

-  What Brushes Do I Need to Get Started With Oil Painting?

-  Care and Cleaning of Oil Brushes

What Is the Best Surface for Oil Painting?

Palettes For Oil Painting

Useful Tools for Oil Painters

Varnishes For Oil Painting

Frequently Asked Questions

Further Reading

Glossary

Lustrous and versatile, oil painting has appealed to artists since the Middle Ages. Oil paint 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 colour 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 oxidation. 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 watercolour, for example, where drying is caused by the water content evaporating.

If you want to start oil painting for the first time, Oil Painting for Beginners is a great introduction. It covers the essential materials, such as the right oil paints, brushes, and canvas, along with useful extras to help you begin an exciting journey as an oil painter.

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 colours across the spectrum. A limited palette of four or five colours can offer a wide range of colours 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 colour 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

Oil paint has been the preferred choice for artists since the early Renaissance. It's a versatile medium known for its rich colours 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 colour. 

Professional quality oils have as much pigment as possible, so the sheen may differ between colours, 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 colours 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 (usually a clear size) to seal the surface, 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 layer.

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 colour 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 colours. The goal is to suspend the pigment particles in the oil evenly, so light can pass through, releasing the greatest possible colour 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.

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

The solvent in the paint evaporates quickly, but the oxidation 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 White 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.

Professional oil paints contain the most pigment. The pigments are carefully ground to show off the best qualities of each colour. 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 colour, 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 colours are purer and easier to mix. On our website, paints labelled ‘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 colours are less intense. Paints labelled ‘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 colours 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 labelled as ‘hue.’ These paints may look more chalky and have fewer colour options, but they are a good option if you’re new to oil painting and want to save money. Paints labelled ‘Mid-range’ on our website are student quality.

Traditional oil paints are made by suspending finely ground pigments in drying oils, like linseed oil. Lighter colours 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 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.

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 brushmarks.
• 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 colour 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 brushmarks 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 colours 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 artists' 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 odour 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.

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.

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. Watercolour 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.

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 brushmarks. 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.

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.

To start, it's best to have a few brushes to avoid constantly cleaning them between colours. Aim for at least two brushes – one for light colours 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.

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.

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 colour 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.

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 colours.

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 colour 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 watercolours, so you can often leave colour 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.

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 colours. They are easier to clean than brushes – just wipe them on a rag. Having one or two palette knives can help keep your colour mixing organised.

Brush Soaps

While you could use dish soap, brush soap is better because it is formulated with natural oils to clean and moisturise 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 colours 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 colour 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 colours 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 colour mix. They are available in a range of shapes and sizes, one or two in your armoury will significantly help keep your colour mixing organised.

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! 

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.

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. Matt versions are available. An oil painting can take from six months to several years to be ready for picture varnish.

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 colours or matt 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.

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.

Oil Painting: Popular Questions from Artists

Oil Painting for Beginners: What You Need to Get Started

The Development of Synthetic Brushes

How to Care For a Wooden Oil Painting Palette

A Guide to Oil Painting Mediums

Oil Painting Solvents: What is the Difference Between White Spirit and Turpentine?

What is the Best Non-Toxic Oil Painting Solvent?

Choosing a Clear Primer for Oil Painting

How to Varnish a Painting in Oil, Water-Mixable Oil or Acrylic

Making Your Own Oil Paint with Jackson’s Pigments

Everything You Need to Know About Oil Painting Paper

Underpainting in Oil and Acrylic

Tips for Setting up an Oil Painting Palette

A

Alla Prima
A technique where new paint is applied over wet layers. Allows for smooth blending and soft edges. Also called wet-on-wet.

Alkyd Resin
A synthetic resin used in fast-drying oil paints and mediums. It speeds up drying time and adds flexibility.

Artist Grade
A high quality oil product that is made for artists. Artist oil paints contain a high amount of pure pigment with minimal fillers or extenders.

B

Binder
The oil that holds the pigment together in oil paint. Linseed, safflower, poppy, and walnut oil are commonly used.

Blending
The technique of smoothly mixing one colour into another. Helps to create soft transitions.

Blocking In
The artist lays down large shapes of colour to establish composition and values before adding details. This speeds up the painting process and ensures a solid structure.

Brush Washer
A container that holds solvent or water. For cleaning brushes.

C

Canvas
A fabric surface for painting. Typically made from cotton or linen, stretched over a frame and primed with gesso.

Chiaroscuro
A dramatic technique that contrasts strong light and shadow to enhance depth and volume. Famous in the works of Caravaggio and Rembrandt.

Cold Pressed Linseed Oil
A natural oil extracted without heat. Used to increase gloss and transparency in oil painting.

Colour Temperature
The warmth or coolness of a colour. Warm colours include reds, oranges, and yellows; cool colours include blues and greens.

D

Dammar Varnish
A natural resin varnish. Used to add gloss and protect oil paintings.

Dry Brush
Using very little paint on a dry brush, the artist lightly drags it across the surface, creating a broken, textured effect. This is great for depicting hair, rough surfaces, or soft highlights.

Drying Oil
An oil that hardens over time through oxidation. Such as linseed, walnut, poppy, and safflower oils.

E

Easel
A stand used to hold a canvas or painting surface at a comfortable working height.

F

Fat-Over-Lean
A painting principle where each layer of paint has more oil than the layer beneath it. This helps to prevent cracking.

Filbert Brush
A brush with a rounded tip, combining the qualities of a flat and a round brush. Ideal for blending and soft edges.

Frottage
Textured objects (like fabric, leaves, or wood grain) are pressed onto wet paint to transfer texture. This is useful for abstract or surreal effects.

G

Glaze
A thin, transparent layer of oil paint applied over a dry layer. Helps to modify the colour or create depth.

Gesso
A primer applied to a surface before painting. Provides a smooth and absorbent base.

Grattage
Paint is applied thickly, and then objects like combs, knives, or even the handle of a brush are used to scratch through the surface. This reveals underlying layers.

Grisaille
A type of underpainting. Using grayscale tones to define the form and depth before applying colour.

Ground
A preparatory coating applied to a canvas or panel before painting. Such as gesso or oil primer.

H

Hog Bristle Brush
A stiff, durable brush made from hog hair. Ideal for oil painting due to its strength and resilience.

Hue
The basic identity of a colour, such as red, blue, or yellow.

I

Impasto
A thick application of paint. Creates texture and depth.

Impressionist
An artist or artwork inspired by the Impressionism movement. There is an emphasis on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere rather than fine details. Characterised by loose, visible brushstrokes and vibrant colours. Impressionist painters often worked quickly, using short dabs of colour to depict fleeting moments and natural scenes.

L

Layering
The process of applying multiple layers of paint, following the fat-over-lean rule.

Linseed Oil
The most common oil binder in oil paint. It enhances gloss, flow, and durability but may yellow over time.

Long-Handled Brush
A brush with an extended handle. Allows for greater control and distance from the canvas.

M

Mahl Stick
A stick used by artists to steady their hand while painting fine details.

Medium
A substance mixed with oil paint to alter its drying time, texture, or sheen.

Monochrome
A painting created using variations of a single colour. Such as Grisaille.

O

Oil Painting Paper
Specially treated paper for oil painting. Designed to hold oil paint without absorbing the oil excessively.

Opacity
The degree to which a colour covers what is beneath it. High opacity colours are more solid. Transparent colours allow underlying layers to show through.

Oxidation
The chemical process by which oil paint dries and hardens when exposed to air.

P

Palette
A flat surface on which oil paints are mixed.

Palette Knife
A flexible metal tool used for mixing paint. Also used as a painting tool to create thick, textured strokes.

Pigment
The coloured particles in paint. The pigment determines its hue, intensity, and other properties.

Pointillism
Small dots of pure colour are applied next to each other. Relies on optical mixing when viewed from a distance. Georges Seurat and Paul Signac mastered this approach.

Primer
A base layer applied to a canvas or panel to prepare it for oil paint.

R

Retouching Varnish
A temporary varnish applied to a partially dry painting. Protects and allows for further painting.

Rigger Brush
A long, thin brush used for fine details and delicate lines.

S

Safflower Oil
A drying oil that yellows less than linseed oil but dries more slowly. Often used in whites and blues.

Scumbling
A dry brush technique where a thin, opaque layer of lighter paint is softly brushed over a darker, dry layer. It creates a hazy, atmospheric effect. Often used for soft lighting or misty scenes.

Sfumato
A technique that creates soft transitions between tones without harsh lines.

Siccative
A drying agent added to oil paint or mediums to speed up the drying time.

Solvent
A liquid, such as turpentine or white spirit, used to thin paint and clean brushes.

Stretched Canvas
Canvas that is tightly pulled over a wooden frame, ready for painting.

T

Tonalism
A limited colour palette with soft, muted tones. Used to create moody, atmospheric landscapes. This technique was popular in the late 19th century.

Tooth
The texture of a painting surface that helps hold paint layers.

Turpentine
A solvent derived from pine resin. Used for thinning oil paint and cleaning brushes.

U

Underpainting
A preliminary layer of paint. Used to establish composition and values before adding final colours.

UV Protection Varnish
A varnish that protects paintings from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light.

V

Varnish
A protective coating applied to a finished oil painting to enhance its appearance and shield it from dust and damage.

Velatura
A semi-transparent layer of paint that partially obscures the underlying layers. Often used for subtle transitions.

W

Walnut Oil
A drying oil that resists yellowing. Often used in lighter colours and for a slower drying time.

Wet-on-Wet
A painting technique where new paint is applied over wet layers. Allows for smooth blending and soft edges. Also called Alla Prima. 

White Spirit
A petroleum-based solvent. Used as an alternative to turpentine. For thinning paint and cleaning brushes.

Y

Yellowing
The natural process in which some oil paints and mediums darken over time due to oxidation.