The Introduction of Oil Paint and Tools (Part B)

1. Pigments are divided into minerals and chemical synthesis. The initial pigment is mostly mineral pigment which is grinded into fine powder manually and harmonize only when it's used to paint. Nowadays, the pigments are produced massively by factories and loaded into tin tubes. Pigment species are also increasing. The performance of the pigments are related with the chemical composition. When mixing the color, chemical action will make some adverse reaction between the pigments. Therefore, to master the performance of the pigments are helpful to fully play the painting skills and make the works enduring. 
2. Brush. Usually the brush is made from animal wool and it includes several types like peak round type, flat front flat type, short front flat type and fan type etc..
3. Painting knife. It's also called palette knife, made from elastic stalloy. Sharp shape and round shape are two types of palette knife which is used to mix the pigments on the palette. Many artists would also use the knife as brush to paint on the canvas directly or paint some skin text partially to increase expressive force. 
4. Canvas. The standard canvas is to tight the linen or canvas on a wooden frame and use the glue or oil mixed with white powder to brush on it afterwards. Usually we will make the canvas oil-proof and has a certain grain effect, or make it half oil absorb or completely oil absorb under the needs of creation. Rough or fine of the grain effect can be decided according to the size of the picture and the painting effect. Some painters would like to use the besmeared canvas which is easy to unify the color tone of the picture, and they can reveal the impression unintentionally while painting. After the besmeared process, the oil-proof wood board or cardboard can also replace the canvas.
5. Glazing. Glazing is used to keep the picture gloss and prevent the air erosion and scale after the painting finished. 
6. Frame. A piece of complete oil painting includes the frame, especially the realistic painting. Frame is the boundary of the works showing to the viewer, which makes the picture complete and concentrated. The objects in the painting develops horizontally in the view's feeling. The thickness and size are depending on the painting's content. The frames of classical paintings are mainly made of wood and gypsum, while the frames of modern paintings are mostly made of aluminum alloy. 

The Introduction of Oil Paint and Tools (Part A)

Oil painting: is a kind of painting which uses linseed oil mixing with pigments to paint on a rough draft of the cloth, paper and board etc. to create artistic image. It's originated from Europe and it becomes one of the important painting styles in the modern world.

The generation of oil painting.

oil painting tools

Before the 15th century egg tempera is the predecessor of oil painting. At the same time while the egg tempera is in use, many artists continued to look for more ideal harmonic agent. Generally, van Eyck brothers in the early 15th century were deemed to be the founder of the oil painting techniques. On the basis of the attempt to dissolve the pigments with the oil, they used linseed oil and walnut oil as the harmonic agent to paint, which made the depiction fluent. The drying time of the pigments on the picture was moderate that multiple coverage and modification were much easier. After that, the painting took on rich color levels and gloss. Pigments had strong adhesion and was not easy to peel or fade. They used new painting pigments to create works that influenced the painting forum a lot. The oil painting techniques spread to other countries in Western Europe very quickly, and especially developed rapidly in Venice of Italy.

The materials and tools of oil painting.

The main materials and tools of oil painting include pigments, brush, painting knife, canvas, glazing oil and frame, etc..