So you’ve decided to try oil painting—amazing choice. Oils are rich, buttery, and (despite their intimidating reputation) actually pretty forgiving. But if you’re just getting started, there are a few common mistakes that can trip you up.
I made every single one of these when I started, so consider this your shortcut to avoiding the same headaches.
Before we dive in, if you're interested in downloading a free copy of my 28 page ebook, Introduction to Oil Painting, you can grab your copy here! Thousands of artists have downloaded this eBook and are putting it to work every day in their practice.
1. Using Too Much Oil or Solvent
If you’ve ever mixed oil paint with too much medium, you already know the horror of a painting that never dries. Oils take a while to set, but drowning your paint in linseed oil or solvent can leave you waiting weeks.
🛠 Fix it: Stick to the "fat over lean" rule—thinner, faster-drying layers first, richer layers later. And don’t overdo the medium! A little goes a long way.
2. Ignoring Your Values
Whether you’re painting alla prima or in layers, getting your values right is everything. If the light and dark areas aren’t balanced, the painting can look flat or unconvincing.
🛠 Fix it: Take a step back and squint at your painting. If the structure disappears, your values might be too similar. You can also snap a quick photo and convert it to black and white to check.
3. Painting Too Thick, Too Fast
We all love that juicy oil paint texture, but slapping down thick layers too soon can lead to cracking later. Why? Because the top layer dries slower than what’s underneath, which can cause movement and fractures over time.
🛠 Fix it: Build up your painting gradually. Start with thinner, leaner layers and save the heavy texture for the end.
4. Not Cleaning Your Brushes Properly
Oil brushes need extra care. If you just rinse them in solvent and call it a day, the paint will build up and ruin the bristles. (Ask me how I know.) Some artists never clean their brushes, and after dipping the bristles into a slow drying oil, allow them to rest until the next painting. I tried that once, but it wasn't a good fit for me, so now I typically clean my brushes after every painting session.
🛠 Fix it: Use Murphy’s Oil Soap or a brush cleaner like The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver after every session. And never, ever let your brushes sit in a jar of solvent—it wrecks the bristles.
5. Being Impatient With Drying Times
Oil paint is slow-drying by nature, and fighting against it will only make things harder. If you try to rush the process, you’ll end up with muddy colors and smudged details.
And whatever you do, don’t varnish too early. If the painting isn’t completely dry underneath, the varnish won’t adhere properly—it’ll bead up, look patchy, and potentially ruin your hard work. Ask me how I know. 😭
🛠 Fix it: Embrace the drying time. If you’re in a hurry, use a fast-drying medium like Liquin, but otherwise, let the layers set naturally. And always, always wait several months before varnishing.
Final Thoughts
Oil painting is an amazing medium, and once you get the hang of it, it’s incredibly rewarding. Don’t let beginner mistakes discourage you—every artist makes them (and some of us make them twice). Take your time, enjoy the process, and remember: mistakes are just layers waiting to be painted over.
If you're interested in learning more about oil painting, check out my tutorial for the painting below on YouTube!
If you're interested in even more, check out my blog post on How to Paint Realistic and Painterly Landscapes in Oil here!
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