Oil paints are being called "The supreme paints" and nothing has yet been invented which challenges the supremacy of oil paints. Their individual textures, exquisite colours and versatility ensures a lifetime's fascination.

Oil painting is done on surfaces with pigment ground into a medium of oil — especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. These oils result in different properties in the oil paint, such as less yellowing or different drying times.

The popularity of oil grew in 16th century Venice, where
a water-durable medium was essential.

Recent advances in chemistry have produced modern water miscible oil paints that can be used with, and cleaned up in, water. These are still "real" oil-paints in every sense of the word.

They can be applied "alla prima" - in one sitting -
to produce a lively surface of brushstrokes.

The paint can be built up, letting one layer dry before adding another, so creating a rich surface of colour and texture. They can be thinned down to make translucent glazes and watery washes or built up opaquely in thick impasto relief.