Week 21: Oil Paint
Welcome to week 21 of 52 weeks of art! What are we doing this week?
So, this week we are using oil paints. When I think of oil paints, I picture all the old masters of art. I picture all of these amazingly talented artists from the past. Oil paint always reminds me of "fine art". I don't imagine modern day artists using oil paint - which I know is ridiculous. I know that people still paint with oils! But I still think of it as an old world art medium. I know, I know, it makes no sense, but it is what it is. Here's some examples of amazing oil paintings.
For our collaboration we used water based oil paints. Water based oil paints work just like the classic oil paints, but without all the hassle. Like the name says, they are easily cleaned up with water. Also, there's no paint thinner which means there's no chemical smell. You don't need to be painting in a well ventilated area. You want to thin the paint? Just add water! You got paint on your hands? Just use water - or baby wipes!
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| Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer |
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| Ballerina by Edgar Degas |
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| Irises by Van Gogh |
I'm not an oil painter. I have only ever painted with oils once before - years ago in college. When Rebecca suggested we use water based oil paints I was skeptical. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I thought for sure the paint would not be at all like your classic, smelly, oil paints. But, to my surprise, it was exactly the same. They paint the same, they look the same. I'd say you'd have a hard time telling the difference between water based and non water based.
I have mentioned this before, and I will most likely mention this again, but I am a very impatient person. I hate waiting around for paint to dry. That's probably why I like pens so much - no dry time! So, painting with oil was a study in patience for me. I had to paint wet on wet. I had to carefully plan out my painting. It was a lot more than I'm used to for painting.
We had our collaboration on Wednesday. Today is Friday. My painting is STILL wet. I wasn't able to get a lot of pictures of it. I was worried about ruining it, so I didn't move it.
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| Here's my STILL WET oil painting. |
On to rating oil paint...
Just a reminder on the criteria for rating each medium.
Ease of use: How easy was this medium to use.
Affordability: How affordable supplies are for each medium.
Accessibility: How easily accessible supplies are for each medium. Example, are specific tools required that are hard to find?
Fun to Use: How much enjoyment I got out of using this medium
So, for oil paint, my rating is: 13
Ease of use: 3
I won't say that oil painting is hard, but I won't say it's easy either. I think if you are interested in trying out oil painting, you should definitely find someone to show you how to use them. Find a teacher or find some YouTube videos. It's really easy to just turn your painting into a big mess if you don't know what you're doing.
Affordability: 2
You can get a cheap set of water based oil paints for $20. Artists quality paints are going to be a lot more. Then you need brushes and canvas. I would say that if you're buying all new supplies to try out oil painting, you're looking at spending around $50. So, no, getting in to oil painting isn't cheap.
Accessibility: 5
Water based oil paints are a lot easier to find these days. You should be able to find them in your local arts and crafts store. And, of course, you can buy them at any art supply store or online.
Fun to Use: 3
This was a fun medium to use. It would have been more fun if I was a more patient person. I think if you really want to feel like a "real artist" you should give oil painting a try. Just remember, no matter what medium you use, you are always an artist.
If you would like to go on this epic art adventure with me, next week we will be doing...
If you choose to follow along, please post your work using #52weekartadventure!
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