Why Learn Oil Painting?

Oil painting is a great pathway into painting for beginners. Oil paints can seem intimidating, but with instruction and plenty of practice, you’ll find yourself able to create long-lasting, beautiful artwork. Oil paints are considered an easier medium to use than other types of paints because they have a slow drying time. This allows you to easily fix mistakes after making them because the paint will be wet and malleable for quite a while. 

There are many benefits to learning to paint with oil colors. Oil painting can help you develop a greater sense of patience, regulate your emotions, and increase your self-confidence. Here, you’ll learn more about the different ways that you can benefit from oil painting and how it can improve your life. Regardless of your overall goals in learning how to oil paint, whether it be to learn a relaxing hobby or to create pieces of art that can be displayed, learning oil painting can be a valuable and impressive skill to learn. 

What is Oil Painting?

The first use of oil colors has been traced back to the 7th century CE, in a cave located in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Oil colors were officially used for painting during the 11th century by Europeans, By the 15th century, artists were easel painting with oil colors. Well-known artists throughout history have been associated with oil painting, like Leonardo de Vinci and Diego Velázquez. Oil paintings have been highly regarded within the fine arts partly because of the renowned works that make use of oil colors. 

Oil paints are made by mixing powdered pigments and drying oil, which acts as a binder. Different types of drying oils are used in the process of making oil paints. The type of binder can affect the consistency and color of the paint. The presence of oil in the paints results in a thicker and heavier medium than water-based paint. 

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Oil paintings are highly regarded partially because of the number of popular paintings that have been made using oil colors. These paintings have lasted the test of time thanks to the durability of oil paints. Oil colors produce a smoother and glossier finish, which is noticeable even in very old paintings. Oil paints also form a hard enamel on your painting surface, which makes it more resistant to damage from stains, scratches, and fingerprints than other mediums. The thickness of the paint also ensures that it’s long-lasting. 

Benefits of Learning Oil Painting?

Oil painting is a great activity for new and experienced painters. Because oil paints are so forgiving of mistakes, they’re easy to use for beginners, who have little to no prior experience, and expert painters who may know of different painting techniques. 

When learning how to oil paint, you’ll learn about a popular technique called alla prima. Alla prima is also known as wet-on-wet painting. This is when you apply paint to a wet surface without letting any layers dry beforehand. This technique is considered challenging by some, but is rewarding to learn, as it allows you to complete a painting in one sitting and can help you capture evasive lighting in your work. Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet were both known for using this method. 

Aside from learning techniques mastered by great painters, oil painting offers several other benefits. Hobbyists take up oil painting as a form of relaxation. Oil painting can help increase your patience levels, regulate your emotions, and increase your self-confidence. 

Increase Patience 

Oil paints are thick and heavy, resulting in longer drying times. Oil paintings are completed in layers, which can make oil painting especially time-consuming. When oil painting, you must either wait for your layers to dry to continue or use the alla prima method. Regardless of the technique you use, in the end, you’ll also have to wait for your painting to fully dry. Oil painting is therefore an exercise in patience. 

There are several oil painting classes offered in the New York City area that will walk you through oil painting. These classes are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Taking an oil painting class is one way to work on your patience. There are multi-session classes that will require you to wait for another session to continue your project. 

One River School, located in Englewood, New Jersey offers an adult painting class for beginners. This class is four sessions long and led by an expert instructor. During class, you’ll work on creating a piece of your choice of subject matter while learning how to master oil painting techniques like underpainting, glazing, chiaroscuro, palette knife painting, and action painting. 

For practice with the alla prima method, sign up for Chelsea Classical Studio’s Long Pose Figure Drawing and Painting class. This class, located in Manhattan, will provide a live model whom you will paint. The class is centered around the alla prima approach and emphasizes good draftsmanship, values, and color.

Regulate Emotions

Painting is done by some hobbyists to regulate their emotions. Painting has been found to reduce anxiety and stress when done as a therapeutic exercise. Oil painting requires you to pay close attention to detail and focuses on the work in front of you. Exercising your creativity like this is a great distraction from the stressors in your life. Many people have commented on the relaxation benefits they’ve experienced after taking up painting. 

There are free-paint classes that might appeal to you if you’re looking to learn oil painting to help destress. These classes typically allow you to paint something of your choosing under guidance rather than instruction. Someone will be present to answer questions that you have, but these classes are intended to provide you with a stress-free environment to work on your projects. 

Those in the Santa Monica area can look forward to Santa Monica College’s class, Paint Anything. This beginner-level class encourages participants to explore a variety of mediums, including oil paint. 

The Art Studio in Westminster, California also offers a stress-free weekly drawing and painting class open to adults and teenagers. An expert instructor will be on hand to answer any questions you have and provide feedback. You’ll have the opportunity to choose the medium you’d like to use, your subject, and the project size. 

Improve Self Confidence 

Oil painting is a rewarding activity. Working toward creating a finished piece of art can help boost your self-confidence. When working on a project, you’ll see the painting go from start to finish; from a blank canvas to one that you can hang in your home, your office, or even in a studio. 

Oil painting is highly respected by those in the fine arts and has gained appreciation among the general public thanks to the well-renowned oil paintings that hang in museums. Oil paintings have developed a positive reputation and well-produced high-quality oil paintings tend to sell higher than other mediums of the same quality. Knowing that you’re following the steps of master painters can inspire confidence and encourage you to exercise the boundaries of your creativity. 

Painting novices can learn how to paint by taking the New York School of the Arts’ class, Introduction to Painting Techniques. This Manhattan-based class will teach you the basic concepts and techniques to create an oil painting. As part of this class, you’ll visit a local museum, attend lectures, and receive critiques of your work. 

You can learn more about the techniques used by the Old Masters (celebrated European painters from before 1880) through the New York School of the Arts’ class, Classical Painting Techniques. This class will focus on old yet useful techniques like grisaille, alla prima, and underpainting. There’s a supply list posted on the class page that will inform you of the supplies you’ll need to purchase before the first session.

How to Start Learning Oil Painting

One of the most thorough ways to learn oil painting is by taking an oil painting class. There are in-person and online oil painting classes on CourseHorse that you can enroll in. These instructor-led classes will walk you through the basics of oil painting as you work on a project. Classes focus on a variety of oil painting techniques and are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Once you understand the foundations of oil painting and have gained experience, you can take more difficult-level classes. 

In-person classes are a great way to socialize with others in your community that have an interest in oil painting. These interactive classes will allow you to witness in-depth demonstrations and hands-on experience. Most in-person classes will provide you with the materials you need, but some may direct you toward a supply list that informs you of the materials you’ll need to procure and bring to class. 

Aartwerk Studio in Chicago offers an introduction to acrylic and oil painting. This mixed-medium class teaches you the fundamentals of painting with acrylic and oil paints. You’ll also receive an introduction to color theory and composition. During the oil painting section of the course, your instructor will guide you through safely using and manipulating oil paints. Once you have registered for the class, the instructor will email you information about the needed materials. 

Art on 30th, located in San Diego, offers the class Paint Like Van Gogh to painters of all skill levels. An expert painter will walk you step-by-step through the process necessary to create paintings similar to those of Vincent van Gogh. You’ll color mix to find his color palette, learn how to apply thick and expressive brushstrokes, and create movement on your canvas. During the class, you’ll work on recreating the famous Starry Night. 

The Art School of SF Bay offers the class, Oil Painting, Old Masters Technique at their San Francisco location. You’ll learn the technique mastered by painters of the 17th century in this class, from grisaille underpainting to glazing. You’ll walk away from this class having learned a technique that can be applied to any genre of realistic painting.

Online oil painting classes provide a flexible learning option for those who can’t attend an in-person class. These classes are taught by experts over a video conferencing platform like Zoom. You can take your class from the comfort of your home or office, which eliminates the need to commute for an in-person class. 

Pastimes for a Lifetime is currently hosting a water-soluble oil painting class for all skill levels. This alternative to traditional oil paints is great for those looking to learn how to use non-toxic oil colors. Oil painting can be hazardous when solvents are used incorrectly. Some people also experience allergies when oil painting. This class will teach you the basics for mixing water-soluble oil colors and bush techniques. Before taking this class, you must complete one of the prerequisites listed on the course page. 

Before deciding whether to take an in-person or online class, you should first see if any in-person classes are taught in your area. You should then consider your learning style. If you do better in a traditional classroom setting, then in-person classes are probably best for you. It’s likely that these classes will provide you with the necessary materials as well. 

If you are comfortable in an online learning environment and your home or office has a stable internet connection, then online classes are probably the best course delivery option for you. These classes eliminate the need to commute, which can be helpful if you have a busy schedule. However, you need to factor in additional costs for online classes because you’ll need to purchase all necessary materials or a materials kit. 

Key Takeaways

• Oil colors gained popularity because of their quality and longevity. 
• Oil painting is an attractive medium to beginners because of its long drying time, which allows for mistakes to be corrected more easily than with other mediums. 
• Learning to oil paint can increase your patience, help regulate your emotions, and increase your self-confidence. 
• There are in-person and online oil painting classes available on CourseHorse that can teach you the foundations of oil painting and popular techniques. 
• You can contact CourseHorse to find out about more options or online and in-person training, including private group sessions.