I Love Art

artists out there!..something i'm new to is oil painting...I have read up on it..but there is no clear, certain advice...everything sounds a little confusing...so,..gesso my canvas first?..use turpentine instead of water..emmmm?..to clean brushes?..to thin down paints?..to perhaps both?..linseed oil was then mentioned for I think mixing colours?...and the different methods of applying sounded crazy...one I sort of understood was "thick on top of thin" coats..im guessing the thin coat is a light wash of the overall colour??...who knows..im clueless! :/...its a good thing it takes extra long to dry..gives me time to think!!!