How To: Paint with oils

Looking to appease your creative side? Paint with oils!

You Will Need:
• A variety of colored oil paints
• Sable brushes
• A stretched canvas
• Gesso
• Fine sandpaper
• An easel
• A palette
• Linseed oil
• A palette knife
• Mineral spirits
• Turpentine
• Lint-free cloth
• A cup
• Rags
• Paints with cadmium (optional)
• Resins (optional)
• Balsams (optional)

Step 1: Buy quality oil paint and brushes
Buy oil paints from an art supplier, where well-formulated oil paints are less likely to dry yellow & brittle or harden in the tube. Get sable brushes of various sizes.

Step 2: Pretreat with gesso
Pretreat an already stretched canvas with gesso. To further fill pores & smooth the surface, use fine sandpaper, & cover a second time. Once the gesso dries, sketch your scene.

Step 3: Squeeze paint on palette
Set the canvas on the easel. Squeeze out the "fat" or thick paint from the bottom of the tube onto the palette.

Step 4: Mix linseed and mineral spirits
Mix linseed oil into the darker colors to be used on the under-painting, since it dries better. Use the palette knife to work in mineral spirits to make the paint lean & elastic.

Step 5: Brush lightly
Use a light hand when applying the paint & a wider stroke when applying more medium.

Step 6: Correct mistakes
Wipe away the paint with the palette knife & use a turpentine-dipped, lint-free cloth to finish removing. When you repaint, sand that surface first & moisten it with a touch of mineral oil.

Step 7: Clean brushes as you paint
Dip the brush in a cup filled with a small amount of turpentine to clean as you paint. Dry the painting in light whenever possible, as daylight cures the colors better.

Step 8: Finish session
Wipe your knife & handles with rags when you're finished. Stir the brushes in solvent, but don't soak them overnight. Scoop leftover globs of paint from the palette so that the surface is smooth for next time.