Equally suitable for spontaneous work as well as for large ambitious studio paintings, oils are perhaps the most versatile of all paints. And yet for many painters, their use is shrouded in mystery, while others regard them as 'difficult' medium. This book sets out to show that, with proper instruction, nothing could be further fom the truth. The key to mastery of the medium is a full understanding of the constituents of oil painting - binders, dilutents, varnishes, mediums, driers - and their properties, all of which are clearly explained and illustrated with over 200 colour images, backed up by comprehensive information on supports, equipment and techniques.