Oil paint
Oil paint for all techniques and levels: discover the wide collection of well-known brands, including Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Paint in intense, lightfast colours. Thick with visible brushstrokes or heavily thinned, anything is possible with our paints and painting mediums.
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FAQ oil paint
The technical properties of oil paint
The rule ""fat over lean"" (also read: flexible over less flexible) should be followed when building up a painting in multiple layers. The application of this rule is important for the adhesion of the paint layers to each other. The underlying layer must always be absorbent enough to allow the next layer of paint to adhere.
Alla prima means that the painting is painted 'wet-on-wet'. In this technique, the colours are mixed not only on the palette but also on the painting itself. Painting will therefore have to be done quickly; no colour should dry in before the painting is completed. With this technique the paint can be thinned with the same thinner each time, or the paint can be used pure. If diluent is used, a good painting medium will achieve the most durable result.
Whether a painting is painted wet-on-wet or in layers, a glaze can be applied as a final layer. A glaze is a transparent layer of paint whose effect can be compared to that of a coloured sheet of glass placed on a particular picture: the picture does not change, the colours do.
Impasto is a painting technique in which paint is applied to the artwork in very thick layers. By using impasto technique, a paint layer with a lot of relief can be created. It can be done with a painting knife or a brush.
Using oil paint on various surfaces
As neither oil paint nor acrylic paint (also Gesso) adhere well to metal, the panel should first be treated with an adhesive primer or wash primer for metal. This is an industrial product that you can buy in a hardware store. After drying, lightly sand the primer. If the metal can then be seen through the layer, apply a second layer and sand this one lightly after drying as well. For optimum adhesion of the final paint, a layer of Gesso should be applied on top. The preparation is now suitable for both acrylic and oil paint adhesion.
In principle, any surface is suitable, provided it is prepared correctly. The most common surfaces are cotton, linen, synthetic fibre, (wooden) panels, cardboard and paper. The surfaces supplied by Talens are already prepared. There is a choice of cotton or linen stretched canvas, cotton, linen, cotton/rayon and polyester on rolls and canvas boards. Stretched canvas boards are available in many sizes, cotton, linen and mixed fibres on rolls in various qualities.
A porous preparation is a prerequisite for good adhesion. The oil penetrates the pores and after drying forms 'anchors' in the surface, with which the paint film adheres. Link Optimal preparation.
Specific Oil Paint Properties
As a binder, linseed oil has proven to have the best combination of properties over the centuries. Because linseed oil shows a certain degree of yellowing over time, particularly for white paint, linseed oil is also sometimes replaced by safflower oil. This oil yellows less, but also has disadvantages: it dries more slowly. Safflower oil is therefore not suitable for pasty use and in undercoats. Safflower oil-based white is most commonly used in top coats.
This does occur and is called 'binder separation'. This happens particularly if there is air in the tube. If desired, the oil can be mixed back into the paint, or sucked away with a tissue, for example.
On tubes, labels and colour cards the lightfastness of Royal Talens products is indicated by the following symbols: +++ = at least 100 years lightfast under museum conditions ++ = at least 25 - 100 years lightfast under museum conditions + = at least 10 - 25 years lightfast under museum conditions º = at least 0 - 10 years lightfast under museum conditions These lightfastnesses have been tested under museum conditions.
Drying Times of Oil Paint
Depending on the layer thickness and type of pigment, the paint film is hand-dry in about one to six weeks. Fully drying the film takes about six months to one year, and even several years for very thick layers.
Oil paint dry under the influence of oxygen, heat and light. To promote drying, there should therefore be sufficient ventilation and light and the room should be at room temperature. Furthermore, drying can be accelerated by adding a siccative or quick-drying medium to the paint.
The so-called ""wrinkling"" of the paint can occur in thick layers with certain colours, especially cobalt, madder and earth colours. The cause lies in the type of pigment and the resulting composition of the paint. This wrinkling can be prevented by mixing the paint with Painting Paste (096), also called ""painter's butter"". A mixing ratio of 1:1 is sufficient. The colour and consistency of the paint remain the same, but oxygen now has easier access to the paint inside.
Oil Paint Mediums and Thinners
Whether to use a medium depends on the technique followed. (Read more about this in our blog "Using mediums with oil and acrylic paints")
Oil paint can be thinned with white spirit or turpentine.
Cobra water mixable oil paint is pure oil paint and can be thinned with solvents such as white spirit and turpentine. Mixing with traditional oil paints presents no problems. Note: the paint is then no longer water mixable.
This is not recommended. Due to the lack of dry raw materials, Amsterdam Acrylic Binder dries to a very closed film in which the oil finds it difficult to adhere.
Provisional final varnish may be applied after about 2 - 3 months. Link to text on "Using retouching varnish"
Maintenance and Troubleshooting
How long must a painting dry before a final varnish can be applied?
Oil paint do not adhere well to a closed layer of acrylic paint. So you cannot paint an acrylic painting first and then paint over it with oil. However, there are some methods that can be followed to get an optimal result: -Thin the acrylic paint with water and make a thin underpainting on a universally prepared support. There is now less acrylic resin per painted surface. Once the water has evaporated, the paint film is porous enough for the oil paint to adhere to the layer of acrylic paint. -For the underpainting, use Gesso instead of white acrylic paint when mixing the colours. Each colour should be mixed with enough Gesso to allow adhesion of the oil paint.
This cannot be avoided and is caused by a combination of the colour used, the type and amount of thinner added and the absorption of the substrate. During painting, "sunken-in" spots may appear: the paint dulls, the intensity of the colour diminishes. Gloss differences can be adjusted with retouching varnish. Link to retouching varnish.
If the cap is completely stuck, the tube can be held under hot water. The heat makes the paint more flexible. This works for acrylics as well as oil paint, water colours, gouache, etc.
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