Oil paint is a versatile medium with unique characteristics, but not all oils age the same way. Some oils are transparent, while others are opaque. Understanding the qualities of oil paint and the pigments it contains is crucial for achieving desired results and ensuring the longevity of your artwork.
Color Qualities vs. Oil Material Qualities
It’s important to distinguish between the qualities of color and the qualities of the material (in this case, oil paint).
- Color qualities refer to the color theory that applies to both physical and digital colors, including:
- Hue (the actual color),
- Brightness (how light or dark a color is),
- Saturation (the intensity or vividness of a color).
- Oil qualities, on the other hand, depend on the manufacturer and the pigments used in each tube of paint.
Qualities of Oil Paint
The qualities of oil paint are influenced by several factors, including the manufacturer’s formulation, the viscosity (thickness or consistency), the uniformity of the shine across different colors, and the amount of pigment added to each tube. In addition to these qualities, each pigment has its own inherent properties, which include:
- Lightfastness (resistance to fading over time),
- Tinting strength (the coloring power of a pigment),
- Opacity or Transparency (whether the pigment is solid or allows light to pass through).
How to Identify the Qualities of Oil Paint?
The qualities of each pigment are typically specified on the paint tube. The lightfastness rating can be indicated using letters or stars, and the pigment name is usually given in English.
- Opacity is marked by a square or circle. A transparent pigment is marked with a blank or empty symbol, while an opaque pigment is marked in black or white. Some pigments that are semi-transparent may have a divided symbol.
Why Is It Important to Know the Qualities of Oil Paint?
- Lightfastness is crucial if you want your artwork to last over time. Understanding the pigments you use will also help if you need to replace a color and find it in a different brand, even under a different name.
- Knowing the nomenclature of each pigment helps you determine its purity. This allows you to see if a tube contains a single pigment or multiple pigments.
Is It Better to Use Single-Pigment Colors?
Working with pure, single-pigment colors offers more control over your artwork, allowing for a greater range of possibilities. It’s similar to how a professional chef would work with raw, unprocessed ingredients—having more control over the final result compared to working with pre-processed ingredients.
If you’re interested in learning more about oil painting, I invite you to visit our workshops, where we discuss painting techniques in detail.