Are you planning to take your artistic skills to the next level? Then you need to understandoil paint on anything?
People have always associated oil painting with primed canvas art. Still, the fact is that you can use oil paint on different surfaces such as wood, paper, canvas, cardboard, and even some metals like aluminum and copper. But you will need to apply a primer beforehand, and it all depends on the surface.
For any beginner or experienced painter, choosing oil paint will allow you to widen your imagination and become more creative with your oil pieces. Oil paint has been in use for many centuries, and you should feel free to explore them as they provide beautiful results.
Oil paints can be used in a multitude of ways making your limits endless. I always believe that oil paints are essential to anyone who wants to expand their crafty passion. So, if you are a beginner, you should get ready to grow your artistic knowledge by using these distinct and classic paints.
The good thing about using original oil paints is that they will let you run your imaginations freely. As an artist, you will spread your creative wings and express your aesthetic abilities. With oil paints, your pieces will take you back in time to centuries long ago.
Some people also use oil paints to create modern art pieces that resonate with your own self-expression. Before starting your oil painting adventure, you need to know the texture, movement, and how the finished piece will look like. Learning about oil will make you a better painter. Keep reading to answer the question Can You Use Oil Paint On Anything?
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What Exactly is Oil Paint?
Oil paint is composed of particles of a solvent, pigments, and a binder. Unlike the quick-drying acrylic paint, oil paints take a bit longer to dry. The different colors come from the pigment, oil is the binder which comes from linseed, and the solvent is usually turpentine or white spirit.
Oil from sunflower, soybean, and walnut can also be used instead of linseed oil. Solvents are used to alter the thickness of the paint, and it all depends on what the artist wants to achieve. One characteristic of oil paint is that they blend easily with each other providing different shades and tones.
Oil Paint on Paper
Many people always think that paper cannot be used with oil paint because oil paint causes the paper to degrade. Others believe that oil painting on paper can cause cracks caused by humidity. Oil paint is very stable if you prepare your paper properly.
Using oil paint and paper is traditionally not considered compatible, but it all depends on the type of paper and if it was manufactured specifically for oil painting. Paper is an excellent surface to use with oil paint, but it all depends on the texture. It is also cheap compared to other supports.
Paper is easy to use if you are not painting complex pieces. You can use paper for small paintings and sketches or even medium-sized paintings. Paper is also good when doing paints done as a set, for example, triptychs and diptychs. Great results are attained on wood and canvas as compared to paper.
Oil Paint on Canvas
Canvas is a plain-woven fabric used for making tents, sails, backpacks, marquees, and so on. It is a ubiquitous tool used by many artists as a painting surface. It is normally stretched across a wooden frame, and it can also be used for handbags and shoes.
The most common support medium for oil painting is canvas, and it has replaced wooden panels. Most canvas mediums are usually stretched on a wooden frame, and they should be coated with gesso before you start sketching on it. Gesso helps prevent oil from getting to the canvas fibers.
Canvas has been used from the 13th century onwards as a painting surface. A well-gessoed canvas will guarantee you better results than any other surface, especially if you use oil paint. There are different types of canvas, such as stapled canvas, splined canvas, and canvas boards.
Oil Paint on Wood
If you think that oil paint cannot be used on wood, then you are wrong. Oil painting can perfectly be done on wood, and it is not just a matter of slapping a brush on a 2 by 4 piece of wood. There are things you will need to do on the wood before you start painting.
You will need to apply a primer 
on the piece of wood before you start using oil paint. The primer will help prevent the wood from rotting when the painting dries. Always make sure that you aerate your painting and give it plenty of oxygen.
The first thing you need to do is dry the wood, which can be done in several ways. Turpentine can be used to dry wood; linseed oil can also be used to prepare your wood as it has been used for many years. Gesso can also be used to prepare your wood if you have small projects.
Oil Paint on Metal
Oil paints can paint outdoor metal surfaces such as backyard grills, fences, furniture, patio, and window frames. Oil paint contains pigments, plant-based oil, and a solvent that helps repel water. Make sure to choose the best oil paint that does not crack or chip off when dry.
Oil paint can be applied directly to metal because it has no water and no risk of rusting. Some people usually use a primer before applying oil paint which is a better idea. Using oil paint directly on metal will require much time to dry, mostly five to eight hours max.
Before you start using oil paint on metals, you need to clean the working surface and ensure no particles are left behind. After you are done painting, you need to place your artwork in a spacious area for better results. So next time when you want to paint on metal, feel free to do so.
Oil Paint on Plastic
Many people wonder whether oil paint can be used on plastic, and the answer is yes. Oil paint contains properties that will create a hard surface when applied. If you want better results, always ensure that you use plastic products that are not flexible because that will create cracks.
The fact that oil paint is hard and non-breathable after applying, using it on any plastic surface will resist stains and rust. This means that you can use it to paint any outdoor items if you are an outdoor planter. You can use turpentine or nail polish to remove any mistakes.
Here are some ideas on basics and mediums you will need to paint with oil painting:
How Can Oil Paint Dry Faster on Anything?
If you are an artist, you always want to see your results after you are done painting. Waiting for oil paint to dry requires a lot of patience compared to fast-drying paint such as acrylic and watercolor. Let us have a look at some techniques that will make your oil paint dry faster.
One – Use Oil Paint That Has Linseed
Most oil paints are made with linseed oil, but some manufacturers use safflower oil on white paint. Linseed oil is the best because it dries faster than walnut oil and safflower oil. So, if you want your artwork to dry faster, use oil paint made with linseed oil.
Two – Expose Your Painting to Heat Carefully
This step requires an artist to be very careful, but it surely works wonders. Start by exposing your painting to heat gradually. If the heat is high, the quicker your piece will dry, and the cooler the air, the slower the drying process.
The safest way of doing this is to place your painting on the window on a warm sunny day. The warmth and light from the sun will speed up the drying process. Alternatively, you can just set your thermostat to a high temperature overnight.
Three – Paint in A Well-Ventilated Area
As we all know, oil paint dries through the process of oxidation, unlike acrylic paints that dry through evaporation from pigments. If you are painting in a well-ventilated area, the drying process will be fastened. Make sure all the windows are open, and all ventilations are running well.
Oil paints usually undergo a chemical reaction process that causes oil to harden. So, it is always advisable to work in a room where constant air exchange is readily available. If you are planning to use a fan, make sure to clean the blades.
Four – Apply Oil Paint in Thin Layers
This step involves technical and chemical processes to speed up the drying time. Applying thick paint will take longer to dry because of the huge mass of paint that is not evenly exposed to air. You will need to make your paint thin using a solvent or oil.
Five – Use an Absorbent Surface
Many people who are new to painting still believe that canvas is the universal primed painting surface. Other surfaces work better with oil paints, and they dry even much faster. Gesso primed surface, lead primed surface, and alkyd primed surface are just some of the other alternatives you can use.
Six – Paint Using Pigments That Dry Faster
When using oil paints, certain colors and pigments will really determine how fast your piece will dry. The results you get from combining different colors will depend on the color paint you have on your palette. Toning your artwork with layers of quick-drying colors that dry fast will determine how fast your paint will dry.
Colors that will dry faster include Prussian blue, chrome yellow and red, raw and burnt sienna, Naples yellow, manganese colors, burnt and raw umber, cobalt colors, and colors containing lead as flake white. Lead white and cremnitz white.
On the contrary, the following colors will dry very slowly, and you should avoid them if you are not patient enough. They include zinc white, vermilion, alizarin crimson, Vandyke brown, and cadmium colors such as green, red, yellow, etc. Always make sure to avoid the slow drying colors for your initial layers of paint.
Given the various lists of oil paint colors, no one can know exactly which oil paint dries faster than the other. The best thing you can do as a painter is trying out some of the options provided on the list. This will help you determine which oil paint color works for you.
Which Are the Best Brushes for Oil Paints?
Any painter knows that the brush is the root of your masterpiece, especially when using oil paints. It is the foundation of your creation where all the magic starts from. If you want to produce beautiful art, you need to have the right brushes for the job.
The best brushes for oil painting are the ones with large bristles because they provide the best washes. Mid-sized bristle brushes with sharp edges are good for providing details, whereas brushes that are round, small, and sable are used for accomplishing finer details.
A good brush for oil paint should have a long handle, and when using it, you need to hold it in a horizontal position. The long handle is crucial because it helps balance the brush in your hand. Brushes come in different shapes and sizes, depending on what you want to achieve.