Dissected Self Portrait 3

Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and varnish may be added to increase the glossiness of the dried film. Oil paints have been used in Europe since the 12th century for simple decoration, but were not widely adopted as an artistic medium until the early 15th century. Common modern applications of oil paint are in finishing and protection of wood in buildings and exposed metal structures such as ships and bridges. Its hard-wearing properties and luminous colors make it desirable for both interior and exterior use on wood and metal. Due to its slow-drying properties, it has recently been used in paint-on-glass animation. Thickness of coat has considerable bearing on time required for drying: thin coats of oil paint dry relatively quickly. Coolvader, aka Matt Morris, is a fine artist / illustrator living in Vermont. He received his M.F.A. in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in 2005, and his B.F.A. in Illustration from the Ringling College of Art & Design in 2003. His illustrations have appeared in The Source, Playboy, LA Times Book Review, Seven Days VT, SF Weekly, Seattle Weekly, TimeOut Chicago, as well as commercials for the U.S. Census and American Express. His work has been recognized by CMYK, Society of Illustrators Student Competition and American Illustration 23, 25, and 27.