Oil Painting Lesson 2: Canvases, Palettes & Painting Mediums
Choosing the right painting surface and materials can make oil painting much easier, especially when you are just getting started. In this lesson, we’ll look at canvases, boards, gesso, solvents, glazing mediums, palettes, and some of the basic studio materials you will need.
Canvases & Other Materials
Canvases
All the projects in this book are painted on small linen boards measuring 4 × 4in. (10 × 10cm), which are available in art stores and online.
The natural linen color provides a warm undertone to paint over rather than bright white, and I also like the texture of the canvas. They often come in packs of three and are economically priced.
Other Supports
There are several other surfaces that are suitable for oil painting.
- Stretched canvases: These come primed, but you can also buy raw canvas fabric and stretch your own canvas onto a wooden frame.
- Wooden boards: These usually come unprimed and are often made from plywood or hardboard. You can also cut your own boards if you have the appropriate tools.
- Primed gesso boards: Although slightly more expensive, these boards are ready to be painted on. I personally still add one or two coats of my own gesso for good measure.
Recommended Oil Painting Materials
It can be quite daunting when you realize how many different oil-painting products are available. It is often difficult to know which ones you really need, especially if you are a beginner.
When you’re new to oil painting, it is best to keep your materials simple and concentrate on the essentials.
Odorless or Citrus-Scented Diluent
Diluent is used to clean brushes and thin oil paints.
Avoid using strong-smelling turpentine whenever possible. Odorless or citrus-scented alternatives can make the painting process more comfortable, but they still need to be handled carefully.
Gesso
Gesso is used to prime the surface before painting. You should not paint directly onto raw canvas, paper, or board that has not been properly prepared.
Providing a good “ground” for your support is important. Gesso creates a suitable painting surface and acts as a sealant, helping prevent the oil from being drawn out of the paint and into the support over time.
Without a properly prepared surface, oil paint can eventually lose some of its richness and develop a dull appearance.
Gesso also gives the surface additional grip. Even though the linen boards I use are pre-primed, I usually give them a coat of transparent gesso because I find the original surface a little too slippery for my preference.
Applying gesso is simple. Take a wide, flat brush—a basic utility brush is fine—and apply a thin layer to the surface.
Some artists deliberately leave visible brush marks in the gesso to add texture. I prefer to apply it smoothly, making sure that no lumps remain.
To clean your brush, remove the excess gesso from the bristles with a paper towel and then rinse the brush with warm water.
Gesso becomes touch-dry quickly. At that point, you can apply another coat if you wish. Allow the prepared surface to dry thoroughly, preferably overnight, before applying oil paint.
Fixative
Fixative is a colorless spray used to “fix” drawings made with graphite, pastel, or charcoal so that they do not smudge.
I use this spray to fix my underdrawings on linen boards. This means that when I start painting, the drawing is less likely to smudge.
It can also be useful if you decide to wipe oil paint away during the early stages of the painting because the underlying drawing can remain visible beneath it.
I add another coat of gesso after fixing the drawing and before beginning to paint.
Glazing Medium
Glazing medium is not essential for beginners, but it is useful if you want to experiment with glazing techniques.
Glazing involves applying thin, transparent layers of paint over dried layers beneath them. It can produce wonderfully rich and luminous color effects.
Although this technique is not essential for the projects in this lesson series, it is definitely worth exploring once you become more confident with oil painting.
Palettes
You will need a palette for mixing your paints.
There is a huge variety available, including palettes made from wood, glass, ceramic, and plastic. All of them can work well.
For beginners, however, I highly recommend disposable paper palettes. I still use them myself from time to time.
Paper palette pads are particularly convenient because there is virtually no cleanup. Once you have finished painting, you simply tear the used sheet from the pad and dispose of it.
If I have not finished a painting and still have useful paint mixtures left on my palette, I place the palette inside an airtight palette box. This helps slow down the drying of the paint.
Other Useful Materials
You will also need a few simple items to keep your painting area clean and organized.
- Paper towels or old rags: useful for cleaning spills and wiping excess paint from brushes.
- Solvent pot or jar with a lid: essential for safely holding your diluent while you work.
- Art wipes: useful for removing oil paint from your hands and from suitable studio surfaces.
You do not need a huge amount of equipment to start oil painting. A good painting surface, a simple palette, a suitable brush cleaner or diluent, and a properly prepared ground are enough to begin experimenting confidently.
