What Are The Best Oil Paints For Beginners?

Looking for the best paints and colors for beginners?

Here's a list of the basics to build your oil painting starter kit.

• Student-Grade or Artist-Grade Paint
• How Many Paint Colors Do I Need
• Opaque or Transparent Paint
• Do I Need Black Paint?
• What Color of White Should I Use?

Student-Grade or Artist-Grade Paint

Oil paints are available in two main categories: student-grade and artist-grade. I recommend starting with artist-grade oil paint for several reasons. Many students and beginners choose student-grade paints to save money, and I did the same when I first started. However, I eventually switched to artist-grade paints and realized that I lost valuable painting time by having to relearn techniques.

When I say "relearn techniques," I mean that student-grade paints require a lot of paint medium to achieve a workable consistency. In contrast, artist-grade paints are creamier and can be used almost straight from the tube. Changing paint types disrupted my painting habits. I had to slow down and relearn how to paint with little to no paint medium. Ultimately I gave up the use of paint medium altogether.

Artist-grade paints require less oil or paint medium. To save money, consider buying fewer colors of artist-grade paint rather than relying on student-grade options. It’s worth the investment to start with artist-grade paint from the beginning and avoid the challenges of transitioning later.

How Many Paint Colors Do I Need

More paint colors means more decisions. A beautiful painting can be created with just a few paint colors. A monochromatic painting can be created with one or two. I recommend starting out with a limited paint palette.

I recommend the following oil paint colors for a beginner:

1. Cadmium Red
2. Permanent Rose
3. Naples Yellow
4. Raw Sienna or Yellow Ochre
5. Cadmium Orange
6. Terre Verte or Green Earth
7. Ultramarine Blue
8. Violet or Purple
9. Flake White Replacement
10. Iron Oxide or Van Dyke Brown

Choosing paint colors is a matter of personal preference.

Opacity And Lightfastness

When choosing oil paints, it's important to check the paint tube for information on opacity and lightfastness ratings. Transparent oil paints allow light to pass through, while opaque oil paints do not. Mixing an opaque color with a transparent one can create more luminosity than mixing two opaque colors. Make sure to do your research and experiment with different levels of opacity.

The lightfastness rating indicates how resistant a color is to fading over time. For instance, Alizarin Crimson is known as a fugitive color, meaning it is prone to fading. I once knew an artist who often used Alizarin Crimson to create pinks in his butterfly paintings. Unfortunately, those pinks faded and disappeared over the years, and they are now completely gone, as if they were never painted.

ASTM lightfastness standards provide ratings for individual paint pigments. Be sure to look for the lightfastness rating on each paint tube and try to avoid colors with a poor rating.

Do I Need Black Paint?

I don't paint with black oil paint. Many people do. It ultimately comes down to personal preference. Instead of using black, I recommend mixing Ultramarine Blue with a dark brown, such as Van Dyke Brown, Iron Oxide, or Asphaltum. This combination creates a richer dark tone that has a more traditional appearance.

What Color of White Should I Use?

There are several colors of white oil paint available. How do you pick the right one? Titanium White is typically a safe choice. It can be used for almost anything. Zinc White is prone to cracking so I don't recommend it. Flake White is toxic but traditionally used for portraits. Consider using an oil paint color called Flake White Replacement. It's a safer version meant to replace traditional Flake White.

Conclusion:

I believe that the best oil paints for beginners are the same ones that a master painter would use. It’s important to start with the best materials you can afford, so I recommend using artist-grade paints. Additionally, working with a limited color palette can be very beneficial; fewer colors reduce the number of decisions you need to make and allow you to focus on how to manipulate the paint. Best wishes to you, and I’m cheering you on!

Author: Sonia Reeder-Jones