Oil paints
Oil
— paints with a binder base made of special oil (linseed oil). The coloring matter in this composition is contained in the form of a dispersion — a suspension of fine powder, insoluble in drying oil. Such a pigment is heavier than the base and gradually settles to the bottom; therefore, jars with oil paint must be shaken before use, and after opening, the contents must be thoroughly mixed.Oil paints are one of the most famous, popular and long-used paints and varnishes. They are mainly used for painting natural wood and metals. Among the practical advantages of such compositions are low consumption, good strength and durability at a fairly low price. At the same time, oil paint dries for a long time, and the specific smell remains for some time even after drying; this makes it difficult to use for interior work. Such coatings are less durable than acrylic, they lose colour faster and tolerate high humidity, bright light and temperature changes worse. In addition to the fact that oil paint does not allow the surface to "breathe"; in some cases, this can lead to damage to the base (up to the appearance of cracks).
It is worth noting that the drying oil used as a base may have a different composition; often it consists of alkyd resins modified with oils, which is why some oil paints are also called alkyd. Nevertheless, the term "alkyd" is still more correct to use in relation to enamels, and paints with such a composition are better called oil.