One of the most interesting hobbies which you can probably take is oil painting. It is considered to be the most flexible of all painting mediums, and that is because you can apply many different oil painting techniques in this artwork. In addition to its own flexibility, oil painting techniques can also be applied on different types of canvasses. You can either choose to apply it over a transparent and thin glaze as well as a similar type of wash. Doing this, you can simply dab a paint brush on your oil palette and begin painting. Aside from this technique, you can also mix up oil in some form of butter-like consistency. But in this thick texture you will need a painting knife to apply the oil painting.
But apart from these two different options, there are also other fun and interesting oil painting techniques which you can use. Each of these techniques can be used according to your own preference. Also, these techniques vary in difficulty and other processes which you must also use to bring out the beauty of the painting in oil. But before you use any of these techniques, you should have a basic knowledge of painting because doing so will help you find it easier to dabble on the techniques and even eventually create your own.
Here are some of the oil painting techniques commonly used:
1. Dry Brush – This particular technique makes use of only a small amount of an oil paint. This medium commonly uses a tube of oil paint which will be brushed thinly onto your paint brush. The dry brush is often used for painting on canvasses with a rough surface. In using the dry brush oil painting technique, the raised parts of the surface will be the ones effectively picking up the paint colors. Then the dipped parts of the canvass’ surface will not be able to pick up the colors. In effect, this will help bring out a broken effect as colors seemed to be detached in small partitions.
2. Alla Prima – This particular oil painting technique is also known as the direct type of painting. This type of oil painting technique can be easily accomplished in a small span of time. Most people who make use of this particular technique are able to finish the whole process within just thirty minutes. However, you may find this a risky technique since it makes use of wet paint directly applied onto the canvass without a sketch or outline to guide you through. But if you want to make all the placing sure and less problems to arise, you can try outlining some sketches by using an oil paint that has been already thinned down.
3. Painting Knives – This is a definitely great experience which you should try. Painting knives are an alternative instead of using the same old paint brush. However, this particular oil painting technique involves a certain demand of consistency since you will be seemingly spreading butter on your bread-like canvass. You should also ensure that your oil paint is kept thick and creamy throughout the process.
