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Invented hundreds of years ago by mixing ground mineral pigment with linseed oil (or walnut or poppy oil)
and bringing the mixture to a boil, oil paints have been the mainstay of artists. Later, it was discovered
that by cooking the mixture at lower temperature and adding a small amount of bee's wax this prevented the atypical
darkness in color evident in the previous formulation. Paintings began showing a new vibrancy in color!
Oil paints dry very slowly which allows the artist time to work on his/her piece, capturing and adjusting tone and
color for better detail. Oils are best applied in ever thinner layers. Unfortunately, cleaning up brushes,
palettes, etc ... requires a mineral spirit or derivative. There have been improvements over the years regarding
mineral spirits - low odor paint thinners don't overwhelm the artist with their odor like the original thinners.
However, there can be an issue with the disposal of mineral spirits, linseed oils, and thinners ... be sure to
check with your local authorities on their specific requirements.
As with any material, there are differences in quality in the manufacturing of oil paints. Student quality paints
often use synthetic pigments and may have lessened quality whereas artist quality paints use high-quality pigments blended with
linseed oil and have greater durability and light resistance. There are concerns about the disposal of some oil paints due to their organic pigment components, so check with local regulations for proper disposal.
The 'new kid on the block' for oils are those that can be cleaned with water. Although the jury is out on permanence,
for a beginner in oils this could be the way to go. According to various manufacturers, these paints have the same
characteristics as original oils - blending, smoothness of application, etc. with far less clean-up mess.
If you do not have any experience with the different brands of oil paints, shop around and talk to other artists to find what they use or recommend. | 
