Oil painting basics
Learn the fat-over-lean rule, safe solvents and how to build an oil painting in layers.
How to paint
Oil paint stays wet for days, letting you blend smoothly and rework areas. That slow drying is also why order matters.
Follow 'fat over lean': early layers use more solvent and less oil, later layers more oil. This prevents cracking as the painting dries.
Use odourless white spirit in a ventilated room, and never pour solvents down the drain. Let a finished painting cure for six months before varnishing.
Related guides
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- Watercolour techniques every artist should know
- Colour theory for painters
- How to paint a landscape