Oil Painting Medic is a practical guide to oil painting techniques, materials and troubleshooting. NOTHING on here is AI. Begin with Home or Start Here. Browse my Artbooks and Whats Trending. With copious articles covering portraiture, landscapes, still life, and problem solving, this blog helps artists improve technique and overcome challenges. Navigate by theme in the sidebar.

Focus On Oil Painting Materials: Surfaces, Brushes, Paints and Mediums

Where does the artist begin with oil painting materials? A typical art shop can be overwhelming. Do I buy stretched canvases, or an artboard? What about brushes, mediums, gesso, the oil paints themselves? Do I buy a studio easel, or a table easel? Are all these pigments really necessary?


An array of art products seems to call to you, all claiming to improve painting results, all claiming to be vital. In fact, the simplest artist’s kit can be, cheap and flexible.

A Guide to the Beginner’s Art Materials

This hub page brings together my collection of articles on the essential art materials needed for oil painting. Find guides on art surfaces, oil painting mediums and all about art brushes. Learn how to assemble an art kit from scratch from where you can build your tailored collection for art exploration.

A Cost-Efficient Art Studio

Artists working to a budget need not worry, for my articles explores practical ways to reduce costs without cutting the quality of your finished paintings. Find also a guide on how to travel light for plein air painting and how to set up an art space in the smallest room. See how compact and inexpensive an art kit can be!

How Art Materials Affect the Artist’s Journey

Learn about the different types of art surfaces, from the diverse grades of canvases, to smooth artboards. Find a guide on how to make your own art surface to cut cost and retain control. A guide to artist’s gessoes will cut out the confusion.

Learn to choose your art brushes wisely. Various art technique from glazing to impasto comes into play here. And artist spirits and mediums are intricately related. Both can be used minus the fuss and odours associated with turps. Using environmentally friendly mediums are also kind to the brushes.

Understanding Oil Painting Mediums

And yes, oil painting mediums can be one of the most confusing aspects of oil painting. Different mediums affect drying time, transparency, gloss and paint flow. Improper use is one of the reasons why brushes wear out so quickly. Proper cleaning and storage can prolong the brushes’ lifespan and save money in the bargain. And no, you don’t need all those mediums. In fact, I often only use two.

My article, oil painting mediums provides a summary of the main medium types. A solvent-free or low-odour approach is possible via watermixable oil mediums.

Alkyd Mediums and Faster Drying Times

Many artists turn to alkyd mediums for rapid drying between glazes. My guide to alkyd mediums explains how these products work and how to make the most of them.

If you are uncertain of whether to choose traditional oils or alkyd products, my article, alkyd versus oil mediums compares both approaches and discusses the advantages of each.

Easels and Studio Equipment

A comfortable working space can make painting sessions more fun and productive.

My guide to buying easels explores various easel types and helps artists choose the best for their studio space, whether it is a large area or in a corner of a room. Small panels or large canvases equates to the size of the easel.

Solving Material-Related Painting Problems

Sometimes painting problems stem from materials rather than technique. Little things like dull colours, a patchy finish due to improper use of artist's varnish or a flaccid canvas can be fixed easily with the right tools and knowhow.

Learn what art materials can salvage a painting that has gone wrong. Understanding how paints, mediums and surfaces interact can prevent these problems before they occur.

Building Confidence With Art Materials

Every artist develops personal preferences when it comes to materials, even the incidentals, like the artist palette and the cleaning pots. Some prefer traditional oils and stretched canvas, while others enjoy water-mixable oils or homemade painting supports. Simplicity is the key.

The purpose of this hub page is to provide a convenient place for the beginner to make decisions. Artists can then make informed choices about the materials needed, and the strengths and limitations of certain products.

Whether you are selecting your first brush, trying out glazing mediums or choosing a painting surface, the articles gathered here will provide a handy resource for artists at all levels.

Further Reading

How to make your own viewfinder
How to use the viewfinder
Cure for dull oil paintings

Explore More on

Painting impasto efficiently
Technique for painting detail
Want to explore everything on art materials? Browse the full collection.
Or visit my sister art blog page explaining the essential pigments for painting.

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