"Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do" - Edgar Degas

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This medium has been in use for over five hundred years and is still the most popular. Oils have great depth of tone and colour intensity which can be controlled at any stage of the painting and are very flexible. Compared to other mediums oils are more permanent and more interesting, (expensive though) to work with. Corrections are possible at any stage and it is better for a beginner to start off with oils.

• The medium and the materials;
• the colour theory and the uses of the colour wheel;
• tonal values and importance of arial and linear perspectives in painting;
• mixing of different colours and addition of thinners and mediums;
• cleaning of brushes and their maintenance;
• how to paint.

After the basic classes the student can continue only by doing painting piece wise.

click here for list of materials needed for oils

     Student at work with oils              

Working with an easel is optional, you can use a table top or any convenient surface to place the work. The  thing to keep in mind is the best way to concentrate on the job, with all the  necessary implements at hand.

Another useful technique which can used both with oils and acrylics is knifework. Thick paint is applied with a painting knife to create very attractive texures which make the painting spring to life.

                          an example of Knife painting   

A simple landscape will be done on oil paper and then on canvas by students which will help in assessing their capabilities.