Journey Art Supplies Blog
Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.
The Beginner’s Guide To Oil Painting
These mini art lessons are meant to provide beginners with a starting point into the world of various art mediums and techniques. Since oil painting has been around for hundreds of years and is still such a popular art form today, we decided it was time to select it as one of our topics. In this post, we’ll share what you need to know to get started with oil paints. You’ll learn how to choose the right tools and practice various techniques. Oil Painting Tips For Beginners Oil paints are a popular choice for many artists due to their unique textures, various technique opportunities, and their vibrant colors and hues. They’re similar in consistency to acrylic paints, but because they feature an oil base, they take much longer to dry which allows a painter plenty of time to achieve the effect or look that they want. For someone who’s just starting out, oil painting can seem pretty daunting because there can be many steps to prepare for and complete a painting. But once you become familiar with the process, you’re going to love working with this medium. Here are some of our tips for beginner oil painters – let’s walk through them together. Step 1: Organize Your Space The first step is to make sure you have the right materials and space to work with oil paint. Choose a room with plenty of light, or even head outside for some natural sunshine. When using oil paints (especially indoors), you need to make sure you have good ventilation. You’ll also want to cover the floor with something to protect it from any paint spills. Old sheets or drop cloths work well for this. Step 2: Find the Right Tools Choosing the right tools is a vital step for any oil painter, and the two main supplies you’ll need are paintbrushes and the oil paints themselves. There are many different products available, and they can range in price and quality quite dramatically. As a beginner, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive options, but you still want a few quality pieces to practice with. Once you know this is a medium that you enjoy, you can start investing in the higher-end stuff. Paintbrushes: For oil painting, you can use either natural hair brushes or synthetic brushes. We recommend choosing a small set of three or five brushes of different shapes and sizes to practice with. No matter which brushes you choose, make sure to clean them frequently during your painting process and also when you’re done. Look for oil or acrylic painting brushes, not watercolor brushes, to make sure the bristles are stiff enough to handle the heavier body of oil paints. Rounds, filberts, and flats are useful brush shapes for oil painting. Paints: A palette full of oil colors can be quite expensive, but you don't have to break the bank when it comes to purchasing quality paints. The American Journey Professional Artists’ Oil Color Set is a great option for anyone just starting out, and these paints are also formulated for professionals. Student-grade and poor quality art supplies can greatly hinder learning and progress, so it's worth investing in good paints from the start. If you can't afford an entire set, start with the basic primary colors of red, blue, yellow. You'll also want to add a big tube of white for tinting and mixing colors. From these three colors plus white, you can mix nearly everything else! Palette knives: These handy tools are extremely useful for mixing paints, but palette knives are also extremely useful when painting. Use the tip of the palette knife to scratch in tiny tree branches, or use the side of the knife to push paint and make various shapes and textures. You don't need anything fancy, and with a little bit of care, a cheap set of palette knives can last a lifetime. Oil painting solvents: Traditional oil paints require a solvent to thin the paint and clean brushes. Odorless mineral spirits is always a good choice and can be reused over and over. Always keep it in a lidded jar, work in a ventilated area, and dispose of it and any rags soaked with it safely. Oil painting mediums: You don't need a bunch of mediums to paint with oils. To begin, you likely won't need any, but if you're curious you can try one good basic medium like linseed oil. Linseed oil is mixed with colors to add flow, gloss, and transparency. In lieu of linseed oil, you can also use solvent to thin paint. You'll find it easier to layer and paint over colors if you thin with solvent on the first layers, an oil medium on the middle layers, and straight oil paint on the top layers - a painting technique known as 'fat over lean.' This will greatly reduce or eliminate cracking when drying. Paint palette: Disposable paper palettes are super easy and affordable. They are rugged enough to mix color on, they don't absorb paint, and are easily cleaned off with a palette knife. Simply fold up and safely discard the top layer of paper when you're finished painting, or save any leftover paint on paper palettes by placing it into a sealed container until next time. Placing the container in a freezer will slow down drying. Flat glass or wood palettes also work well for oil painting. Painting surface: Any surface needs to be primed to prevent the chemicals and oils in the paint from damaging or sinking into the surface. The primer also acts as a base coat, offering an additional layer for the oil paint to adhere to. Primed canvas or panels are the most popular oil painting surfaces and are very affordable. You can also reuse them by painting over an existing painting or by sanding and reapplying a gesso primer. Canvas pads are an affordable option and are excellent for sketching with oils, experimenting with mixes, and they also roll up easily for travel. To view our complete collection of supplies, check out our Oil Painting page. Step 3: Practice Techniques Now that you’re more familiar with the tools you need to paint with oils, it’s time to learn some techniques. Many techniques can be applied to oil paints, and the ones you use vary depending on your skill level and personal preference. Below are a few of the most popular ones for beginners that you can practice on your surface. • Underpainting: This refers to both toning the blank surface with an overall color on which to paint, and providing a value foundation to build your painting on. We recommend using thin layers of oil paint mixed with solvent to block in the basic composition of shapes, light, and shadows. • Alla Prima: This is a wet-on-wet technique that involves painting the entire surface without allowing the layers to dry. It speeds up the painting process, so it’s rather popular among artists and works well for painting outdoors or when you want to finish a painting in one sitting. Alla Prima paintings often feature fresh, energetic brushwork. • Scumbling: also known as dry brushing, scumbling is the technique of scrubbing straight oil paint over an area of already dry paint to add visual texture and change the tone or color of the underlying color. The underlying color might even peak through. • Glazing: This technique is essentially the opposite of alla prima, using the same concept but allowing each layer to dry before adding flowing color that's been made transparent with glazing medium over other colors to change their hue and value. This will give your painting a glossy layered look, and you’ll see a visible sheen and texture. • Impasto: This is a popular technique that involves the use of thick, stiff-bodied oil paint or oil with impasto medium added to create interesting surface textures. It’s useful when you want to add highlights, shadows, or depth to a piece, and usually happens in the last layers of the painting. Many artists recommend using palette knives and other painting tools to apply the paint thickly. Step 4: Take It to the Next Level! When you're ready to invest more in your painting set-up, consider one of our easels or taborets. These are extremely popular for supporting your painting surface and also a fantastic way to keep all of your painting supplies close at hand. If you're interested in trying your hand at plein air (outdoor) paintings, you'll also want to invest in a few additional tools like a brush carrier, a portable easel, and a tote or sling pack to carry your supplies. These 'next level' tools are fun and can be extremely useful, but it's important to make sure you enjoy oil painting before making any sort of serious investment. However, if you're like many of us, you'll likely fall in love with the oil painting process and also fall in love with discovering new art supplies almost as much as painting!
The Beginner’s Guide To Oil Painting
These mini art lessons are meant to provide beginners with a starting point into the world of various art mediums and techniques. Since oil painting has been around for hundreds...
Top Deals for Oil Painters
Great news! You can get Black Friday Deals on many items at Cheap Joe's Art Stuff right now rather than waiting until the end of the month. We’re offering the best deals on oil paints, paint sets, supplies, and more. We are always happy to pass on the savings, and make sure you find the best gifts for everyone on your list this year. Read on to find some of our favorite brands for oil painters at the best prices.
Top Deals for Oil Painters
Great news! You can get Black Friday Deals on many items at Cheap Joe's Art Stuff right now rather than waiting until the end of the month. We’re offering the...
Why You Should Use an Art Barrier Cream
Using an art barrier cream can be a wonderful alternative to wearing latex gloves when it comes to protecting yourself from potentially harmful art mediums. Wearing latex gloves while you're making art can be a hassle and sometimes just downright uncomfortable. Some artists don't like having to restrict their use of certain art mediums to protect their health, as it can hinder their personal expression or limit what they can create.That’s why we think the best solution is using art barrier cream! Barrier cream is the easiest, most convenient, and safest way to continue to use your pastels and oils. It protects you and it also makes it possible to work with a wider array of art supplies! Where Should You Apply an Art Barrier Cream? Barrier cream is a heavy lotion that should be applied to your hands and wrists before working with any pastels or oil paints. Artist hand creams, or barrier creams, serve as a protective layer or a “second skin” for your hands while you’re working with mediums like pastels and oil paints. You should re-apply throughout the day, especially after washing your hands. We recommend using Winsor and Newton Artguard Barrier Cream, which is available on our products page! This cream has a lightweight, non-greasy formula, and absorbs into your skin like a moisturizer. It won’t feel uncomfortable or sticky on your hands while you work. And at the end of the day, simply wash the cream off with soap and water. Using Artguard Barrier Cream is an easy and comfortable way to protect your hands and your health. What Does Art Barrier Cream Protect Against? Art barrier creams protect your skin against harmful toxins in art mediums in the same way sunscreen protects your skin against the absorption of harmful ultra-violet rays. They simply create a physical barrier to keep hazards away from the surface of your skin. No hobby comes without hazards, and art is no exception to that rule. Unfortunately, these risks are not widely known in the art community. This puts artists at risk of hurting themselves without even knowing it. Certain colors of pastels and oil paints are made with hazardous elements like cobalt, cadmium, and magnesium. If these toxins get absorbed into your skin, they can have a detrimental effect on your health. Protection in the form of artist hand cream works well as a barrier for your hands and skin. So keep your art barrier cream close and apply it often as you continue to create incredible works of art!
Why You Should Use an Art Barrier Cream
Using an art barrier cream can be a wonderful alternative to wearing latex gloves when it comes to protecting yourself from potentially harmful art mediums. Wearing latex gloves while you're...
Oil Painting Tips for Those New to Oils
Hello Artists, beginners and experts alike! This week, our blog post is inspired by a request from Tanya M. Nevin of Van Gough's Ear Paint Studio (check out her work!). She recently inherited a ton of oil paints from her late father, also an artist. Tanya has been painting with acrylics for over twenty-five years and she's not quite sure how to transition into working with oils. Well, Tanya and I are actually in the same predicament! I've never really used oil paints heavily either. So, what do we do when we don't know what to do? I start by asking questions of others that do. I was all to happy to take this opportunity to research the fascinating world of beginner oil painting and share the top 5 oil painting tips I found most helpful. Let's dive in and learn some great first-time oil painting tips together, shall we? 1. Prepare Your Painting Space Oil paints themselves and the solvents you will need to clean brushes with will come with strong scents; as such, you'll want the space you'll be painting in a well-ventilated area. If possible, make sure there is also plenty of room to keep all the items you need in reach and ready, like mediums, painting surfaces, turpentine, brushes, paints, etc. If possible, you may want to make sure your oil painting space is entirely separate from your acrylics or watercolors. In some cases, it's incredibly easy to grab a tube of Opera Rose watercolor instead of oil because the tubes look very similar. 2. Slow and Steady There's nothing more exciting than trying something new and learning a new art medium. However, it can frequently go from exciting to overwhelming very quickly if you jump right into trying to get all the colors, brushes, canvasses, etc. There's no shame in starting small and slowly. It's always good to start with a small painting surface and a limited paint palette to experience the way the paint applies and feels on the brush and how mixing it differs from other mediums you are familiar with. If you're looking for an excellent budget option, did you know that Gamblin creates a free paint called Torrit Grey? Torrit Grey is Gamblin's solution to ensuring high-quality pigments that float in the air of their factories and get filtered away from workers to keep them safe. To keep the environment safe, Gamblin re-uses these pigments to create a one-of-a-kind color tube of grey. Each shade of grey is different, and they also run an annual contest that artists can enter for a chance to win free stuff. 3. Prime your Surface If you don't have some Joe's Prime Stretched Cotton Canvas or Joe's Prime Cotton Canvas Rolls, which are 100% cotton duck that has all been pre-primed for painting with oils, you will absolutely need to prime your surface. Why? Oil paints have oils in them, and when you paint with them on an unprimed surface, the oils begin separating from the paint. Once they separate, they start seeping into an unprimed canvas, wood, or paper and can quickly ruin the piece of art you've worked so hard to create. Luckily, at Cheap Joe's, not only can you get pre-primed surfaces, but you can get highly budget-friendly primer options like our Joe's Prime Really Good Gesso, which starts at $3.59 for an 8 oz jar and can be used to prime for oils and acrylics. 4. "Thick over Thin?" "Fat over Lean?" Have you discovered the phrase "fat over lean" when researching oil painting tips yet, but have no idea what that means? These phrases refer to the layers in which you should try and paint with oils. Thinner paints with less oil for the bottom, or first play, then thicker, more oily paints go over the thinner layer. This ensures your painting dries at the correct rate. If your painting dries at the incorrect rate, you could have cracking. To make paint 'fatter' or oilier, you add more oil to it, and to make it 'leaner' or thinner, you add a solvent such as turpentine or a fast-drying medium. This helps each layer absorb oil from the layer above it evenly. If you didn't know it already, certain colors are known to have faster drying times too, and they can be incorporated into your lower layers. Paints that contain Cobalt, Manganese, and Lead can be added to other paints to speed up the drying process. On the other hand, certain paints are known for drying slowly, such as Quinacridones, and should be avoided on lower layers. 5. Keep Clean Oil paints, like many art mediums, can get extremely messy. In some cases, depending on the ingredients, oil paints can be pretty toxic if ingested or absorbed into your skin—but don't let that frighten you! It's all about keeping your work area and self as clean and organized as possible (and out of reach of children and pets) while learning how to dispose of everything responsibly and adequately. Paints, mediums, palettes, and anything else with oil paint should be disposed of in or at a Hazardous Waste Facility. Rags, paper towels, and items with less mess on them can be contained in a glass jar or a fire-safe trash container. But the containers must be fire safe because oil paints and solvents are highly flammable, and they could spontaneously combust when drying out! Hopefully, these five beginner tips will help you transition into your new oil paints, Tanya! I can't wait to see what you learn and all you can do! Good luck and good painting!
Oil Painting Tips for Those New to Oils
Hello Artists, beginners and experts alike! This week, our blog post is inspired by a request from Tanya M. Nevin of Van Gough's Ear Paint Studio (check out her...
A Simple Plein Air Oil Painting Set Up
When I began painting landscapes again, I wanted a minimal plein air oil painting kit that I could grab and go that wouldn't take forever to set up. Here's my simple plein air oil painting equipment list:
A Simple Plein Air Oil Painting Set Up
When I began painting landscapes again, I wanted a minimal plein air oil painting kit that I could grab and go that wouldn't take forever to set up. Here's my...
Featured Artist: Erin Berrett, Contemporary Rea...
Ampersand Gessobord artist Erin Berrett is a contemporary realism oil painter best known for her still-lifes. Some of her favorites are meaningful commissions that have sweet or fun and quirky backstories. Ampersand checked in with Berrett and asked her to share some of her most memorable commissions and the stories behind the paintings
Featured Artist: Erin Berrett, Contemporary Rea...
Ampersand Gessobord artist Erin Berrett is a contemporary realism oil painter best known for her still-lifes. Some of her favorites are meaningful commissions that have sweet or fun and quirky...
Interview with Landscape Painter Jane Hunt, by ...
Learn more about artist Jane Hunt's evocative impressionistic landscape paintings on Gessobord panels in this interview by Ampersand. Her sweeping landscapes skillfully merge a sense of immense wonderment with a tranquil feeling of warm familiarity
Interview with Landscape Painter Jane Hunt, by ...
Learn more about artist Jane Hunt's evocative impressionistic landscape paintings on Gessobord panels in this interview by Ampersand. Her sweeping landscapes skillfully merge a sense of immense wonderment with a...
Spring Art Swap!
Hi, everyone! It was a great week over here at Cheap Joe's headquarters! For a little over a month now, our employees have been working diligently to create a one-of-a-kind work of art to be swapped for another unique piece made by a fellow employee! Well, today was the day of the swap, and I am extremely excited to show you the products of some of the amazing artists we have here! The theme, of course, was "spring"--but we encouraged the participants to interpret that however they pleased OR go in a different direction entirely. After all, art knows no bounds! In alphabetical order: Artwork by Alex Skala, retail associate at our Charlotte location. Artwork by Alicia Orlando, a member of our Distribution Center team. Artwork by Aly Perez, manager of our Asheville Retail Store. Artwork by Amanda Chapman, manager of our Boone Outlet Store. Artwork by Annabelle Prince, manager of our Charlotte Retail Store. Artwork by Becky Stines, part of our receiving gang. (This is the panel I got!) Artwork by Bri Stoehr, one of the retail associates in our Asheville location. Artwork by Brian Dubberly, our Marketing Manager. Alicia Orlando also created this piece, on behalf of a new employee in the Distribution Center named Bryan Elrod. Artwork by Byron Cook, our Web Developer is in charge of the entire Cheap Joe's website! Artwork by Carlee Hudson (that's me!), marketing assistant/copywriter/blogger extraordinaire. Artwork by Christy Firk, one of the retail associates in our Asheville location. Artwork by Danie Firth, one of the retail associates at our Charlotte location. Artwork by Dawn Hill, roommate to one of our Call Center gurus, Tammy Guilford. Artwork by Derrick Fowler, one of our Call Center gurus. Artwork by Edwina May, our Workshop Coordinator. Artwork by Erin Guffey, one of our graphic designers, who works on our seasonal sale flyers and orchestrates these art swaps! Artwork by Jacob Woehler, one of the retail associates at our Asheville Location. And here's the back of Jacob's--we're a silly bunch :) Artwork by Jana Smith, another member of our receiving gang. Artwork by Janalee Burke, part of our Distribution Center team. Artwork by Jane Laferla, one of the retail associates at our Asheville location. Artwork by Kevin Brown, one of the retail associates at our Charlotte Location. Artwork by Kevin Bryan, part of our Distribution Center team. Artwork by Lauren Murrell, another retail associate at our Charlotte location. Artwork by Linda Greenup, a retail associate at our Asheville location. Artwork by Lori Inman, the other marketing assistant, in charge of finding awesome new products. Artwork by Luke Russell, one of the retail associates at our Charlotte location. Artwork by Megan Hart, Content/SEO Management Artwork by Meghann Miller Williams, in charge of promotional donations. Artwork by Michael White, part of the Distribution Center team. Artwork by Michelle Dineen, one of our Call Center gurus. Artwork by Phillip Church, part of our Distribution Center team. Artwork by Sally Garner, one of the retail associates in our Asheville location. Artwork by Tammy Guilford, one of our Call Center gurus. Artwork by Taylor Bowers, marketing. Artwork by Terry Henry, part of the graphics team. Artwork by Tippy Kleinman, one of the retail associates in our Boone Outlet Store. And last but certainly not least, Web Alexander, manager/guru supreme of the Call Center.
Spring Art Swap!
Hi, everyone! It was a great week over here at Cheap Joe's headquarters! For a little over a month now, our employees have been working diligently to create a one-of-a-kind...
A New Jewel in the Cheap Joe's Crown!
Hey, everybody! Crazy things have been happening in the Cheap Joe's world: namely, we opened a brand new store in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina I was part of the team who worked diligently to get everything up and running ASAP for the townsfolk, who have badly wanted an art supplies store--so much so that they even started a Bring Cheap Joe's Art Stuff to Asheville page on Facebook! Well, we heard those pleas and made it happen! And I wanted to share some photos of the journey with you guys: Very early stages, just getting basic fixtures put in. And there's Aly and David, the managers of the Boone Outlet and the Asheville stores! Reduce, reuse, recycle: these planks of wood are actually pieces of pallets that we receive deliveries on, but we knew we could use them for something creative, like an accent wall! Soon, these will be covered in stacks of canvas and watercolor paper! Here's Brian, our Marketing Manager, building a big front desk for our new employees! Then he added a big, sturdy, concrete top and continued the pallets motif! Finally! We can start loading in merchandise! The very first product placed! Bunches and bunches of sketchbooks! Sorting and finding a place for everything! (Natasha, who works in inventory, doesn't like having her picture taken...) Look at all those easels! And the finished pallet wall! So...much...canvas! Coming along nicely! Our brush section! A few finishing touches...and we were ready to open! Come down and visit us! The address is: 829 Riverside Dr Ste 120 Asheville, NC 28804 And the local number is 828-232-8391 We can't wait to see you!
A New Jewel in the Cheap Joe's Crown!
Hey, everybody! Crazy things have been happening in the Cheap Joe's world: namely, we opened a brand new store in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina I was part of the team...
I'll Take Mine Glazed
Oh, sure, I love those Krispy Kremes as much as the next person and I take mine glazed, too! (Especially, when the HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW sign is on! Yum Yum!) But, today I’m talking about the painting technique referred to as Glazing.
I'll Take Mine Glazed
Oh, sure, I love those Krispy Kremes as much as the next person and I take mine glazed, too! (Especially, when the HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW sign is on! Yum Yum!) But, today...
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Recent Posts
Recent Posts
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The Beginner’s Guide To Oil Painting October 04, 2024 -
Top Deals for Oil Painters November 28, 2022 -
A Simple Plein Air Oil Painting Set Up May 27, 2022 -
Featured Artist: Erin Berrett, Contemporary Realism Oil Painter December 07, 2021 -
Interview with Landscape Painter Jane Hunt, by Ampersand December 06, 2021
Recent Posts
-
The Beginner’s Guide To Oil Painting October 04, 2024
-
Top Deals for Oil Painters November 28, 2022
-
A Simple Plein Air Oil Painting Set Up May 27, 2022
-
Featured Artist: Erin Berrett, Contemporary Realism Oil Painter December 07, 2021
-
Interview with Landscape Painter Jane Hunt, by Ampersand December 06, 2021