Get to Know Oil Paints with Us

Today, we’ll explain how oil paints work, what the different labels on paint tubes mean, and how to choose the right paints.

Let’s start with a little chemistry and physics. These exact sciences are an essential part of the art world, even if you might not think so at first. After all, art is such an abstract concept. But everything around us is governed by rules and laws, and the same is true of oil paints and pigments.

Light and Color

Light is a collection of energy particles (photons) that travel in waves. Sensors in the human eye can detect certain wavelengths, and the human brain interprets these wavelengths as different colors.

When light made up of all detectable wavelengths reaches the eye, the human brain interprets it as white or yellowish-white. Colors are a distinctive feature of human vision.

Pigment

A pigment is a substance or material that absorbs some wavelengths and reflects others.

For example, chlorophyll is a pigment found in plants and is essential for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll pigment absorbs many wavelengths but reflects the wavelengths that our brain interprets as green. That’s why we see plants as if they were green.

In other words, a pigment is a substance that changes the color of light by selectively absorbing wavelengths.

Oil Paints

Oil paints are pigments (dry powder) mixed with a binder, usually linseed oil. When linseed oil comes into contact with oxygen in the air, the oxidation process begins (the absorption of oxygen atoms), along with polymerization (oil molecules react to form polymers and join together into larger molecules of the same kind).

Types of Oil Paint

Oil paints are usually a mixture of oil with one pure pigment or a mixture of several pigments, but there are other types too:

Hue

The word Hue on a paint tube means that the pigment used IS NOT the actual pigment. Sometimes, when a pigment is toxic or expensive, a combination of other pigments can produce a similar result in a safer or less expensive way. This is a kind of imitation of the original pigment.

Cadmium, for example, is toxic and rare in nature, so it is no longer used to make paints and pigments today.

Lake

The word Lake on a paint tube can indicate, for example, the use of a colorant made from solid materials obtained by grinding minerals. In some cases, these oil paints may be less lightfast. The lightfastness of a pigment or colorant means that it is resistant to direct light and determines how long it takes for the paint to fade.

How to Choose Oil Paints

Most major oil paint brands have at least two quality grades of paint:

Student grade - Paints with more filler material in addition to pigments and oil. This makes them less expensive. These oil paints are suitable for practice and initial experimentation.
Artist grade - Professional-level oil paints cost more because they contain more pigment.

If oil has separated out at the top when you open a new tube of oil paint, this is usually a good sign. It may mean that the tube contains only pigments and oil mixed together. Some brands add a binder to the mixture, which makes the oil paint less fluid.

How to Paint in Layers

How Oil Paint Dries

Thinners and turpentine are evaporating substances. Mixing oil paints with thinner speeds up their drying because the mixture contains less oil. When painting in layers, each new layer will contain a little more oil.

The top layer of paint can slightly block air from reaching the lower layer, slowing down the drying process. In this situation, the top layer hardens before the bottom layer. When the bottom layer eventually hardens, it can damage the hard top layer, which may crack.

The top layer should therefore be more oily, which means it will dry more slowly. The bottom layer should be thinner, contain less oil, and be applied more thinly so it hardens faster. Oil can also make a layer more flexible, making it less likely to crack.

Basic Terms in Color Theory

Color (Hue) - The name of a color group, such as red, green, blue, etc. Mixing different amounts of black or white with a particular pigment creates different shades.
Saturation - A pure or intense shade.
Brightness - How dark or light a color (shade) is.
Tone - Mixing different amounts of gray with a particular shade creates different tones.

Oil Paints and Toxicity

Some pigments are toxic, such as cobalt and cadmium, and in some cases it is best to wear gloves. Always wash your hands before touching food.

Now that you know the basic terms and understand the principles of painting with oil paints, it’s time to get yourself some oil paints. In the next blog post, we’ll look at mixing oil paints together and go over the basics of painting with them. Until then, I wish you lots of inspiration and enthusiasm for painting!

Best,

your Majka.