Oil paintings are made with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil. Linseed, poppyseed, walnut, and safflower are the main oils used to paint with. Depending on the artists desired sheens and effects different oils are chosen. Traditional oil paintings start with the artist drawing out the artwork and then builds the art in layers.
Oil paints can be one of the most difficult mediums to paint with, because of the detail and drying time. The artist applies the paint with different types of brushes. Fine thin haired brushes are often used for exact details, or thicker course haired brushes are used for bold, thick areas. There are a variety of other tools that the artist can use including, rags, sponges, cotton swabs, and a knife.
One of the most famous of all paintings in history is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Others include The Cliffs at Etretat, Rembrandt self portrait, Napoleon Crossing through the St. Bernard by Jacques-Louis David, and the Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer.