SuperRare

What does the term "fat over lean" mean?

"More paint on less paint" is one of the basic rules of oil painting that prevents paint layers from cracking when drying.

A lot of paint has a lot of oil, a little paint has less oil. Painting with more oil makes the colors dry slower and more flexible.

If a thin layer of paint is applied over a heavy layer of paint, the top layer will dry before the bottom layer. A thin layer on top of a thick layer will crack because it becomes dry and more pliable than the underlying layer. To avoid this situation, you should use less color in the bottom layer and apply the next layer with more oil.