8 Tips for Improving Your Oil Painting Skills in the New Year
Happy New Year! Whether you're picking up a brush for the first time or looking to refine your style, the start of a new year is the perfect time to set fresh goals for your creative growth. Oil painting is a skill that deepens with practice, experimentation, and curiosity. Here are eight essential tips to help you level up your oil painting practice in the months ahead.
1. Paint Consistently
Like any skill, oil painting improves with repetition. Set aside regular time each week—even 30 minutes a day makes a difference. Treat your studio time like a workout for your creativity. Every session teaches you something new.
2. Experiment with Materials
Try different brands of oil paint, brushes, and surfaces. Explore thick impasto mediums, fast-drying oils, or textured surfaces like linen. You’ll discover what supports your style and uncover effects you didn’t know you loved.
3. Take a Class or Workshop
Learning from others accelerates your progress. Online or in-person, seek courses focused on color theory, composition, or specific techniques you’ve wanted to master. The structure and feedback can supercharge your momentum.
4. Connect with Fellow Artists
Join a local painting group or online community where you can exchange ideas and critique. Being part of a creative circle gives you accountability, inspiration, and emotional fuel on the tough days.
5. Set Specific, Trackable Goals
“Paint more” is too vague. Try goals like:
• Complete a series of five landscape paintings
• Master a palette knife technique by April
• Apply to one local art show this summer
Specific goals help you stay motivated and measure progress.
6. Step Away to Stay Fresh
Creative burnout is real. Take intentional breaks from the canvas. Try a different medium, sketch in nature, or spend time on photography or music. Returning with fresh eyes often leads to breakthroughs.
7. Get Feedback—And Actually Use It
Join a critique group or ask trusted peers to review your work. Don’t take feedback personally—use it as a roadmap. Sometimes a small tweak can take a piece from “meh” to museum-worthy.
8. Embrace Mistakes as Growth
Some of your best work will come from moments of trial and error. Risk leads to discovery. Give yourself permission to fail forward—it’s how every master painter got started.
🖌️ Final Thought
Improving your oil painting skills isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up. Be intentional, stay curious, and let yourself enjoy the process. The growth will follow.
