Oil & Tempera Paints for Art & Decoration

Oil Paints for Decoration

Oil paints are a collective term for colored painting materials, in which the constituent pigments are dissolved in various types of oils. Primarily used oils include linseed, poppy, sunflower, and walnut oil. Since oil paints are extremely thick, various thinners are used when working with them – most commonly turpentine.

The degree of dilution determines the density and coverage of the material. When the paints are applied with a large amount of thinner, a more delicate or so-called "watercolor effect" is achieved. And with less diluted paints and applying a thicker layer, a relief effect is obtained.

Unlike watercolor and acrylic paints, paintings done with oil paints have a very long drying period. This allows the artist to make corrections and paint their work for a longer time. A characteristic of oil paint is that it is light-resistant, and its colors are vibrant and do not fade over time.

It is mainly used for painting on canvases, cadastres, and other pre-primed surfaces, using hard, flat brushes or palette knives.

The quality of oil paints from different manufacturers depends on how finely the coloring pigment is ground and how well it is mixed with the thinning oil in the tube.

Paint with a more finely ground pigment has stronger and brighter colors. When opening the tube, it is good to see if the oil comes out first; if so, it means that the main components of the painting material are not well mixed.

Characteristics of Tempera Paints

Tempera paints are a water-soluble painting material. They are significantly easier to use than oil paints. They are known for drying very quickly and, unlike watercolor paints, for example, they have vibrant colors and quite good coverage.

They are suitable for application on large surfaces and different materials - paper, cardboard, plastic, styrofoam, mucava, stone, glass, wood, and ceramics. With tempera, you can paint landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, as well as decorate souvenirs, cards, and invitations.

Application

1. Oil Paints

Oil paints are most commonly used for painting landscapes, still lifes, portraits, mixed media, and other interesting styles.

To work with them, you need to prepare:

• A convenient palette

You will need a palette on which to pour out each color, so you can easily mix different shades. This way, you will achieve a unique look for each created painting.

When choosing a palette, it is better not to use a plastic one, but a wooden one, as solvents corrode the plastic material from which they are made.

• Canvas

One of the most important things when working with oil is the canvas on which you will paint. Therefore, you should be careful in your choice and thoroughly research the material from which the canvas base is made.

The best are made of linen. When stretched on the wooden frame, to become a canvas, the linen does not wrinkle, retains its appearance, and does not sag.

If there is even a minimal presence of cotton in the fabric, it sags and does not stay well stretched. An ideally stretched canvas should look like a drum.

The difference between linen and cotton lies in the structure of their fibers. Linen fibers are dense, while cotton fibers are hollow. This is why cotton absorbs moisture, which causes the fabric to sag and wrinkle.

Before you start working on the canvas, it must be pre-primed. This is necessary to isolate the paint and prevent it from soaking into the fabric.

If you choose a ready-made canvas from the store, the only way to know if it is of good quality, made of linen, and primed according to the requirements is by testing it.

When painting on it, it should not absorb the paints, and the brush should not glide too much on it, making it difficult for the paint to adhere to the surface.

You can choose from different sizes of canvases, depending on what you want to create on them.

• Brushes

Use flat brushes with stiff bristles of different thicknesses for painting larger and finer details.

• Palette Knives

In addition to brushes, oil paints can be applied using palette knives. They help create various textures. With them, the paint can be applied or spread on the canvas, as well as removed when necessary.

Palette knives differ in several features:

• By purpose - for mixing paints on the palette or on the canvas. Palette knives for mixing on the canvas have a more elongated shape and a rounded tip.
• By size - very small and very large. The choice of size depends entirely on the size of the canvas you will be working with.
• By tip - sharp, rounded, angled. The difference in the tip of the tool affects the shape of the strokes and the combination of tones when applied.
• By shape - rectangular and triangular, narrow and wide, rounded and sharp, straight and curved. Different shapes create strokes of various sizes and dimensions.
• By texture - serrated on one or both sides. These palette knives resemble a comb.
• Thinner

Turpentine is used to thin oil paint. There are two types - balm and white spirit. The classic thinner is balsam turpentine. It is double distilled and is the most common product in artist stores. It is known for its strong smell.

• If you choose this type of thinner, you need to ensure a well-ventilated workspace. White spirit is odorless turpentine - deodorized. It is a very good option if you work at home to avoid the smell and not inhale harmful fumes.

• Cleaning Rags

When working with oil paints, you need to provide old rags. You will need them to clean the brushes when you want to change the color you are applying.

Oil paints are extremely covering and have vibrant and dense colors.

There are two ways to apply them:

• The first is to use more thinner and apply the paint in a thin layer. This will result in more delicate and airy colors.
• The second way is to use less thinner and layer the paint on the canvas. This will achieve a painting with textured images.

You should know that oil dries slowly, which is a plus and minus when working with it.

The advantage is that such a painting can be worked on for a long time. You can paint it even for several months, as long as you do not allow it to dry completely.

On the other hand, this method of work is not suitable for artists who like to paint in one breath and want the painting to be finished in one day, as, for example, watercolor, tempera, and acrylic work.

2. Tempera Paints

Tempera paints are similar to watercolor paints. They are also water-soluble. They are easy to work with, odorless, and completely harmless. The difference between them and watercolors is that they are denser and more covering and can be layered on top of each other. They are applied with a flat brush or with a palette knife.

They are suitable for:

• Paintings - With tempera paints, you can paint landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. Thanks to the vibrant colors, the paintings will acquire a bright and clean look.
  The paints dry quickly, so you need to have a clear idea of what exactly you want to paint. The important thing when working with water-soluble materials is to change the water you use to thin the colors more often to keep the shades clean and to avoid the muddy look that can result from dirty water.

• Cards and Invitations - Making cards and invitations requires a lot of imagination, aesthetic sense, and a lot of effort. For creating these beautiful works of art, various cardstock, colored materials, and additional decorations - glitter, stones, sequins, ribbons, and lace are used.

Tempera is one of the most preferred materials for decorating cards, as it stands out with its high density and vibrancy of colors. Its quick drying time is also among the reasons why this type of paint is most commonly used when making cards.

With the help of suitable brushes, you can paint various figures and elements or write inscriptions.

• Panels - Tempera paints are also used for creating various art panels. For this purpose, you can use brushes or palette knives to easily apply the colors to the chosen surface. The paints allow application on various materials - cardboard, paper, plastic, concrete, wood, ceramics, glass, etc.

• Decorating Objects - Tempera paints can transform any object and turn it into an original decoration. With them, you can color cups, bottles, night lamps, wooden panels, souvenirs of different shapes, kitchen countertops, etc. The objects on which you apply the paint will acquire an entirely new look.

• Scrapbooking - Scrapbooking is a technique for handmade notebooks, albums, books, and organizers in a vintage style. It is characterized by richly ornamented pages and covers in warm color combinations. To achieve this effect, various punches for cutting, curly and border scissors, cardstock, and sheets in different colors, ribbons, lace, glitter, etc., are used.

Tempera paint is one of the most used materials for making scrapbooks. With it, you can decorate the covers of any vintage notebook, as well as its pages. This way, you will achieve the vintage look of the scrapbook.

Prices

In the online store EM ART, we strive to maintain low and affordable prices for our customers. We often offer discounts from the regular prices of items.

 The cost of products in the category depends on the type, size, and quantity.

Why EM ART?

EM ART is the most richly stocked online store for hobby materials. With us, you will find everything you need for your creativity – all kinds of work tools, all kinds of beads, different types of paper, cardboard, jewelry accessories, decorating materials, and gift packaging at affordable prices.

All items are made from high-quality and safe materials.

We often offer discounts on various items, which every customer can take advantage of. You can shop wholesale and retail with us. For wholesale traders, we have preferential prices.

Delivery

After you have chosen the necessary hobby materials, you need to enter your personal details – full name, contact phone number, and the address where you want to receive your package.

Expect your order to arrive within a few business days.

For orders worth over 100 BGN, delivery is completely free.

If you have any questions, you can contact our online consultants, who are available every day from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM.

Immerse yourself in inspiration and make your most unique ideas a reality!