Oil Paints
What are oil paints?
Oil paints consist of pigments with oil as the binding medium and thinner. The oil is from so-called drying oils, which create a hard, durable film through oxidation. The most commonly used oils in the history of painting are linseed, safflower, walnut, and poppyseed oils. The type of oil affects the drying time, how much and how the colors will change, and the glossiness of the paint, among other things. They are usually thinned with turpentine.
It is possible to mix different oils and incorporate other ingredients such as waxes, frankincense, and resins into the paint. In the past, each artist prepared their own paints and had their own secrets for achieving various effects. Today, in most cases, artists use ready-made, standardized paints in tubes.
History of oil paints in painting
There is reliable evidence that oil paints were first used around the 7th century in Afghanistan. Their first mentions in Europe date back to around the 11th-12th centuries. However, their widespread practical application began around the 15th century with the works of early Dutch painters and gradually spread to Italy.
Initially, they were mostly used on wooden surfaces, but towards the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century, linen canvas became more accessible. When painting with oil paints, the base must be prepared beforehand. A special primer called gesso has been developed. After the painting dries—usually about half a year to a year—a varnish is typically applied for higher durability and to enhance the depth of tone and intensity of colors. In practice, almost all world masterpieces from the 15th century to around the mid-twentieth century were painted with oil paints.
Main characteristics of oil paints
Flexibility and depth of color: They can be applied both as thin glazes heavily diluted with turpentine and as thick layered strokes (impasto) without risk of cracking.
Slow drying: This allows corrections until the desired effect is achieved by the artist. They provide great opportunities for mixing and layering. Moreover, they are the only paints that dry not through evaporation but through oxidation.
Variety of colors: They offer a wide range of tones, nuances, and tonal transitions.
Stability: They do not change noticeably after drying.
Diverse effects: They exhibit various effects in the finished artwork—transparency, semi-transparency, and opacity of layers, rich textures, and relief of the image, among others.
Today, oil paints continue to be a universal means of expressing the ideas and perceptions of artists. They are used in all forms of plein air painting as well as in studios. Their color palette is continuously expanding.
Buy an oil painting by a contemporary Bulgarian artist
At the "Maestro" gallery, we maintain a rich collection of oil paintings by contemporary Bulgarian artists. Browse them both in person at 37 Tsar Samuil Street and in our online gallery.
Contact us! We will help you choose a piece for your home or office, as a gift for someone important to you. We will restore your old oil painting and bring back its shine and beauty.