Art is the conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that evokes a special feeling inside a person. An artist, one who produces such creations, has a wide variety of materials to choose. One of the numerous art supplies that can be used is paint. Paints are tools an artist can use to create an expression of his or her self. They are pigments or coloring substances that can be displayed on a surface. They serve as the link between the artist's mind and the canvas. There are several types of paints an artist can use to achieve their creative pieces of work. Three specific kinds of paint include oil paint, watercolor, and tempera paint. .
Oil paint, like all paint, consists of dry pigment, which is the heart of the color, and a binder. In the case of oil paint, the binder is some sort of oil, usually linseed oil. The oil makes the pigment fluid, and when it dries holds the pigment to the surface. Oil paints usually are sold in individual tubes. When using oil paints, it is a necessity to have a palette. The palette is used to squeeze the colors onto, and to mix and blend shades. Oil paints can be used on almost any surface. However, it is recommended that one use a canvas to achieve the best results. A canvas is a thick, sturdy piece of paper that holds the oil paint very well. Oil paints, unlike all other paints, take the longest to dry. Depending on the size and texture of a picture, the paint can take anywhere from three to forty-eight hours to dry. The results are an opaque, glossy finish.
As in oil paints, watercolors also contain pigment. Watercolors, themselves, are actually dried up pigments of color that can be activated with water. Watercolors are sold in a wide variety of styles. Two of the most popular forms of watercolors are tubes, just like oil paints, and watercolor cases in which one is given several colors of paint. In order to paint with watercolors, one must always have water available to utilize the pigment.