Oil Painting Lesson â € "an introduction to Oil Painting Supports

Oil painting is a support surface that oil paint can be applied. There are a variety of different surfaces that artists use to paint on. Everything from certain woods, canvas, and even metals can serve as a support for oil painting. This article will introduce you to the various supports and hopefully help you decide what support is best for your style of oil painting.

LINEN

Linen is made from fibers of the flax plant. The plants are harvested and then left to soak in water until the outside of the plant rots away leaving the fibers underneath. The fibers are then processed into yarn or thread, which is then woven into cloth. The fibers of the flax plant are long and quite strong and do for a very interesting and durable painting support. Paintings done on this surface have withstood the ravages of time. It is for this reason that linen canvas is a favorite among professional oil painters. Unfortunately linen canvas is rather expensive and may not be the best solution for beginners. If you're interested in learning more about linen canvas, check your local art store or go online and do a search. There are a variety of linen canvases available, from rolled canvas to pre-stretched. It seems due to acrylics and oils, or you can get it unprimed as well.

COTTON

Cotton canvas is the most popular support for beginners oil painters. It is a relatively strong material and much cheaper than linen. It has a very smooth and mechanical looms. There is a big debate in the art world, which is the best painting support linen or canvas? What support will last longer? This is really a matter of personal opinion and taste. I know many artists, including myself, who use cotton canvas exclusively. Other artists swear by linen. If the surface is the right size, so your painting will be well protected against the council and will last long time. So when they decide between linen or cotton, I feel your decision should be based on how you enjoy working with the material itself and not on whether the will be about three hundred years. If you are really concerned about the durability of cotton, buy a heavy cotton canvas and try to stretch it yourself. Cotton Canvas is available in rolls or pre-stretched, primed or unprimed.

CANVAS PADS

For those artists who may be on a tight budget, but still want a descent quality surface to paint on, then canvas pads are a good choice. Canvas pads come in many different sizes and are good for beginners are just starting out. Canvas pads are great for practice or make inquiries. Make sure you get a heavy weight canvas pad suitable to hold oil paint.

Masonite or hardboard

Masonite is another popular oil painting support for artists. Masonite is actually a trademarked name for a synthetic hardboard made from wood particles. Fibreboard is cheap and stiff. If you plan to use large hard boards, it is recommended that you power them with a framework that they can bend or bend. You can buy plain hardboard or other varieties such as canvas boards, which are hardboard covered with a ready to paint the canvas material.

WOOD PANELS

The earliest known Oil Paintings were created on wood panels made of oak or poplar. The wood was covered with a uniform basis made of animal skin glue and chalk. Earth was then polished smooth to create a surface suitable for oil paint.

Pure hard wood boards are not the most popular ground for oil painters today. They are expensive and rather difficult to carry around. A good alternative to oil painters use is plywood. There are good quality plywood available made of birch, poplar or mahogany, which is suitable for oil paint, if prepared correctly. Do not paint on soft woods such as pine, because they contain more resin and do not resist moisture very well.

The above is the more popular oil painting supports in use today. There are others that artists use when they feel adventurous. Metals such as copper and aluminum are sometimes used as a painting support. Of course, metals are quite heavy, so paintings of this type of support is usually on the smaller side. There are also other substances used in oil painting like jute, which is a strong natural fiber with a coarse texture.

Your choice of oil painting support really depends on your style of painting. Experiment with various painting supports available and have fun. You will eventually find one that works best for you.

About the Author

If you enjoyed this article, then be sure to visit CreativeSpotlite.com today for more great oil painting tips and instruction, including step by step oil painting demos from experienced artists. Also be sure to visit the Creative Spotlite Art Instruction Blog for more free art instruction.

Oil Painting Lesson – Wilson Bickford – Clouds

Hardboard Masonite Panel- 18×24x1/8 Inch $4.79 Hardboard Masonite PanelsAn inexpensive 1/8 inch thick panel with a smooth finish on both sides. Great for encaustic work!…

FIGHT CLUB – canvas print, by CANVASONSALE, size: 40 x 20 #e1847, brilliant giclee-canvas print incl. stretcher frame, looks like oil painting, finer than a poster $59.00 While creating this amazing piece of art we used the most modern and efficient printing technology. We print solely with top-notch inks, to achieve brilliant and true colors. Due to their high level of UV resistance, this canvas print retains their beautiful colors for up to 75 years. The high quality wooden stretcher frame gives your print a refined look usually reserved for the finest art galler…

Modern Oil Painting on Canvas Stretched – Spring Green $129.00 Stretched: Gallery wrapped and stretched with 1″ wooden frame, the edges are painted and the surface was covered with clear layer to protect the painting, ready to hang. Actual size can be different from the paintings on image….

Oil Paintings Art By Uttermost 32089 This hand painted oil on canvas has been mounted and applied to a backboard creating a raised design. The backboard is covered with hand painted burlap. Due to the handcrafted nature of this artwork, each piece may have subtle differences….

Oil Paintings Art By Uttermost 32044 A hand painted oil on canvas is applied to a wood back.Wood frame has gold leaf edges with a heavy black and brown overlay.Copper strips and rivots accent this painting.Due to the handcrafted nature of this artwork, each piece may have subtle differences…