Before the 17th century, oil painting had become the preferred painting method by artists in Europe.
The interesting fact is that while one can thin oil paint by utilizing turpentine, its rich colors still appealed to the wealthy European elite who wanted to be painted with their riches and status symbols.
Let's talk about the history of oil painting.
The Development of Oil Paint
Before oil painting became the favorite art form in Europe, people would use egg tempera. However, oil paints brought greater pigment versatility. Additionally, since the oil paint could be changed and blended on the painting's exterior, it allowed for a wide range of colors and tones. Its transparent nature undoubtedly makes artists' lives much easier.
Since artists switched from using egg tempera to oil paintings, a lot of the paintings in the 15th century were partly done using egg tempera. Then, the second or last part of the paintings was completed using oil paint.
Often, these two were even included in the same layer.
Artists Started Adopting Oil
The van Eyck brothers came up with oil painting in the early 1400s. The art form spread to Italy, where artists were inspired by its impressive transparent glazes. Some popular Italian artists from this era include Giovanni Bellini, Piero Della Francesca, and more.
What Makes Oil Painting Unique?
Oil painting allows artists to achieve rich colors, a vast range of tones, darker shadows, and more distinct lights. It was as if paintings started coming more to life during this era in which oil painting was discovered.
While not everyone can become an oil painting maestro, everyone can obtain a gorgeous oil painting portrait from a photograph to gift a loved one or keep in one's home.
Would you like to turn your photos into art like oil paintings? At FotoKreation, we can help you professionally turn your pictures into art. We provide and execute unique custom hand-painted oil paintings, 3D embossed oil paintings, and hand-made embroidery.
Contact us here to learn more.