Oil Painting, How Hard Could It Be?

Feb 23

January of 2019 I decided to start painting in ‘oil paints’. How hard could it be?
I studied art in my youth. I worked in charcoal, pencil, scratchboard,
watercolor and unrelated perhaps, ceramics and photography. I did not know what I did not know.
Oil painting is far more complicated than I had imagined.

First decision, what colors do I need to buy? This has changed as I gained a style and technique.
Not cheap! $7 for a tiny tube of 1.25 ounces. Which brand? Where best to buy?

Second decision is paint mediums. That is oil, turpentine, extenders,
dryers, gel and the list goes on. Don't forget to finish with varnish?

Third decision is the canvas, What size canvas? 4 X 4 or 10 yards or? Tooth, HUH?
What is that? Thickness and texture is tooth. Select from 7, 10, 12 or 15 oz.
In a roll or pre-stretched? Pre-primed, post primed or unprimed? Pre stretched?
Then do you want it hand splined or back stapled?
Or maybe you want wood panel, geoboard or clayboard?

Fourth decision is the brushes. Make mistakes in selecting paint brushes and
say goodbye to your money quickly. There are flat, round, ribbon, multilinear,
angular, dabbler, dagger, wash, shader, fan, liner, angular, bright, filbert, hake, highliner, mop
, mottler and spalter, one-stroke, oval wash, quill, round, sash, script, square wash.
This is just the basic shapes. There are more.

Part B of the brush decision; After selecting the shape, then decide on
natural hair or synthetic. Natural bristle category has about 10 selections.
Synthetic brushes have one large category.The common name for this filament is "Taklon”.

Part C of the brush decision; Long handle or short handle? At first I hated anything with a long handle.
Why would I want that in my way?
Now I only buy brushes with a long handle.

Painting with knives. What about pallet knives?
They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flexibility.
Too much information for this piece. I will leave off here.

So . . . what will you be thinking about the next time you view an oil painting?
I have a feeling you will now consider all the decisions that went into just getting ready to
paint the painting. But will you ever think this: “how hard could it have been”?