Painting is a wonderful hobby that helps in improving the level of concentration, dedication and patience among children and adults alike. It is a great way to unleash the Da Vinci, the Rembrandt or the Picasso in us. According to painting experts, for children the best way to learn painting is starting with the oil painting first.

About the oil paint
This is that technique of painting which requires drying oil, such as linseed oil, to bind together the colour pigments.

History of oil paints
Oil paints are one of the oldest forms of painting style that dates back to the 15th century. The initiation of this painting began with the early Netherlandish painting in northern Europe. By the middle of the Renaissance period the oil paint literally replaced the tempera painting in most of Europe.

Advantages
The reasons for the popularity of oil painting are mentioned below:
• Unlike most other styles of painting, this painting has greater longevity.
• The oil paints take almost 24 to 72 hours to dry. The longer drying time proves beneficial for the painters who paint slowly.
• The tubes of the oil paint have longer shelf life. Some of them can last for even 20 years. This is quite economical for the painters.
• They add a glow to the painting and it appears richer on the painted surface.

Equipment needed
The tools and equipment required for oil painting are:
• Brush cleaner for cleaning the brushes
• Brushes (preferably bright, flat, fine and round)
• Canvas fitted tightly on a wooden or otherwise, frame
• Container for holding the medium
• Distilled turpentine or refined linseed oil for the medium
• Easel to hold the canvas at a convenient slant
• Palette (flat board for mixing colours on)
• Palette knives (preferably paper or wood) for mixing colours and scraping off paints from the canvas
• Varnish for retouching
Oil painting can precisely reveal the artistic genius of the painters. There is lot more to this style of painting which one discovers gradually once s/he goes deeper into it.
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