Rembrandt used oil on canvas, as did many other famous artists.
Oil-based inks on canvas create vibrant colors and texture in a painting. This technique is centuries old and found in great works of art. Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh and O'Keefe all used oil on canvas. Oil paints allow for errors, as they have extended drying time and can be wiped away before the painting is complete.
History of Oils
Art using oil paints dates back to the 15th century, the Renaissance period. Jan van Eyck, a Flemish painter who lived from 1390 to 1441, is credited as the first to successfully mix a varnish that expedited the drying time for oil paints. Previous artists used olive oil, beeswax and other oily substances in paint, only to find drying time was too long. Leonardo Da Vinci later improved on van Eyck's technique by cooking the oils to prevent them from getting too dark.
About Canvas
Canvas is a heavy-duty material. The woven fabric is used for tote bags, sails, signs and tents. It is also popular for artists, stretched across a wooden frame to receive paint. Canvas is comprised of either linen or cotton. Linen is often used in higher-quality canvases. Cotton, sometimes called cotton duck, is more economical and stretches more easily on a frame. Some retailers sell mixed canvas blends that include synthetic fibers and are more affordable.
Basic Painting Techniques
Traditional artists cover the canvas with several coats of primer so that no texture from the canvas shows. Whether you start from a naked canvas or a primed surface, apply your first strokes thinly. Painters mix a medium with oil paints to make the paint thinner and more pliable with first applications. Let the paint get "fatter" (using less medium) as you add layers of paint that add details. Apply dark colors first, and work your way to lighter colors.
Build Texture
Oil paints allow the artist to add texture by altering the thickness of the paint. Use thicker paint to emphasize important shapes. Create texture with brush strokes that mimic the texture of the object in the painting. Fish can have scaly skin, while a tree might have feathered leaves. Match the muse with the texture. Remember to layer thicker textures over thin as you add increasing detail.
