Why do artists pefer oil paint?

Many artists today consider oil painting to be the fundamental art medium. Oil paints (oil-based paint) are highly regarded in the artist community and one of the most versatile forms of painting. Oil paint gives a richness and depth of color that is unsurpassed by any other medium and many professionals and artists will only use oils. Worthy Note - More paintings are sold painted using oils.

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Oil Paints

Oil paints deliver unmatched color richness, smooth blending, and extended working time for luminous, professional-quality paintings. Used with the right mediums and surfaces, they give artists precise control over technique, drying, and finish for durable, archival results.

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Professional Oil Paints & Mediums for Every Technique

At Jerry’s Artarama, we offer a carefully curated selection of professional oil paints, artist-grade oil colors, and essential oil painting mediums designed to support every stage of the creative process. From beginner oil painting sets to premium, high-pigment professional formulas, artists can find materials tailored to their technique, budget, and studio needs. Oil paints are created by suspending finely ground pigments in natural drying oils, producing rich color saturation, superior blendability, and extended open time. This slower drying process allows painters to refine edges, develop subtle transitions, and build depth through glazing, layering, or impasto techniques.

See Also Recommended: Oil Painting Mediums, Oil Painting Solvents, Stretched Canvas

Why Oil Paints Remain the Preferred Choice for Artists

Oil paints continue to be valued for their unique combination of rich pigmentation, extended working time, and exceptional versatility across techniques. Their ability to be blended, layered, or manipulated over time allows artists to achieve depth, subtle transitions, and surface character that are difficult to replicate with faster-drying media. When paired with professional mediums and properly prepared supports, oil paints provide both creative flexibility and the durability required for lasting, archival artwork.
Worthy To Note: Many professionals and artists will only use oils and more paintings are sold when painted using oils.
See our Guide on the: The Best Oil Paints & Brands

Why Artists Continue to Trust Jerry’s Artarama

The trusted source for over 55 years. Jerry’s Artarama has been a trusted source for oil painting materials by offering a carefully selected range of artist-grade paints, mediums, and surfaces. Our goal is to provide dependable tools that help artists focus on creativity while achieving consistent, professional results. From traditional studio practices to evolving techniques, Jerry’s supports oil painters with materials chosen for performance, value, and reliability.

Oil Paint FAQ's

What makes oil paints different from other types of paint?

Oil paints are made with finely ground pigments suspended in drying oils, giving them a slower drying time, richer color depth, and greater blendability than faster-drying paints. This allows artists to work longer, create smooth transitions, and build layers with exceptional control and durability.

How do I choose the right oil paints for my work?

Artists select oil paints based on pigment quality, consistency, and drying characteristics. Professional-grade oils offer higher pigment concentration, better lightfastness, and more consistent handling, making them ideal for achieving durable, archival results.

Oil painting tips

Remember, you can't use soap and water to clean oil paint out of your brushes. It is best to soak them in some type of paint thinner, alcohol or special brush soap and use artist quality brush washers & cleaners.

Oil painters will use often solvents for various purposes and techniques such as: Thinning Oil Paint: making them more spreadable and easier to work with (For the The Best Purified Odor-Free Artist Solvent For Thinning Oils We Recommend - StudioSolv™ Artist Odorless Oil Thinner). Removing Mistakes: Solvents can be used to remove mistakes or unwanted oil paint from a canvas without damaging the underlying layers. Mixing Mediums: Artists often use mixing mediums with oils, facilitating blending and creating various textures and effects. Speeding Drying Time: Certain solvents, like alkyd mediums, can accelerate the drying time of oils, allowing for faster layering and completion of the artwork.

Want Less Cracking in Your Oil Painting? Fat Over Lean for oil painting - Fat over Lean refers to the oil painting principle that applying paint with a higher ratio of oil to color pigments OVER paint with a lower ratio of oil to color pigments can ensure a more flexible paint film that will not crack later on down the road when the paint dries and ages.