Oil painting is a popular art form that has been appreciated since the 11th century, technically it was discovered in the 7th century in Afghanistan. Anyway.

For those learning oil painting, there are a few misconceptions that intimidate beginners. Here are three things that you do not need to be great at oil painting.

An invasion by the Talent Fairy

First, you don’t need natural talent to be great at oil painting. In school, we called it belief in the Talent Fairy.

When a child turns two, the slightly overweight Talent Fairy flies through a window, plonks you on the head with their wand, and suddenly you know Kung Fu, à la The Matrix. Isn’t that ridiculous? So why do we think it’s any different with Art?

Although a lot of people believe that natural talent is a prerequisite for mastering any art form, it is just not true. Usually what is seen as natural born talent is simply the result of Four important variables. Here’s the equation for what is misconstrued as Natural Born Talent.

Natural Born Talent =

Encouragement from Those Respected +
Quality Time spent Practicing +
Diligence in Seeking Improvement +
Curiosity +

Don’t discount any of those.

It is more important to have a passion for learning, and practicing continuously. With patience and dedication, anyone, irrespective of their natural talent, can gradually improve their oil painting skills, and any skill for that matter. That being said, you probably shouldn’t start practicing Brain Surgery without a proper license.

Expensive Materials

Second, you don’t need expensive materials, or equipment for oil painting. Some may believe that to create a masterpiece, you’ll need the best quality materials and tools.

You don’t.

Greatness comes when Preparation + Timing meet.

On your first couple paintings, unless you’re Lucky, you’re not going to achieve greatness, You’re probably gonna suck.

Unless you get Lucky, You're Probably Gonna Suck!

...

Unless you get Lucky, You're Probably Gonna Suck! ...

But now you didn’t waste a bunch of money! Oil painting Can be expensive…But it doesn’t have to be.

Beginners can start with a basic set of primary color student grade paints. You can use cheap brushes you get in bulk on Amazon. You can go to the crafts section at the Dollar Store and find cheap canvas. You can even prime some cardboard.

The Primary Colors
…Or you can do the Zorn Palette if you’re really fancy.

Seriously, just get these, and you’ll learn FAST. They come in Giant tubes, buy them from Hobby Lobby.

Gradually over time you will build your collection, people will give you materials, you’ll find sales, and you may eventually start making your materials.

You can create unique styles using inexpensive and unusual materials like old credit cards, sponges, and even household items.

I personally use old sour-cream/yogurt/cottage cheese tubs to hold water for rinsing my brushes when using water color, and I used a simple mason jar with some window screens to hold my mineral spirits.

As for a palette, go to Walmart, pick out a $5 picture frame with glass, and use that as your palette. Then, take the glass out, and just scrape off the paint into a paper towel.

Formal Education

Lastly, you do not need formal education or training to be great at oil painting. Learning from online tutorials, or by observing other artists' work can be equally effective in acquiring oil painting techniques. It is essential to have a willingness to learn, and to experiment through trial-and-error. You have to fail a lot, and be comfortable with failing. You learn faster, by failing faster. Additionally, by enrolling in a class or workshop, you can also gain valuable feedback and receive guidance from professionals.

You can absolutely reach out to me, and I will give you a candid, constructive critique on what your work is missing and solutions to any challenges you may be facing in your work…When I find the time.

Make the time to Practice, Be Diligent, Have Patience

Finally, oil painting is an art form that requires patience, diligence, passion, and practice. Despite the popular belief in the Talent Fairy, you do not need natural talent, expensive materials, or formal education to be great at oil painting. With time and effort, anyone can unlock their artistic potential and create stunning oil paintings.

Three Lies about Oil Painting