If you are looking for a new hobby to relax at the end of the day and on weekends, oil painting is a great way to relieve stress and increase creativity. But oil painting is more complicated than painting with quick-drying acrylic or watercolor. You also need more supplies. You need paint, brushes, brush cleaners, linseed oil and other media and some professional knowledge to start your new artistic pursuit.

Oil paints dry more slowly than other paints, which gives the artist time to process the paint before it hardens. If you like to mix paints, you can buy separate tubes of basic main shades and colors: blue, red, yellow, black and white. However, most beginner paint sets come with 24 tubes in a wide range of colors.

First, choose one or two small brushes, a medium brush, and a large round brush. When you start painting, you will understand your size, shape, and material preferences, and then you can expand from there. In the beginning, there is no need to buy a comprehensive (read: expensive) brush set.

One of the differences between oil paints and other paints (such as acrylic paints or watercolor paints) is that the brush cannot be washed with water. You need to use a paint dilution solution called turpentine or an odorless mixture of mineral spirits to remove all the paint. A jar for storing this substance is also necessary. It is best to have a coil in it, which you can use to rub the bristles of the brush to remove the paint.

Another basic element of oil painting is the so-called medium. The medium is linseed oil, safflower oil, walnut oil and poppy seed oil, which are used to dilute and soften the paint to achieve the desired consistency. Think of it as diluting watercolor paint with water. Beginners often confuse between oil medium and turpentine.

When a beginner chooses a color palette, choose a surface that is about half the size of the canvas, giving you space to spread and mix your paint. The palette is available in a variety of materials: wood, ceramic, glass, plastic, and even disposable paper sheets. Most oil painting starter kits come with one or two color palettes and a palette knife, and they can also be used in your paintings to create special effects.

One of the advantages of oil paint is that you don't have to just paint on canvas. Any surface treated with plaster (primer) can be painted, from wood to thick paper. However, most beginners prefer a pre-stretched canvas. Many starter kits include not only the canvas, but also an easel that supports the canvas as you create. The easel is not essential, but makes painting easier.

When choosing oil paints, you need to consider whether you prefer a matte finish or a glossy finish. Different sets will provide different gloss, the choice depends on your personal preference.

Some oil paint sets provide more earthy colors, while other oil paint sets provide a variety of vivid paints. A basic set of colors will be the most versatile. When choosing a set of colors, consider your painting theme and your personal style.

Oil paints can be mixed and mixed to create the colors you need, so you don't need a lot of colors in the first place. The necessary colors to choose from are ivory black, titanium white, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, alizarin red and ultramarine blue.

For a beginner's comprehensive oil painting set, expect to pay 30 to 60 US dollars. These sets usually include two dozen paint tubes, various brushes, palettes, palette knives, canvases and easels. Oil media and mineral spirits must be purchased separately.

The pencil helps to sketch directly on the painting surface before painting. Oil paint is opaque and will even cover charcoal pencils. During the sketching process, the eraser works on the canvas. It is a good idea to invest in a piece of work clothes to wear while painting to protect your clothes from being stained by paint. After you immerse the bristles in the cleaning solution, the rag can also easily wipe them.

Linseed oil is the most commonly used oil in oil painting. It gives the paint a higher gloss, makes it more transparent and dries out a little yellow. Walnut oil has a little less yellow after drying than linseed oil, but the drying time is longer. It can also make your paint smoother. Poppy seed oil is the least likely to turn yellow, but it can cause lower levels of paint cracking because it requires the longest drying time. Both safflower oil and poppy seed oil give the paint a thicker consistency.

MEEDEN 46-piece painting set: available on Amazon

Our view: An elegant starter kit, suitable for children and adults who want to try oil painting.

What we like: The set is great value for money and includes a high-quality beech wood easel for the table top and 24 bright paint colors.

What we don’t like: No oil media or brush cleaners are included.

KEEF Oil Paint Set: Available on Amazon

Our view: An affordable starter kit for oil painting, including a variety of colors and brushes.

What we like: including three canvases, 24 paint colors, a desktop easel and a variety of brushes. Very suitable for children, very suitable as a gift.

What we don't like: The brush is suitable for beginners, but it is not recommended for more advanced painters.

Castle Art Supplies Oil Paint Set: Available on Amazon

Our view: If you are just looking for independent oil paints, this 24-color set is economical and highly chromatic.

What we like: Beginners and more advanced painters like the smooth consistency of these paints. Various colors are suitable for various themes, and are versatile and full of vitality.

What we don’t like: The tube is small, but it has a long way to go. 

Ana Sanchez is a contributor to BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company whose mission is to help simplify your buying decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products, recommending the best choice for most consumers. If you purchase a product through one of our links, BestReviews and its newspaper partners may receive a commission.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.