Oil paintings are a niche painting facet that deals with the use of oil. It uses drying oil to bind pigments that are used in the process of painting. Earlier, linseed oil was boiled along with resin or even frankincense; this resulted in the formation of varnishes. Such varnishes have been the backbone of painting and furnishing industry for long. The oils have been instrumental in giving a different look to the oil paintings. They have added yellowing and stark drying times to the paintings.

Oil paintings can be pursued in different ways; it simply depends upon the penchant of a painter. Oil painting can be tried on linoleum, wooden panel or pressed wood. The most prolifically used material world wide is slate. Before using pigment, the artists make an outline of what they may look to paint. Pigments are an amalgamation of natural substance with color.

Sulfur was utilized to give a yellow hue and cobalt was assigned the role of providing blue shade and so on. Conventionally, a painter uses brushes for oil paintings. The brushes used were of different types to provide with different strokes. For a bolder stroke, hog’s bristle is deemed adequate and for finer strokes, miniver is just the right type.

Artists look to paint oil paintings in layers quite often. This technique uses turpentine oil for under layering and then various coats of other oils.

Today you can also look to convert your own photograph into an oil painting on a canvas. It’s quite striking a fact that oil paintings can also be used for cave paintings and murals.

Many masters of the painting genre experimented with oils. Vincent van Gogh’s Potato Eater is a revelation in oil. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa which is considered to be the greatest work of art is painted in oil. It is assumed that Vinci used so many layers that the lady seems to give many definite impressions at different times.

Today oil paintings are the prized possessions of many art galleries and museums across the world. They are layered to protect and hence the oil paintings pass the test of time. There is so much a painter wants to say. Oil paintings are a microcosm to his desire. Both of them are layered.

The art of abstract painting began a very long time ago. Artists began this art several hundred years ago. In fact, you have probably seen some of the more famous abstract paintings before. You may recall a famous abstract painting created by Van Gogh. Picasso also had an abstract painting or two as well. Modigliani is also known for his abstract painting work. Because of these artists, and many others, the art of abstract painting has gained popularity in the modern world.

Now what exactly is an abstract painting? An abstract painting is defined in many ways. First off, an abstract painting does not depict reality like traditional paintings. In the beginning, most art was depicting a photographic or realistic expression of someone or something. But an abstract painting does not do this. The definition of an abstract painting is that an abstract painting does not depict objects in the natural world. Rather, an abstract painting uses colors and shapes in a non-representing and nonobjective manner. It can be of anyone, anything, or just nothing at all.

You can easily see this when you look at an abstract painting. An abstract painting has bold, bright, and vivid colors. An abstract painting also has many biometric shapes that are used with the bold colors to make the artwork stand out. It is both strange and beautiful to look at an abstract painting.

In the 1940’s a movement called “Abstract Expressionism” was started. This movement was started to show the freedom of an artist’s expression and to push the art of abstract painting. It was started in New York in a school that also called it “Action Painting.” This school was one of the first American schools that declared its independence from the European style of artwork. They liked to think of their art as a form of spiritual and intellectual art. This then further pushed the art of abstract painting.

Now that you know the history of the art of abstract painting you may come to understand it better. It is important to appreciate all forms of art, including the odd art of an abstract painting. You may find yourself wanting to get a piece of this artwork for yourself. It is truly an interesting thing to look at.