Oil Paintings

Fat Over Lean: A Oil Painting Technique

One should know about all the different aspects of oil painting techniques. One such oil painting technique is the one that is referred to as ‘fat over lean’ and it is in fact a technique that is fundamental to oil painting and so deserves to be looked at in closer detail, especially if you are concerned about not wanting your oil painting to crack up. This is one of those oil painting techniques that deal with the different amounts of time taken by the oil pigments to dry and which of course is known to vary from a few days to as long as a fortnight. So, it certainly pays to understand this oil painting technique in more detail.

Different Types Of Oil Painting Techniques And Paints

There is a type of paint that is referred to as fat paint and this is that kind of paint that you extract directly from a paint tube. When this paint is mixed with oil, the end product becomes even fatter and so it means that the amount of time taken for such paints to dry would also be longer. The other kind of oil or lean oil paint is a type of oil paint that has been mixed with some amount of white spirit (typically, turpentine) and the content of oil is less than that of this white spirit, which ensures that the oil dries out quicker.

This is basically what the ‘fat over lean’ oil painting techniques is all about. However, there is more to the picture than meets the eyes because if you paint lean paint over the fat paint you will certainly achieve quicker drying times though at the same time the layer of paint that is lean will become prone to contracting and also cracking, especially when the fat layer of oil paint begins to dry out beneath the lean oil paint.

It therefore pays to follow a few simple tips in regard to mastering this particular oil painting technique. First of all, if your oil painting shows too many wrinkles then you can be sure that there is excess of oil in the painting. If an oil painting yellows out or darkens in color soon after drying then it is sign of bad quality oil. One should follow the tips when using oil paints to use the proper paint that is neither too fat nor too lean.

Some of the most attractive and original oil paintings originated in Africa where nomadic women did some very clever things including hand weaving. It will certainly pay to learn just where it is possible to buy such original works of art. One site in particular that is worth checking out is the one called bawadina.com where you get a single original painting that does in fact also ensure that no one else can buy a copy of the painting that you have bought. So, you can proudly say that you have bought a painting which no one else can own.