Oil Painting Art Course - Is Using Photographs OK? Edgar Degas and Norman Rockwell Thought So
June 27, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Oil Painting, Painting
Edgar Degas painted from photos: Degas became a painter just at the beginning of photography. He first had others shoot photos for him for his use in his paintings. Later, he became an expert photographer. Degas’ paintings show the influence of photography in the cutting off of figures. Before Degas, the whole person was inside the painting. In many of Degas’ work, the figures are cut off mid leg or their figures are cut off on the left, right and top by the edge of the painting. This cropping came from his reference photos.
Photos were a tool in his paintings, drawings and sculpture. Degas’ photographs had the look of his paintings. His paintings were based on his photographs.
Students ask me if it is proper to use photos: I have a classmate from the art school from which I graduated. He has had a very distinguished career painting all his life. He said that anything you do to help you develop a painting is a correct method.
Seven Ways to Project or Transfer Photos or Drawings onto Your Canvas:
1. Tack them up on your easel as reference: There is a famous Norman Rockwell self-portrait (Google it). The painting shows Rockwell painting himself at an easel covered with photos of portraits by Rembrandt and Van Gogh and a drawing of himself. Rockwell is also looking in a mirror as he paints.
2. Opaque Projectors: The opaque projector is a machine that projects photos, book pages or drawings by shining a bright light onto the photo from above. A series of mirrors, prisms and lenses project the image onto a canvas. The artist then draws the outlines of the photo on the canvas using the projected image as a guide. Opaque projectors are available from Dick Blick, Jerry’s Artorama or Mister Art online or at some art stores.
3. Camera Lucida: A camera lucida is a lens on a metal arm that clamps onto the artist’s drawing board. The camera lucida superimposes an image on the artist’s drawing surface. One sees a scene or the reference photo on the drawing surface. You can then trace the outlines of objects.
4. Mirrors: David Hockney, a well-known contemporary artist, was interviewed on “60 Minutes” on CBS-TV. Hockney had Lesley Stahl stand outside his studio window, in full sunlight, facing a mirror set up inside the window. Her image was reflected in the mirror and it was projected inside Hockney’s dark studio onto Hockney’s canvas. That projected image can then be copied. Hockney had written a book called “Secret Knowledge” about which Stahl did the interview. In the book Hockney theorizes that artists in the 1400’s learned how to use lenses and mirrors to project images onto their canvases.
5. Print the photo or drawing on your canvas: You can print your photograph directly onto your canvas and then paint over them in oil paints. Ink jet printer paper suppliers offer ink jet printable canvas. You need to ask your ink jet/canvas supplier how long their inks last according to scientific testing.
There are printing services that offer Giclee fine art reproductions for painters, photographers, galleries and museums on fine art canvas. Some artists use these services to make reproductions of their paintings for sale in addition to selling the original oil painting. Giclee (French for “a spurt”) is an inkjet process for making super high quality and long lasting prints. A good supplier uses fade-resistant inks or dyes that some claim last as long as 100 years.
Other artists print photos on canvas at Giclee printers and then paint over them in oil paints. Giclee prints are not only long lasting but also have no visible dots as do most ink jet printers. Google “giclee printers” to find giclee printing suppliers on the web.
6. Camera Obscura: In his book “Vermeer’s Camera” Philip Steadman poses the theory that VerMeer used the early version of the photographic camera: the camera obscura. Camera obscura are the Latin words for dark room.
How the camera obscura works:
- A box (or room) with a pinhole in the front end is placed in a well-lit room.
- The room in front of the hole will then be projected onto the inside back end of the box.
- Later, the camera obscura evolved into what we now call a camera. In a photographic camera, film is placed on the inside back end of the box where the image is projected from the lens in the front end of the box.
- Using the camera obscura principle with additional lenses and mirror, one can project an accurate image onto a painting surface and trace over the projected lines. Some suggest one can paint onto the canvas directly guided by the projected image. People still make camera obscuras … Google “camera obscura” on the web.
7. Tracing: Some artists trace and transfer the outlines of photos onto their canvas or other drawing surface. They staple together a “sandwich” of the traced photo, a transfer sheet and the canvas. Drawing over the traced photo drawing on the top of the sandwich with a ballpoint pen causes the transfer sheet color to be transferred to the canvas. They then paint using the transferred line drawing as a guide on their canvas with the original photo(s) tacked alongside their canvas as reference.
Is Using Photographs OK? Like Edgar Degas and Norman Rockwell and countless other great painters and illustrators, I think so.
The author has painted and taught for 50 years and has had over 30 art exhibits of his paintings. My USA based online art school has students in 19 countries. I have taught art classes at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and Manhattan, USA, Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, Famous Artists Schools in Westport, Connecticut, USA. I have also lectured on various art subjects all over the USA and in Holland, Belgium, France, South Africa and Australia.
My online interactive art school is at:
http://www.interactiveartschool.com
Links to people, images mentioned in article are at:
http://www.interactiveartschool.com/linksEzine.html
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Top 10 Tips For Improving your Oil Painting
June 16, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Oil Painting, Painting
LEARN HOW TO DRAW
You will be amazed at how much learning how to draw will help improve your oil paintings. In fact, years ago art students were not permitted to paint until they learned the fundamentals of drawing. Drawing gets you more in touch with value, line and form without the distraction of color. Find a good book on drawing fundamentals and start there.
LEARN ABOUT COLOR
Nothing can confuse a beginner more than color. You need to have a good understanding of color theory if you intend on producing high quality paintings. Concepts like color temperature, hue and intensity are very important and should be studied. Once you have a good understanding of color theory, you must then learn how to mix your colors. There is much more to color mixing then meets the eye. For instance, you cannot mix any old blue with any old yellow and get the perfect green. Certain blues and yellows behave differently than others, so you must learn about the properties of each color.
PERSPECTIVE
Perspective in painting is one of the biggest hurdles for beginners. Sometimes a painting just looks “wrong”, and often it is because the perspective in the painting is off. Learning about perspective will teach you how to properly translate a 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional canvas or other support. Learning perspective is a necessary ingredient toward producing convincing oil paintings. There is of course an exception to this, if you are producing an abstract work and your intentions are to warp the perspective.
MATERIALS
Materials to an oil painter are like what a guitar is to a guitarist. A guitarist cannot play without his instrument nor can he play without understanding how his instrument works. Your painting materials are your instruments. They are what enable you to express yourself, so learning more about them is an absolute must. Learn about the different kinds of brushes and what they do. Know your paints. Not all colors behave the same. Some are more transparent or opaque than others. Know your supports and the difference between them. The list goes on.
TECHNIQUES
There are a plethora of 
oil painting techniques that you can learn to create your paintings. Techniques like wet on wet, glazing, alla prima, knife painting, etc. should all be explored. Working with various techniques will help you develop your own unique style and help you to produce more interesting paintings.
START WITH A CONCEPT
I remember not too long ago, what a frustrated painter I was. I had 10 or so incomplete paintings collecting dust in the corner of my small studio. I would attempt to complete these paintings over and over again, until finally I had to take a step back and try and understand what I was doing wrong. The reason I lost interest and was unable to complete these paintings, was because I did not have a concept in mind before I started. I would start haphazardly without a clear vision of what I really wanted to accomplish. Concepts are methods for solving problems in a painting. What do you want your painting to be about? When you have a blueprint or roadmap in mind before you start painting, there is no room for diversion. You must stick to your plan.
MASTER YOUR BRUSH
A very important part of oil painting is having control over your brush. Without good brush control , your effectiveness as a painter is limited. Make sure you have the best possible brushes you can afford. One of the biggest mistakes artists make, myself included, is not reloading the brush enough. Make certain you always have enough paint on your brush so that there is always a layer of paint between your brush and the canvas. Do not try and scrub the paint into the canvas. Paint your strokes and leave them be. Don’t over work your brushstrokes.
FAT OVER LEAN
Follow this rule and you will reduce the chance of your paint cracking. Each layer of your oil painting should have a higher oil content then the one below it.
ORGANIZED PALETTE
Having a clean organized palette is an essential part of good painting. Get into the habit of laying out your colors the same way every time you paint. Arrange your colors along the edges of your palette leaving a lot of room in the center for mixing. Don’t be afraid to squeeze out a good amount of paint, especially your whites. You will be more productive if you aren’t continuously stopping to squeeze out more paint. Make certain to include all of the colors you think you will need to complete that session of painting. It’s a good idea to continuously wipe your palette clean during the painting process. Keep some alcohol handy so that you can keep the mixing area of your palette clean.
INSPIRATION
If you are ever feeling uninspired don’t get discouraged. Try taking a walk outside, breath in the air, look around at the beautiful earth God created. Try playing music while you are painting. You will be surprised how music can affect your painting. Visit a museum or local gallery. Viewing other works of art can really get your creative juices flowing.
The Method and Formulas of the Mische Technique By Brigid Marlin
About Brigid:
Brigid Marlin was born in Washington, D.C., studied at the National College of Art, Dublin, the Centre d’Art Sacre, and the Atelier André L’Hote, Paris, the Beaux-arts, Montreal, and the Arts Students League of New York. Later she went to Vienna to learn the ‘Mische’ technique, a process of painting which was a carefully guarded secret of the Flemish and Italian Renaissance painters, and revived after painstaking research by Ernst Fuchs.
Returning to England, she founded the “Inscape” group of painters to continue the exploration and research into techniques of painting; and later the world between painters, sculptors, print-makers and jewelers. She teaches painting at West Herts. College and in London.
In 1982 she was resident artist at the Dorland Mountain Colony and in 1985 she was resident artist and painting teacher at the Carl Rogers Center for the Study of the Person, at the University of California.
In 1985 she illustrated Mary O’Hara’s book, “Celebration of Love”. In 1989 she wrote a book “From East to West” which was published by Collins Fount. In 1990 she was commissioned to paint a headmaster of heam School, Berks. Her work is in the National Portrait Gallery, London, and museums and collections all over the world.
Brigid Marlin is the founder of the Society for the Art of Imagination. The society holds an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London. The exhibition is open to all artists working in the realms of the fantastic, surreal and visionary. For more details please Email Brigid.
Click here to learn more about Brigid and to view more of her work!
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The Gesso Panel:
The first step is to prepare a gesso panel. This can be of wood, canvas, or pressed wood masonite. The surface is sandpapered (in the case of wood or masonite) and covered with several layers of gesso, sandpapering each layer with very fine sandpaper. Next a drawing is prepared, either on a sheet of paper of corresponding size, which is then traced onto the panel, or directly onto the panel itself. |
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The drawing is inked in with waterproof ink - Indian Ink is suitable - using a very fine brush | |
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When this is thoroughly dry, the ‘ground’ or imprimatura is painted on. The ground should be a warm color - bright red, such as Cadmium red, is most common, or a rust red, such as Venetian red. There are various methods of putting on the ground, but the simplest is to paint it on with oil paints, using as painting medium half linseed oil and half damar varnish. When this is thoroughly dry, proceed to the next step. | |
| The Egg Tempera:
The egg tempera is made in the following manner: First, the egg medium must be made. Into a clean jar, crack a fresh egg. Add an equal amount of painting medium (half linseed oil, half damar varnish) then add water to the amount of both of these combined. Store in the refrigerator. It will keep for a year. Always shake well before using. Next, the egg tempera must be ground. To do this you need a frosted glass muller and a frosted glass plate. You must buy some Titanium White powder (this is obtainable in most large specialist art stores). Pour a heaped teaspoonful of powder on to the frosted glass plate, and add enough egg medium until the mixture is the consistency of yogurt. Next, grind the mixture with the glass muller until all the ‘crumbs’ have been smoothed out. The mixture should be smooth and even. Now, with a palette knife, scrape the mixture onto a small and shallow piece of sponge or foam rubber, which should be previously prepared, cut to fit in the bottom of a small, airtight jar, and wet and wrung out so that it is damp, but not soggy. Wash your glass muller and plate immediately, or they will be ruined. The egg tempera is now ready to use. When not in use, it should be kept in the refrigerator, and will last for a week. |
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To the left you see the first stage of the egg tempera. It must be noted that the egg tempera, to be successful, must not be used as an outline, or a mere blocking in. The tempera must be used to sculpt the subject, using the red of the board as the darkest dark, and the full strength of the white as the highest highlight. The end product should look a little like a photograph taken of the subject, but reproduced in red and white. When the first coat of egg tempera is thoroughly dry, lightly scrape a razor over the surface to take out any roughness. | |
| A yellow glaze is put over the whole picture. A glaze is a transparent or semi-transparent layer of oil paint put over the painting in the same manner as a wash of colour in a watercolor. Just as the wash gets its lightness from the light reflecting back from the white paper, so the light reflects back from the egg tempera. The glaze is like a veil rather than a transparent piece of cellophane.
The veil effect is achieved by adding a very small amount of white to the yellow colour.Putting on the glaze calls for great care. The most important thing is that the egg tempera should be fully dry before the glaze is put on. The drying time can vary depending on the dampness in the air, and the coldness of temperature. It usually takes at least 2 days. |
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When you are sure the tempera is dry, take yellow paint - This can be Cadmium yellow or Lemon yellow, depending on the effect you need. Add a small amount of white - just enough to give the effect of a chiffon veil when spread thinly over the surface.
Do not add too much white paint, or the colour will lose its effect and the whole picture will look ‘pasty’. Add the painting medium, but only a few drops at a time. Just use enough to make the mixture spread easily. Most people usetoo much at first. The glaze should be well mixed together before it is applied by hand using the fatty cushion on the side of the palm in a series of thumps, aimed at laying on the paint as smoothly and evenly as possible. |
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| If you are successful, the picture should look very exciting at this stage. The reds will have become orange, and the whites yellow. It enables the artist to take a fresh look at the work, and I often find additional inspiration at this stage.The glaze must now be left to dry for at least 2 days. For those artists who, like me, are of an impatient nature, I advise having several pictures on the go at different stages. Otherwise, one is tempted to work on a painting before it is dry. | ||
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A second coat of egg tempera is now applied. If one is careful, one can add this when the glaze is tacky rather than bone dry. This layer of egg tempera must not be seen as a mere repetition of the earlier layer. The whole point of the technique is that it gives the artist a chance to perfect his or her work.
So this layer should be a refining and redefining process, not a slavish repetition. One can find a greater subtlety in the tones and add greater expression. One of the beauties of this technique is the contrast between the crispness of the tempera and the oily smoothness of the glazes. When this layer is bone dry, it should be scraped very lightly with a razor again. It is now ready for the next stage - the blue glaze. |
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Again, the artist can choose any blue. Cerulean gives a deliciously sweet effect - skies that look like spring mornings. Ultramarine is more cold, and can have the effect of moonlight. Cobalt is somewhere between the two. Don’t forget to add a small amount of white. Blues usually need slightly more white that yellows.
It will take several goes to really understand colour effects, and some people may like to experiment with the colors first. A colour chart showing the effect of |
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| If you are too impatient to make a chart, do try a little of your blue glaze on a corner on a corner of your painting before you bung it over the whole thing. Too dark a blue will look dirty and too light a blue looks washed out. If you have made your glaze too thick, you can thin it by using your hand as a blotter and then wiping your hand clean; keep wiping and blotting until it looks thin enough so that your underpainting shows through. To the left you see the blue glaze going on using the side of the hand. | ||
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After the blue glaze is dry, you must put on the final over-all coat of egg tempera, remembering what has been said earlier about using the tempera as a refining process. The picture should be an inspiration to work on now, because the blue is a magical filter through which the colors shimmer in a mist.
The egg tempera now going on should be as close to perfection as you can make it. To the left you see the completed egg tempera over the blue. This shows the famous ‘optical greys’ spoken of by the Masters of the Renaissance. Three primary colours have been used in turn - red, yellow, and blue separated by layers of ‘light’ in the form of white egg tempera. This creates a mysterious chemical effect in which one can see all kinds of colour combinations |
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This can be very helpful to the artist in picturing the colours wanted for the final stage. Mostly, the shadows do not need much overpainting. They have appeared by being left out, by ‘unpainting’, and have a quality not obtainable by direct painting. Making sure your egg tempera is dry, scrape it lightly with a razor, and then decide what colour everything is going to be. Now you put the colour on, adding a little white as you did for the glazes. It is better to use a brush for this, as a hand would be too big to get the details.
It’s a good idea to keep a second, dry brush on hand to lift off any excess glaze. In this way, you can also work on different sections of the painting at the same time. This is always an agony for the artist. You have to sacrifice the beauty of the blue glaze in order to get the colours. With luck and hard work, you will get it all back in the end, and more. |
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While this stage of applying the dark colours comes very close to ordinary oil painting, great care must be taken not to paint too thickly or cover up too much. If the painting gets too covered over, a light blotting with the side of the hand will remove excess paint and keep the translucent look. Remember to check that the hand is clean. Details should be put on with a very fine brush. | |
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When the layer of local colours is dry, it is important to go back to the egg tempera again to pull out the details that need heightening and strengthening. It can also restore any details that may have been obscured by overpainting. | |
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The final painting is shown at left. If it is compared to the previous stage, one can see the use of final glazes to establish the right emphasis. The background and the t-shirt have been knocked back by blue glazes. The roses, face, and ribbon have been brought forward.
A creamy pink glaze has pulled the face together, and on top of this the features have been carefully brought out. The underpainting shows through on the face and creates shadows that would have been much harsher if they had been overpainted instead. One warning: never leave any white egg tempera exposed. If you wish to leave the egg tempera unglazed by a color, then cover it with a clear glaze of painting medium. A year after the painting has been completed, it should be given a final coat of varnish. |
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A Direct Approach to Acrylic Painting by Greg Biolchini
June 8, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Acrylic Painting Lessons, Articles & Tips, Painting
Meet the Artist :
From an early age, Greg has worked to hone his craft, learning from past masters and inventing his own techniques and styles. In the process, he has built a body of work and list of awards that any painter would be proud to call his own.
With 30 solo and many juried group exhibitions to his credit, Greg Biolchini’s list of shows is testament to his solid local and growing national reputation. After winning his third national award at the National Arts Club in New York City, Greg was awarded Master Pastelist status by the Pastel Society of America. This, combined with his growing list of national honors and awards has helped further his reputation.
Greg enjoys tremendous popularity as a teacher. His workshops and demonstrations are well attended and consistently rated by attendees as superb.
Greg lives and works in Southwest Florida, with studio and teaching space on the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers. He holds ongoing workshops in pastel, oil, and portraiture in his teaching studio and for art groups throughout Florida and the US (see workshop schedule).
Visit Greg’s Site:
A Direct Approach to Acrylic Painting
by Greg Biolchini
Originally published by Daniel Smith Art Supply Co.
“For years I stayed away from acrylics, thinking they were certainly not a medium for a representational realist painter such as myself. They dried too fast, making it impossible for serious paint manipulation. I am very glad my curiosity finally got the best of me and I began to experiment with this wonderful, timesaving, uncomplicated medium.”
To begin, I like to prepare my own canvas. I start with a medium-textured canvas that I stretch myself on heavy-duty professional stretcher bars. I give the canvas three or four good coats of acrylic gesso, sanding between coats.
Working from my own photographs, I started my Great Blue Heron painting by drawing a center of interest with soft willow vine charcoal. Using a big stick of soft charcoal, I drew the lily pads and grass, quickly blocking in the darks and lights. The soft charcoal was well-suited for this spontaneous process—all I had to do to make changes was wipe away the charcoal with a paper towel.
Figure 1: Center of interest is sketched in for placement in the picture plane.
Figure 2: Rough preliminary charcoal drawing.
At this stage, I am composing the preliminary drawing directly from my photographic references onto the canvas. Now, using hog bristle brushes, I removed some of the charcoal to produce the grasses in the background. For removing very dark areas of charcoal, I used erasers such as a kneaded eraser and magic rub. I did not use my fingers to remove or spread the charcoal. Fingers leave oils from your skin on the canvas, making it difficult to further manipulate the charcoal. Once I was satisfied with my charcoal drawing, I sprayed it with clear acrylic fixative. Figure 1 shows my painting at this point of completion.
Next, I began blocking in warm and cool acrylic washes over my charcoal drawing. I thinned the acrylics with water, making them transparent and allowing the charcoal drawing to show through. I used cobalt and phthalo blue for the cool, blue washes, and hansa yellow medium and deep for the warm washes. The yellows mixed with a little permanent red became orange.
Figure 3: Transparent acrylic wash over charcoal drawing.
I applied the acrylic glazes quickly with a large flat brush made especially for acrylics. I did my color mixing and thinning in a Stay-wet palette. The Stay-wet Palette was indispensable because, as the name implies, it keeps my acrylic mixes wet and workable for a very long time. For this transparent wash stage, I was able to determine where the cool and warm, darks and lights should be in my painting, based on my reference photography and a little imagination. Figure 2 shows the painting at this stage.
This acrylic wash over a rough charcoal drawing is an easy process compared to doing several separate preliminary drawings. At this early stage of my painting, I had already gotten a pretty good idea of what my finished painting would look like.
At this point, I thickened my paint, using less water than in the previous stage, and allowed it to become more opaque. I added only three additional colors to my palette: titanium white, quinacridone magenta, and violet. I used the magenta mostly in the lily pads. I began to use softer smaller brushes, the type called flats—numbers 6, 4, and 2—on the more detailed areas throughout my painting, see Figure 4.
Figure 4: Near-completion with opaque acrylic paint.
Figure 5: More details are added to the bird and highlights and shadows
are more developed. Light is given a more luminous, natural feel.
A note about brushes: I always do better using a brush that is a bit bigger than would seem necessary to do the job. I have found the slightly larger brushes do a better job and are a bit faster. I use the very smallest brushes only after trying and failing with a slightly larger brush. I used the tapered edge of high quality responsive synthetic flats for the smaller, more detailed areas in this painting. I want to stress that I used the softer synthetic flats only for the finest details, and only after first blocking everything in with the larger slightly stiffer nylon brushes.
Figure 6: Lighter-colored plants and flowers are added to improve the overall
composition and move the viewers eye through the painting.
Standing back and looking at the painting, I decided the background was a bit too busy and needed some additional elements to lead the viewer’s eye from place to place. I decided to add white lily flowers. The lily flowers were in some of my reference photographs but I hadn’t been sure I needed them until now. Working in the same fashion I had done for the rest of the painting, I blocked in the big, bold strokes using a slightly stiffer, larger, and more responsive brush. I then painted back over these big strokes with my slightly softer smaller brushes, for the detail. Notice that I also worked over the entire painting, adding touches of almost pure white accents to areas such as the bird and the flowers, and almost pure mars black, especially to the bird. I saved most of my darkest darks and my lightest lights for near the end of the painting. Almost like the final seasoning on food, these strong contrasting accents directed the viewer’s eye to areas of interest throughout my painting.
With these final accents, I brought this painting to completion, see Figure 4. The last step was to varnish it immediately with several coats of gloss acrylic medium.
Figure 7: Finished Great Blue Heron acrylic painting, 38″ x 53″.
I am very happy to say this preliminary drawing method done directly onto my canvas was much faster and more satisfying than having to first do a series of rough drawings to develop my composition. I have found that using transparent acrylic washes over a fixed charcoal drawing enabled me to establish my warm and cool values quickly and early on in my painting process, allowing the finishing stages of my painting to progress smoothly and quickly.
All acrylic brands and brushes are compatible with each other.
Watercolor Techniques - Learn How To Paint with Watercolors
June 5, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Painting, Watercolor Painting
Watercolor painting is a very exciting medium. It’s easy to get started. All you really need is some paint, a few brushes, some water and paper and you are good to go. It is one of the most convenient painting mediums in existence to day. It is no wonder why it is such a popular option for beginners. Of course, you are going to need some advice and direction in order to get started, so I put together this post that covers some of the more basic 
watercolor techniques.
I have also included several excellent videos that demonstration watercolor painting techniques below. Enjoy!
Basic Watercolor Techniques
Flat Wash Technique - The flat wash painting method is a common one. This technique is usually used when large areas of your support need to be covered. It is important to lay out the watercolor wash evenly and uniformly. First, you dampen the area of your paper where you will be applying the wash. Be sure to have an adequate amount of water and pigment available before your begin. If you should have to stop for any reason, it will be rather difficult to match your layers. It is better to have more than less available. The angle at which you apply the watercolor wash is important. If the angle is too steep your wash will run down the paper. If the angle is too level, then there won’t have enough movement. Use a large brush for this technique and start your first stroke at the top of the paper. Continue applying the watercolor wash going down the paper, but alternate sides as you move down.
Glazing - Glazing in watercolor is when you apply a thin transparent color over a completed dry layer of color. This technique creates unique and interesting blends of new color. You will need to use a non-staining, transparent color for this watercolor technique. You will need to use a soft brush and try not too apply that much pressure.
Wet In Wet - Wet in wet is simply applying a wet wash over a wet surface. You start by evenly wetting the paper with a brush or spray bottle. Have a sponge handy to absorb any excess water. You want your paper to be evenly saturated. Then apply your watercolor.
Dry Brush - With the dry brush technique, you begin with a dry piece of paper. Then pick up some dry pigment with just a touch of water and apply to your paper.
The dry brush method is only recommended when you want to draw focus or create texture in your painting. It’s always a good idea to use different brush techniques in a single painting. This results in a more interesting painting.
Lifting Off - Artists use this technique when they want to remove watercolor from a certain area of the panting. It is usually done by first wetting the area that needs to be removed with a clean sponge and then absorb the color with a tissue. If you find that the color does not come off right away, then let the water soak in a bit longer and try again. If you still are unable to remove the color, dampen a bristle brush and gently scrub the area. Use extreme care when utilizing this method as it is possible to damage your paper.
Watercolor Painting Videos
Painting a Flat Wash in Watercolor
How to paint a flat wash in watercolor. Artist Debbie Johnson demonstrates her technique of a flat wash - to lay down a flat, even area of color with watercolor.
How to Stretch Your Paper
Here is an old method for stretching paper that also prevents hard edges.
Watercolor Dry Brush Painting
A dry brush technique in watercolor painting uses very little water. Learn how to paint with a dry brush in this free art lesson video.
Watercolor Salt Technique
Demonstration of salt application on watercolor paper.
Soft Focus Watercolor Techniques
Learn techniques to create beautiful, soft-focus watercolor paintings on damp paper. Techniques include positive painting, negative painting, lifting, and using gouache. Presented by Elizabeth Flue
Introduction to Watercolor Painting Supplies For Beginners
May 21, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Painting, Watercolor Painting
Watercolor painting is probably the most convenient of all the painting mediums. All you really need to get started is a box of paint, a few brushes, water and some paper. There are no toxic solvents or mediums to be concerned about and your brushes can be cleaned with a little soap and water. This convenience makes watercolor one of the most economical painting mediums as well. This article will provide an introduction to the more popular supplies that a beginner should consider investing in.
PAINT
Watercolor paint is made by mixing powdered pigments along with a water soluble binding medium. In the beginning you will do fine by using a cheaper brand of paint, but you will definitely enjoy a much better painting experience if you use artist quality paints. Artist quality paints use more high quality pigment and are noticeably richer and more vibrant. After you become more comfortable working with watercolors, you should then consider upgrading to artist quality paint. Paint is available in both pan and tube form. The main difference between the tube and pan paints is that the tubes have more glycerine and they tend to be more water soluble.
BRUSHES
There are generally two types of brushes that are available to artists: your soft hair brushes like natural sable and squirrel hair and your hard hair bristle brushes. Soft hair brushes are the most popular choice amongst artists and highly recommended. Bristle brushes are sometimes used with techniques that require you to scrub the paint into your paper or other support. Among the soft brushes used by artists, sable is the most popular. These soft hair brushes are resilient and effective at holding a lot of paint. Because of the high quality of these brushes, they also come with a high price tag. This of course leads artists to seek a cheaper alternative. This cheaper alternative comes in the form of synthetic soft hair brushes. As the name implies, these brushes are not made with animal hairs. They are made from man made materials and consequently, are not of the same quality as the sables. They are still a pretty good alternative and many artists use them.
BRUSH SHAPES
Now that you are a little more familiar with the types of hair brushes are made with, lets us cover the shapes brushes are available in.
Round Brushes
As the name implies, the hair of these brushes are round and can be shaped into an excellent point. Depending on the size of the round brushes, they can be used for detailed work or for applying washes.
Wash Brushes (or Mop Brushes)
This is a brush that forms a mop like shape and is used primarily for applying washes.
Flat Wash Brush
The flat wash brushes are square and flat in shape and closely resemble the brushes you use for house painting. These brushes are made for applying washes over large areas and can also be used for modifying existing washes.
Large Flat Wash Brushes
The large flat wash brush looks very similar to the regular flat wash brush only its a little larger, usually about 2 inches wide. This brush is also excellent for laying down washes over large areas.
PAPER
Watercolor paper comes in a variety of different sizes, weights and textures in order to accommodate the various preferences artist have. Whatever paper you decide to use, it needs to be very strong and have a certain degree of absorbency to prevent breaking and tearing.
Absorbency
Watercolor paper is made to have certain degree of absorbency depending on the amount of sizing used in the manufacturing process. The more sizing used, the less absorbent your paper will be. If you are not happy with the level of absorbency in your paper, you can always purchase your own sizing and apply it yourself.
Acidity
You should look for papers that are acid free with a neutral PH. This will lessen the darkening of your paper as it ages.
Weight and Surface
Watercolor paper is available in three different surfaces: Hot pressed, cold pressed and rough. Hot pressed paper has a smooth surface, cold pressed paper has a semi-rough surface and rough paper has, you guessed it, a rough surface. The weight of the paper refers to the weight of a ream (480 sheets) of paper.
Landscape Painting Demonstration by Dan Schultz
May 15, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Landscape/Plein Air, Lessons By Subject, Oil Painting, Painting
Artist’s Statement
Visual art is a language — a means of communication. As an artist, I realize that something is communicated through my work each time it is viewed whether it’s what I want to communicate, or something entirely different that is brought to the experience by the viewer. But as I communicate using this visual language through images of people, images of landscapes, and sometimes images that combine the two, I hope to relate to others the beauty of God’s creation and that through it, I believe he communicates with us. I feel that it is my responsibility to help remind others of the importance of visual art and that it can be admired, embraced, enjoyed and understood.
My interest in making artwork that portrays people stems from my intrigue with people’s ability to create connections between each other. I have long enjoyed creating images of people whether it be a portrait, a child or a woman in a tranquil landscape. I believe that people can easily relate on a personal level to images of other people. And it seems like everyone can relate to an image of a landscape that reminds them of a favorite place. When I work outdoors — standing at my easel with the landscape laid out before me — I feel a connection to the scene that I’m painting. And each time, I feel like I see more beauty in the world than I did the time before.
In order to capture these connections and relate them to the viewer, I often choose a color scheme that is simple and harmonious, which makes my paintings sometimes appear to have one overall dominant color. This allows me to express my connection with each work of art I create, and allows the viewer to experience a direct connection back to the me as the artist. I also experience this connection while viewing favorite works by other artists. They transport me to another world — one of exciting color, texture and emotion that can lift my spirit and renew my passion as an artist. I believe that you too can liberate your senses through the wonder of art and discover that it speaks to you. It only takes a few moments to begin to understand the language, and as you learn, it will become even more meaningful.
Visit Dan’s site to view more of his work and to learn more about him:
http://www.danschultzfineart.com/
Sign Up For Dan’s Email Newsletter
Every month or so, Dan sends out announcements about new artwork, upcoming shows and other news. If you would like to receive these announcements please take a moment to sign up for his newsletter by following the link below:
Please click here to reach Dan’s Newsletter Sign Up Form
Step By Step Landscape Painting Demonstration
Step 1: Prepare to Paint
For this 18″ x 24″ studio painting I used Claessens double-oil-primed linen canvas, #15 (my usual painting surface), mounted on 1/2″ Gator Board. I applied an initial wash to the canvas with a color that I hoped would end up being pretty close to my final color for the creek bed in the foreground. I don’t use any medium with my paint, just mineral spirits (Gamsol made by Gamblin) that I sometimes use to thin the paint (which I did for the initial wash, then lightly wiped it with a paper towel). I also laid out all my palette colors (listed below).
Brushes:
Holbein Killington bristle flats and Utrecht bristle flats, sizes 2 - 12
Royal Langnickel sable flats (series 5590), sizes 2 - 12
Assorted palette knives for painting, mixing paint and cleaning my palette
Paint:
(Starting from the bottom left on my palette and working upwards and to the right.)
Titanium White (Utrecht)
Cadmium Lemon (Winsor & Newton)
Cadmium Yellow (M. Graham & Co.)
Cadmium Yellow Deep (Utrecht)
Yellow Ochre (Winsor & Newton)
Cadmium Red (M. Graham & Co.)
Venetian Red (Gamblin)
Permanent Alizarin Crimson (Gamblin)
Transparent Oxide Red (Rembrandt)
Viridian (Gamblin)
Cobalt Blue (Winsor & Newton)
Ultramarine Deep (Rembrandt)
Ivory Black (M. Graham & Co.)
The last pile is a gray mixture made from mixing the leftover paint on my palette from my last painting.
Step 2: Draw the Scene on the Canvas
Using a #4 Holbein Killington bristle flat brush, I used some of the gray mixture on my palette to draw my scene. (It really doesn’t matter much what color is used for the drawing since it will eventually be covered up anyway. I usually just try to use a color that isn’t too intense and that is dark enough in value for me to see it over the initial wash.) I thinned the paint with some mineral spirits so that it would flow off my brush easily and tried to keep the drawing simple and accurate.
Step 3: Start the Block-In
My next step was to determine the color and value of my darker foreground shadows and to mix it right next to the color I used for the drawing step. I had already decided that I wanted those shadows to be lighter than I had painted them in the plein air painting, so I compared the shadows between the two paintings to make sure I was on the right track. I used a #6 Utrecht bristle flat brush for these block-in steps while being careful to keep my paint consistency just thick enough to cover each area. (I apply thicker paint in certain areas later in the process.)
Step 4: Continue the Block-In
I then continued to the shapes next to the shadows and blocked them in with the approximate values and colors of each shape. (Notice that I continue to mix the colors on my palette right next to (touching) the other colors. This allows me to squint and compare the values right on my palette, then I can double-check value and color accuracy once I block in the shapes on the canvas.) Throughout this process, I did a lot of squinting at my palette mixtures, my source painting and at the larger painting to compare the value relationships between shapes.
Step 5: Continue the Block-In
Next, I continued by blocking in the mountain areas while trying to keep them simple. I wanted to get the majority of the canvas covered with the most accurate values and colors I could before I got into much detail. (It gets easier to accurately compare values and colors as more of the canvas gets covered.) Notice that I continued to work outward from my initial block-in areas to the areas next to them.
Step 6: Continue the Block-In
I began to fill in the lighter tree areas while continuing my efforts to keep the shapes simple. I used a #2 Holbein Killington bristle flat brush in some of those smaller shapes in the trees, and applied the paint a little more thickly.
Step 7: Continue the Block-In
Using the #6 Utrecht bristle flat brush again, I filled in the sky, but didn’t try to complete it yet with clouds, etc. You can see now that my initial wash on the canvas has definitely helped my process. If I had been working up to this point on a white canvas, almost the entire bottom portion of the painting would be glaring white (making it more difficult to compare the values and colors of my other shapes). Thankfully, the initial wash ended up being fairly close to the color I wanted for the creek bed.
Step 8: Continue the Block-In
Next, I blocked in a color for the whole creek bed and started to place the areas of water.
Step 9: Refine the Shapes
After all that block-in work, I finally began to refine some shapes by adding details. Since my focal area is just to the right of center in the painting (the bright trees and the reflecting water in the creek bed), I started refining there first. That way I could compare all the other areas in the painting to that area, letting it predominate with the most details. In this and the following refining steps, I began using #2, #4 and #6 Royal Langnickel sable flats. Their softness allows paint to be easily applied on top of wet paint, even if the paint is thick. They are also very useful for softening edges.
Step 10: Refining
In this step, I revisited my initial shadow areas to bring them to more of a finish. I still tried to keep them simple and somewhat stylized rather than smooth them out. This helps add some excitement to those areas.
Step 11: Refining
I realized that the color I had chosen for the creek bed was more intense than I wanted, so I repainted that whole area and then added details there.
Step 12: Refining
Next, I returned to the mountain areas to add details. Throughout all these refining steps, I continued comparing back to my focal area so that it would still be the most dominant.
Step 13: Refining
The last area to complete was the sky which I wanted to break up with a few clouds. There weren’t really any in my plein air piece, so I figured out a design that would work for that area. I also decided to give shapes to the clouds that would mirror the shapes of the trees below, which would help unify the background and the foreground. Then I looked over the whole painting to make sure every part was working well, and made adjustments where they were needed. In these last few steps, I repeatedly checked the painting’s reflection in a mirror. Seeing the image in reverse helps me find mistakes that I’ve missed. Often an edge that is too sharp or a distracting brush stroke needs to be softened.
Step 14: Varnish
All that I did for this last step was to sign the painting and varnish it. I can often get a better photo of the painting (with less glare) once it is dry and has been varnished. I included some close-up photos below.
Sand Creek · Oil on Linen · 18 x 24 inches
Available from Dan Schultz Fine Art
Figurative Oil Painting Demonstration By Lacey Lewis
April 22, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Figure Drawing & Painting, Oil Painting, Painting
About Lacey
Working mainly in oil, Lacey Lewis is an award winning contemporary realist figurative artist who paints in a classical style. Whether or not one is versed in the elusive language of visual design, Lacey’s paintings communicate to the viewer as she purposefully chooses recognizable aspects of reality to recreate on the canvas. It is vital to Lacey that her art at a minimum expresses the beauty that she observes in her subject. Often that expression of beauty is an end in and of itself. Other times, it is used as a lure to entice the viewer to look a little longer so that a deeper meaning or narrative may be revealed to them.
“I take it as an opportunity to learn about a person; their essence, where they’ve been, the image they project. I want to create a record of someone’s whole being, not just their physical likeness, through a beautiful and well composed work of art.”
Lacey offers Classes, Workshops & Private Lessons. Please click here to visit the instruction section of her website for more information.
Lacey’s artwork is available for purchase. You can buy her original paintings and drawings, or you can also purchase fine art Giclée prints of her work. Lacey also accepts commissions for figurative and portrait paintings.
Please click here to visit the purchase or commission section of her website for more information.
Figurative Oil Painting Demonstration By Lacey Lewis
“Amy Pinning Her Hair”
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After priming an 11 x 14 inch hardboard panel with acrylic gesso, I painted a mixture of raw sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white and some medium across the surface and then wiped it with a rag. Next, I roughed in the figure and the shadows, indicating general plane changes especially on the back. Some pink flesh color was added and the dress was roughed in as well. |
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During this session I focused on the near arm and face area, defining the forms more clearly. I added less diluted strokes of the burnt sienna/ultramarine blue/white mixture to the background to contrast with the warmth of the flesh. |
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Here the face is developed to a greater likeness of the subject and some areas are restated. Slight changes complete the background. The dress is painted in with thicker paint and the purple is used in the downward facing planes of the shadowed areas both to indicate reflected color and also to add to the unity of the work. |
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The forms get their final adjustments and definition. Some transitions are smoothed while others get a harder edge. The likeness is completed and the hairpins are added. As the dress color was added into the shadows on the flesh during the last session, skin tones are now added into dress to create a greater sense of form and unity. Finally, the signature is added. |
 Amy Pinning Her Hair
Oil on Panel, 14″ x 11″ |
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Oil Painting Tutorial By Dan Dos Santos
March 30, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Oil Painting, Painting
About Dan:
Dan’s work spans a variety of genres, including novels, comics and film. He has worked for such clients as Disney, Universal Studios, Boeing Aircraft, Saatchi & Saatchi, Scholastic Books, Ace Books,The Greenwich Workshop, Penguin Books, Random House, Bantam Books, Tor books, UpperDeck, Wizards of the Coast, and Dark Horse Comics. Aside from freelance illustration, Dan also co-hosts a series of instructional demonstrations called ‘Art Out Loud’.
Dan has been the recipient of many awards. Most recently, he has received the 2007 Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist, and was the Chesley Award winner for Best Paperback Cover of 2007. His illustrations have graced the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Visit Dan’s Site: http://www.dandossantos.com/
Step by Step Oil Painting Tutorial: “Moon Followed”
Please Click Thumbnails For Larger Views
How to Get the Most Out of your Oil Painting
March 19, 2009 by rserpe
Filed under Oil Painting, Painting
Learning how to become a good oil painter is a difficult undertaking. In fact, it is more than likely one of the most difficult painting mediums to master. Things like color mixing & theory, perspective, techniques and materials can really intimidate a beginner artist.
So how do you get the most out of your oil painting and become a more accomplished artist?
You must make it a point to learn the fundamentals of oil painting, practice often and have an enormous amount of patience.
You must start with the fundamentals of oil painting first. You cannot expect to produce Rembrandt quality paintings in the beginning. In fact, the first paintings you produce will probably be a lot worse than you may have anticipated. Frustration will more than likely come into the picture (pun intended). They key is to learn from your mistakes and do not let them defeat you.
So what are some of the fundamentals of 
oil painting? What information should you study and learn first?
Below are some topics of interest that you should definitely study further when you have time:
LEARN HOW TO DRAW
You will be amazed at how much learning how to draw will help improve your oil paintings. In fact, years ago art students were not even permitted to pick up an oil painting brush until they learned the fundamentals of drawing. My advice would be to find a few good books on drawing fundamentals and start there. Drawing is an art form all by itself and you should not be expected to master drawing as an art form, unless you want to of course.
Here is an excellent book to help you learn drawing fundamentals:
You MUST learn about color theory if you plan on producing quality works of art. If you don’t understand how colors work, then you might as well hang up your brushes now. There is much to learn about colors like temperature, hue and intensity and how colors interact with one another. This is a very important aspect of oil painting and must not be overlooked.
Here is an excellent book on color theory:
“Exploring Color: How to Use and Control Color in Your Painting” by Nita Leland
PERSPECTIVE
Learning about perspective will teach you how to translate a 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional canvas or other support. Learning perspective is a necessary ingredient toward producing convincing oil paintings.
Here is an excellent book on perspective:
“The Art of Perspective: The Ultimate Guide for Artists in Every Medium” by Phil Metzger
MATERIALS
Materials to an oil painter are like what a guitar is to a guitarist. A guitarist cannot play without his instrument nor can he play without understanding how his instrument works. Your painting materials are your instruments. They are what enable you to express yourself, so learning more about them is pretty good idea. Get to know the different kinds of brushes and what they do. Know your paints. Not all colors behave the same. Some are more transparent or opaque than others. Know your supports and the difference between them. The list goes on.
Here is an excellent book for learning more about oil painting materials:
“The Oil Painting Book: Materials and Techniques for Today’s Artist” by Bill Creevy
TECHNIQUES
There are a myriad of oil painting techniques that you can utilize to create your paintings. So much so, that it is beyond the scope of this article. Techniques like wet on wet, glazing, alla prima, knife painting, etc. should all be explored. Working with various techniques will help you develop your own unique style.
Here is a great book on oil painting techniques:
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Masters like Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn , Johannes Vermeer and many more, were all able to successfully translate our 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional surface in such a way that it grabs the viewers attention and keeps it there. Their paintings engage the viewer and bring them back time and time again to look some more. Why? What is it that these paintings have that make them so popular? Well, one way to find out is to study them. If at all possible, make it a point to visit a museum as often as possible and study the works of the masters. Find paintings that grab your attention and draw you in. Then, when you have time, try to find books and other resources on those artists so that you can learn more about them and their techniques. When you are ready, pick a painting that you are quite fond of and try to reproduce it.
Here is a great book on learning from the masters:
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