Tips on Oil Painting – Know Your Paints

By Remi Engels

In this discussion we assume that you use a basic 6-color. The 6-color palette could consist of the following colors:

1. Lemon Yellow
2. Cadmium Yellow
3. Cadmium Red
4. Permanent Rose (Alizarin Crimson)
5. French Ultramarine Blue
6. Phthalo Blue
7. Titanium White
8. Ivory Black

You could use a no. 10 filbert.

As a beginning artist, the first exercise to try is to color eight 2″ x 2″ squares with each of the above tube colors and study the result. Try to memorize how these colors look. Use a cheap canvas or a sheet of thick drawing paper.

Lemon Yellow is, of course, yellow, but can you also see the green undertone or bias? Stare at it for a while and see if you can discern the underlying green. Do the same for:

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How to Paint Shadows in Your Landscape and Still Life Paintings

By Julie Shoemaker

There is something about adding shadows to a painting that really bring it to life. Look around you in nature, you rarely do not see a shadow of some type. I have taken a simple painting of a vase of flowers and given it life by casting a shadow from it.

My favorite type of shadow is a simple cast shadow. If an object is blocking the sun or light source, a shadow will be cast. Cast shadows should be painted with colors that are similar to the object itself with some warm colors added. You use warm colors, red, yellow and orange because the sun is warm. So if the sun is the light source and the object is a blue vase you would take the blue and warm it a bit with one of the warm colors mentioned to dry-brush in the shadow

For landscape paintings, the value of shadows depends on the time of day. Early morning shadows are longer and darker while afternoon shadows shorter are lighter. Following the rule that the shadow is nearly 50 percent darker than the portion of the object that is in the light will generally work well.

The direction and size of the shadow should also be carefully thought out. In the example of the blue vase, lets’ say the light is coming from a window above the vase and on the left. Since the light source is higher than the object the shadow will be cast at an angle. So a shadow on the right side of the vase and extending lower than the vase would make a realistic shadow.

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Artist Spotlite – Catherine Coleman

Artist: Catherine Coleman

Location: Millgrove, Ontario

Medium: Watercolor

Dimensions: 21″ x 14″

Support: 140lb Cold Press Paper

Artist Spotlite – John Zoerb

Artist: John Zoerb

Location: Discovery Bay, California

Medium: Acrylics on White Gesso

Dimensions: 9 “x 12 ”

Support: Fiberboard

“Pastels for Life” – Pastels Demonstration By Pauline Adair

“Pastels for Life”

Author: Pauline Adair – Australian Artist

Note: This painting won the Pastel Award at the 2006 Gympie Gold Rush Annual Art Exhibition.

For this Soft Pastel Demonstration I am using a double sheet of Canson Mi Tientes pastel paper, in a warm grey colour. I prefer to work on the smooth side of this, but I know many pastelists who choose the textured side. The smooth side still has a good tooth which suits my application.

The model is Sophie…. a favourite of mine, and I am working from a photo as it will probably take me several days to complete this to my satisfaction.

Here is the reference photo, which I cropped to achieve a more close up and intimate feel in the
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You Asked – Brushes & Tools for Fine Detail?

Today’s question comes from Patti and she writes:

“I am a beginner, and need to know what brushes or drawing tools i should use to paint fine detail, eg, outline of facial features, or outline of house, and also tell me if i first paint the background and then do the outlines, or do i first do the outlines and then colour it in?”

Do you have any information that may help Patti?

Please leave your response in the comments box below.  Thanks!

Artist Spotlite – Gordon Stead

Artist: Gordon Stead

Location: Leeds, Engand

Title: Footprints in the Snow

Medium: Oils

Dimensions: 36 “x30 ”

Support: Stretched Canvas

Comments from the Artist: Oil on stretched canvas,quite easy to do as i only used 3 colours ,saves money too…

Artist Spotlite – Susan Satterfield

Artist: Susan Satterfield

Location: Central Florida in travel trailer roving about the country…

Title: Peachy Iris

Medium: Watercolor

Dimensions: 7×10

Support: Fabriano Artistco Extra-White 140lb

Comments from the Artist: I have been painting with watercolors about 2 years. It never ceases to amaze me how much I learn from every work of art I do.

Fuel For Art – A Powerful Guide On How To Sell Your Art

A genteleman by the name of Gino Orlandi contacted me last week interested in spreading the word about a new ebook he has written called “Fuel For Art”.

As you know, I will only recommend products or services to you if I personally feel it will in some way help you reach your goals as an artist.

This ebook will do just that!

I have carefully read through Gino’s book and wholeheartedly recommend this book to any artist that may be interested in starting their own business selling their art.

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You Asked – Mat Backing Pen & Ink Drawing?

Today’s question comes from Peter, and he asks:

“What kind of mat backing do you suggest i use for the
back of my pen and ink drawings.”

Do you have any information that might help Peter?

Please leave your response in the comments box below.

Thank You!

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