In this part . . .
We, your humble authors, believe in you. Our goal, more than anything, is to teach you how to paint and give you all the information and support that you need as you progress. Whether youâre starting a pleasant pastime, picking up where you left off years ago, or beginning a serious pursuit of painting, this is the place to begin.
Chapter 1
So You Want to Paint
In This Chapter
Examining the history of oil painting and why it has endured for 500 years
Discovering what itâs like to paint with oils
Finding the materials and space you need to start painting
Developing your skills for a lifelong interest in painting
There you are, standing in front of a painting in a museum or gallery or art fair, and you have the desire to create a work of art. You may have had this feeling for quite some time but you donât know where to start. Or maybe youâve had lessons or a class in the past and it just didnât work out. We know that for many people, learning how to paint is a lifelong goal. And we firmly believe in your ability to reach that goal.
To make a painting or other work of art is to become a part of the cultural expression of your society. It is to create something personal, something of beauty or significance that is your vision alone. We also know that for many people, learning to make art is the best way to gain a true appreciation for the arts. During this process you learn not only to paint but also to see the world around you with an acute sense of perception. You grow to understand the working process of painting and are able to see its evidence right on the surface of a canvas.
If youâve decided to learn to paint and you donât know where to begin, we can help. In this initial chapter, we give you an overview of this book and walk you through the process of learning to paint, step by step. We try to make the process understandable, painless, and fun. Collectively, we have more years of experience than we care to admit, and we know that with patience, we can open up this world to you. Weâre unabashed promoters for learning to make art and weâre very excited to have this opportunity to work with you in this process. Take a few minutes to look over this chapter before you go running off to the art supply store. And get ready for an enjoyable experience.
What Itâs Like to Paint with Oils
Oil paint is made up of pigment, the stuff that gives the paint its color, and oil, which allows it to flow off the brush well and to dry in a slow and measured way. The oil in the paint is usually linseed oil, which dries slowly, but it does dry (unlike mineral oils, which never thoroughly dry). Oil paint dries through chemical action, as opposed to the process of evaporation in water-based liquids. You need to understand this process in order to utilize all the properties of the oil paint to their best advantage.
The great thing about oil paint is that itâs creamy and dries slowly so that you have time to paint an image. You can experiment with brushstrokes, blending new colors, and expressing yourself with a wonderful art medium.
Please be aware that oil paint does have an odor. The smell of oil paint isnât acrid; itâs more of a nutty scent. After youâve been painting for a while and you set up your own studio, the smell of linseed oil when you open the door to your studio in the morning can be very welcoming, but some people can have an allergic reaction or otherwise find it undesirable.
If you suspect that you may have a negative reaction, purchase a tube of inexpensive color and test it. Find an inexpensive color, such as yellow ochre, and take it home. Open the tube, squeeze a dime-sized pool of paint onto a paper plate, and leave it nearby while you watch TV or do another quiet activity. If your eyes become irritated and you wear contacts, try not wearing them while you try the oil paint and be sure to have ventilation in your work area. Some people have a reaction on their skin from the paint; if this is the case, you can use latex gloves.
Also be sure to test the solvent used with oil paint. Purchase a bottle of Gamsol and put it to the same test. If the smell of the solvent is the problem, you can try water-mixable paints such as Max oil paints made by Grumbacker (there are other brands as well). If the oil paint itself bothers you, you may want to try a water-based acrylic paint instead.
Gathering Your Materials
You need to know a few things about oil paints before you buy your paints and supplies, so be sure to familiarize yourself with their general characteristics before firing up your charge card. In this book, we get you started with standard oil paints, but as you shop, you run into odd versions of oil paints, such as the fast-drying alkyd paints or water-mixable oil paints. When you have more experience, experiment with these kinds of oils, but for now, stick with the more-traditional materials.
Some major brands are Daler-Rowney Georgian, Gamblinâs Sketching Oils, Winsor Newtonâs Winton series, Grumbackerâs Academy colors, and Shiva. These brands are all student grade or inexpensive colors and are perfect for the projects in this...