Oil paints suit painters who like having time to work. The colour stays movable on the surface for days, so you can soften an edge, blend wet-into-wet or return to a passage at the next sitting. Riot’s Australian range includes artist and student grade tubes, oil paint sets for beginners, and the linseed oil, mediums and solvents used alongside them.

Oil paint or acrylic, and how to choose

Drying time is the biggest practical difference. Oil paint remains workable for days, giving you time to adjust colour and blend directly on the canvas. Acrylic can begin drying within minutes. That makes it convenient for quick layers, although it leaves much less time to soften an edge.

Cleanup matters as well. Acrylic brushes can be rinsed with water, while traditional oils require a solvent or lower-odour alternative. Someone painting in short sessions or in a room with poor ventilation may find acrylic paints easier to manage. Oil is worth the extra setup when longer blending time and gradual colour transitions are important to the work.

Artist quality or student quality

The main difference is pigment load. Artist grade oil paint generally contains more pigment and less filler, which gives it stronger colour and changes how it behaves when mixed. Student grade paint uses more binder and filler to keep the price accessible.

Art Spectrum tubes show another distinction that often confuses new painters. The S1, S2 and S3 markings refer to the cost of the pigment rather than the overall quality of the paint. Cadmium and cobalt colours usually belong to a higher series because those pigments cost more to produce. Earth colours tend to sit in the lower series.

Student grade is perfectly reasonable for learning, practising colour mixtures and covering larger under-layers. You can use artist grade for colours where strength matters most and student paint elsewhere. There is no need for every tube in the paint box to belong to the same grade.

Starting colours for a first oil painting

A small, well-chosen palette is more useful than a large box of colours you do not yet understand. Six to eight tubes are enough for most first paintings.

A practical starting selection is Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Lemon Yellow, Burnt Umber and a warm red such as Cadmium Red or Spectrum Red. From those colours, you can mix a wide range of neutrals, skin tones and natural greens.

The Art Spectrum oil paint range includes these colours in 40mL tubes. A starter set may work out cheaper if you would prefer to buy the main hues together instead of selecting each tube separately.

Mediums and linseed oil, and what each does

Oil paint can feel quite stiff straight from the tube. A medium changes its flow and may also affect drying time or sheen, so only a small amount is usually needed.

Refined linseed oil is the usual starting choice. It makes paint flow more easily, increases gloss and slows the drying process. Raw linseed oil is less processed and dries more slowly, with a greater tendency to yellow. Stand oil has a thicker consistency and allows brush marks to level out, which makes it useful for glazing. Safflower and walnut oils are often chosen for whites and pale colours because they yellow less. If you need a layer to dry within a day, an alkyd medium such as Liquin can shorten the wait.

Fat over lean is the basic layering rule. Early layers should contain less oil and dry more quickly. Each later layer can contain a little more oil, allowing the painting to cure without a fast-drying upper layer sitting over a slower one. The full oil painting supplies range includes mediums and additives for different working methods.

Solvents, turpentine and safer alternatives

Solvent is commonly used to thin the first lean layers and to clean brushes after painting. Gum turpentine is distilled from pine resin and has the strong smell traditionally associated with an oil-painting studio. Wood turpentine comes from pine wood and behaves in a similar way. Many painters working indoors choose odourless mineral spirits because the smell is less noticeable.

Lower odour does not mean harmless. These products are flammable and still require ventilation. Paint near an open window or use a fan to move air out of the room. Keep the container closed between uses and store it away from heat.

The Langridge oil paint range is made in Melbourne and can be found alongside Langridge solvents for painters looking for an Australian option.

Water mixable oils and who they suit

Water mixable oils are genuine oil paints that have been modified so they can be thinned and cleaned up with water. They are useful in shared homes, classrooms and studios where traditional solvent use would be difficult.

Small amounts can be combined with conventional oils, although the water-mixable properties gradually reduce as more traditional paint is added. Keeping the two systems separate gives the most predictable result.

Oil sticks and when to use them

Oil sticks contain oil paint with enough wax added to hold the material in solid form. Once applied, the colour behaves much like paint from a tube and can be blended with the same oil-painting mediums.

They are useful for drawing directly onto canvas, adding marks to wet paint or working more physically across the surface. Oil pastels are a separate material. They remain soft and do not fully dry, while oil sticks cure in much the same way as conventional oil paint.

Brushes and surfaces for oils

Hog bristle brushes can carry stiff paint and leave visible marks, which suits direct oil-painting techniques. Synthetic brushes are useful when you want smoother blending or finer detail. Both options are available in the oil painting brushes range.

Painting knives serve two jobs in an oil setup. They can be used to mix colour cleanly on the palette or to apply thick impasto passages without a brush.

Oil paint needs a primed surface because direct contact with oil can eventually damage untreated fibres. Primed oil painting pads, canvas panels and stretched canvas can all be painted on without further preparation. Raw canvas and ordinary paper need gesso or an oil-compatible primer first.

Drying times and working in layers

An oil painting may become touch-dry within two to twelve days, depending on the pigment, thickness of the paint and medium used. Complete curing takes considerably longer and can continue for weeks or months.

That slower pace is useful if you want to work wet-into-wet over several sittings. For layered work, begin with thin, lean paint and gradually move towards thicker layers containing more oil. Painting and palette knives are helpful when building heavier passages. An alkyd medium can be added when the next layer needs to go on sooner.

Different pigments also dry at different rates. Earth colours are generally faster, while cadmiums and whites often take longer.

Cleaning up and storing solvents safely

Remove as much paint as possible from each brush with a rag before rinsing it in solvent. A brush-washing jar with a sediment trap allows used pigment to settle at the bottom. The clearer solvent above it can then be poured off and reused. Close solvent jars whenever you are away from the painting area.

Take particular care with rags that contain linseed oil. As the oil oxidises, the cloth can heat up enough to catch fire. Lay oily rags flat outdoors to dry or place them in a sealed metal container filled with water. Never leave them crumpled in an ordinary bin.

See painting accessories for brush washers, palettes and other cleanup equipment.

Frequently asked questions about oil paints

What is the difference between acrylic and oil paint?

The binder and drying speed are different. Oil paint uses drying oils and remains workable long enough for extended blending. Acrylic uses a polymer binder, dries quickly and can be cleaned from brushes with water. Choose according to how quickly you paint, how much blending time you want and whether your workspace can accommodate solvent.

Do beginners need to use mediums with oil paint?

No medium is required for the first few sessions. Working directly from the tube lets you learn the natural consistency of the paint. A small bottle of refined linseed oil and an appropriate solvent become useful when you begin thinning early layers or adjusting the flow.

How long do oil paints take to dry?

Most paintings need around two to twelve days before the surface feels dry, although thick passages may take longer. The painting will continue curing beneath the surface for weeks or months. Drying also varies by pigment, with earth colours generally setting faster than cadmiums and whites.

What is the fat over lean principle?

Each new layer should contain at least as much oil as the layer beneath it. Lean early layers dry more quickly, while later layers with additional oil remain more flexible. Reversing that order can cause cracking as the slower lower layer continues moving beneath a dry surface.

Is turpentine safe to use at home?

Turpentine can be used at home only with careful ventilation and storage. Its vapour should be directed out through an open window, and the container needs to remain sealed when it is not in use. Keep it away from heat or flame. Odourless mineral spirits may be more comfortable indoors, although they require the same basic precautions.

Are water mixable oils real oil paints?

Yes. They use real drying oils that have been modified to mix with water. Their handling and curing are similar to traditional oil paint, which makes them a useful option for homes, schools and studios where solvent use is impractical.

What is the difference between oil sticks and oil pastels?

Oil sticks contain paint that cures over time and becomes part of the finished oil painting. Oil pastels retain a soft consistency and never fully harden. Choose oil sticks when you want drawn marks that can be blended into wet oil paint or allowed to dry with the rest of the work.

What surface do I need for oil painting?

Use a canvas, panel or oil painting pad that has already been primed. The primer prevents oil from soaking into and weakening the fibres. Raw canvas and unprepared paper need gesso or a suitable oil primer before painting begins.