Oil Painting for Beginners: How to Get Started with Oil Paints

Oil paints are often seen as paints for experienced artists, but getting started with them is not difficult. Their big advantage is that they dry slowly, giving you time to mix shades right on the canvas, make corrections, and build up layers. In this guide, you’ll find out what you need and how to paint your first picture with oil paints, step by step.

Is Oil Painting Suitable for Beginners?

Yes. Oil paints dry slowly, so you can correct mistakes and refine color transitions even an hour later. You just need to get used to thinners and to the fact that a finished painting takes longer to dry than acrylics. If you’re not sure which to choose, compare the differences between oil paints and acrylic paints.

What Do You Need to Paint with Oil Paints?

• Oil paints – to get started, a set of oil paints with 12 to 24 shades is a better choice. You’ll find an overview of the ranges in the oil paints category.
• Brushes – flat brushes with stiffer bristles in several sizes work best. You can also use a palette knife for thick layers.
• Thinner or turpentine for thinning the first layers and cleaning brushes, and linseed oil for softening the paint. You’ll find them in the oil painting supplies category.
• Palette, a cloth, and a gesso-primed canvas, either cotton or linen.

How to Paint with Oil Paints Step by Step

1. Sketch. Lightly draw the main shapes with a pencil or thinned paint.
2. Underpainting. Paint the first layer with paint thinned with turpentine or thinner. Keep it thin, and it will dry faster.
3. Apply further layers using the fat-over-lean rule. Each new layer should contain more oil and less thinner than the previous one. Otherwise, the paint may crack over time. Read more in the article Turpentine or Linseed Oil.
4. Add details and highlights at the end. For textured strokes, try impasto.
5. Let the painting dry in a well-ventilated place.

How Long Does an Oil Painting Take to Dry, and When Should You Varnish It?

A thin layer is usually dry to the touch in a few days, while thick layers can take weeks. Apply the final varnish, which protects the painting from dust and dirt, only once the painting is completely dry. Schmincke recommends waiting at least 8 to 12 months.

How to Clean Brushes After Using Oil Paints

First rinse the brushes in thinner or turpentine, then wash them with soap and water. A gentler option is the Schmincke Eco Brush Cleaner, which also dissolves dried paint residue.

Can You Paint with Oils Without Turpentine?

Yes, with water-mixable oil paints, which you can thin and clean off your tools with water. For more about pigments, paint types, and tube markings, see the article Understanding Oil Paints.