Why Oil Paint?

Oil painting began in the Asia as a way of decorating shields. It was discovered that using oil as a binding mechanism for pigment made far more durable paint than using water. This technique spread to Rome and from there, became a world wide phenomenon. The durability aspect was soon overshadowed by the fact that oil paint created very deep and rich colors. It also allowed for extended periods of blending as lin seed oil, the first oil to be used, took an exceptionally long time to dry. Creating accurate depictions of shadow and depth was far easier because of this. Before the days of videos and photographs, artists would often use oil paint to portray places and individuals. In modern times, the need for such paintings has waned. Artists still choose oil paint as a medium to depict fantastical images that a camera cannot capture. Take Akiane, the 13 year old prodigy oil painter. Some of her paintings still utilize the realism of the rennaissance, while incorporating some modern abstract techniques.

This painting, entitled "Inspiration" would not be possible without oil paint. The blending and the atmosphere are all the result of the creative use of oil paint.

Observations on the History of Oil Painting

I can speculate (as I often do) as to the evolution of Oil Painting; however I cannot give a definitive explanation. I am neither smart enough, nor read enough to be able to complete so complex a task. Based upon my rather limited knowledge of the source material, I can extrapolate that Oil Painting has gone from specificity, to ambiguity. Back in the Renaissance period, most paintings were very vivid depictions of people and landscapes. A few hundred years later, Monet introduced the world to impressionism, a revolutionary method of painting that was far more reliant on emotion than realism. This paved the way for the modern abstract movement, from Jackson Pollock to Robert Rauschenberg whose paintings are almost entirely emotion driven.