Oil painting has become something of a lost art, as the medium is readily available to anyone. However, the true skill of an artist well-versed in the oil painting technique is not as common. An originally oil panting can be done by virtually any person, regardless of skill, education or experience however the lost art of oil painting means that there are a steadily decreasing amount of people who take the time to educated themselves on the intricacies of the medium.

Traditional Portrait Painting Before cameras, a person would commission a portrait from an artist as a birthday gift, a wedding anniversary gift or as a unique gift for another special occasion. Portrait painting traditionally requires that the subject sits very still for hours on end while the artist attempts to capture the scene as accurately as possible through an original oil painting. This process was often arduous and tiring, as it required a commitment of a long span of days from broth the artist and the person who had commissioned the portrait