Top Tips for Oil Painting

When I first started to get serious about oil painting and being a Dorset artist, I barely knew anything about what it really took to create bright, interesting paintings. Don't get me wrong, I had always had an artistic eye and had been good at seeing proportions when looking at a subject, but when it came to actually translating the image I could see into an artistic representation of it, I didn't know how to make my work interesting or professional looking. So, to help you, I have come up with a list of my top 5 tips on how to create a great oil painting.

Number 1: Pair your oil paints with linseed oil. Linseed oil is used to modify paint consistency, drying time and finish. By adding a small amount to your oils your will find that the paint glides onto the canvas, allowing you to avoid thick, blobby paint and a crass looking finish. You will also find that you have more control over your paint by adding a medium like linseed oil.

Number 2: The grid system. If you struggle with proportions then try implementing the grid system in your work. To do this you simply draw a grid over your chosen printed image/photograph, then copy that grid, proportionally onto your canvas. Then, using the grid as a guide you can draw the image directly from the photograph to the canvas.

Number 3: Study sketches. Before you tackle a large painting, try doing a small sketch of the piece you want to create. A sketch can be a small oil painting in itself. By doing this you are able to work out any kinks re. composition, lighting, proportions etc. It will help inform the final piece and save you making unnecessary mistakes.

Number 4: Values. Learn about values and what they really mean. When painting most artists start with the darkest values, then mid tones and then the lightest values. Knowing your values is so important and if you study how to paint them correctly, it will greatly improve your work.

Number 5: Don't use white. Don't use white directly out of the paint tube. Nothing in life is truly white! Take a good look at the things around you and you will see that nothing is bright white. White is usually represented using greys and beiges. It also reflects other colours too depending on what it is near. Also, remember when painting portraits, the whites of the eyes are not white, nor are the teeth. Have a look, and steer away from the paint tube.

So, there are my top tips for starting your oil painting journey. I hope these help!