oil basics & more

Drawing & Painting with Style and Confidence

Presented by

Anne Kullaf

Anne Kullaf © 2008

Oil Basics & More

Anne Kullaf © 2008 Oil Basics & More

Course premise…

• This course is designed to provide a basic primer for students new to painting with oils. It will cover the technical aspects of working with the materials as well as general concepts of color, composition and design.


Course Overview…• During the 4 weeks that this course runs we will explore

the following topics:– Methods & Materials:

• Overview of materials and proper surface preparation• Fat over lean• Alla prima vs. layering

– Color:• Working with complementary colors• Working with a limited palette

– Composition:• Creating balance with shape, value and color


Methods and Materials

Oils• Rich color can be

achieved with layering

• Wonderfully expressive effects possible with brush work

• Archival qualities proven over time

Taxi in the Rain, oil on canvasAnne Kullaf © 2007



• Surface preparation– You may work in oil on a variety of surfaces:

stretched canvas or linen, canvas panels, cradled masonite, masonite panels, wood, etc.

– If you buy your canvas primed, you may paint directly onto it, however if you prefer a smoother surface you can give it a couple coats of gesso


Methods and Materials• Supplies

Paints – start out with a limited palette if you are new to oils: cobalt blue or ultramarine; alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, burnt umber and titanium white

Medium – medium is what you use to make the paint more fluid. You can buy pre-mixed mediums such as the synthetic based Liquin, or oil-based mediums such as Winsor Newton Artist’s Painting Medium, or you can simply mix your own medium from linseed oil and turpenoid

Thinner – odorless mineral spirits (Turpenoid) are used to thin the paint in the early stages of a painting done in layers, they can also be used to clean brushes


Methods and Materials• Supplies (cont’d)

Palette – you may use either a traditional wooden palette or a disposal palette with a case and cover. Either is fine, but the white ones can be distracting (glare) if you are working outdoors

Brushes – I prefer soft brushes in a flat or wedge shape, however you should work with whatever shape or stiffness works best for you. I often complete an entire painting using just one brush—my favorite is a ¾” flat brush with soft synthetic bristles

Painting rags – old flannel sheets cut into small 6” x 6” squares are great for this purpose, you can use them to wipe off your brush when changing colors, or to wipe out areas during your under painting phase (almost like drawing with them)



Alla Prima• Wet-into-wet• Done in one pass as

opposed to layering• Excellent technique for

plein air• Loose brushwork, very

expressive• Best for smaller works

(11x14 and under)



Working in layers• Fat over lean – medium

becomes thicker (more oil content) in progressive layers

• Rich color effects, transluscency

• Can be used to achieve highly realistic details

• Recommended for larger works



Working in layers• Always begin with an under painting (monochrome value study, medium = Turpenoid)• Map in color transparently (muted colors, medium = Turpenoid)• Begin adding medium and dark values with more opacity (medium = Liquin or a linseed

oil/Turpenoid mix such as Artists’ Painting Medium by Winsor Newton or one you mix yourself)

• Final layer(s) include highlights and fine details (medium = Liquin or Artists’ Painting medium or pure pigment with no medium)

Under painting(value study)

Color map Dark & medium valuesIn color, more opacity

Highlights and finedetails


Color


Color Basics• Colors that complement

one another should be used to create shadows and darks, in other words, colors that appear opposite one another on the color wheel

• Example: if you need show a shaded area on a lemon (yellow, primary color) use violet (secondary color)

• Mix your secondary colors whenever possible instead of using them directly from the tube


The Limited Palette• Try working with a limited palette of 3 primaries, one

dark neutral and one white. One of my favorites is:– Cobalt blue - Burnt umber – Alizarin crimson - Titanium white– Yellow ochre

• You may experiment with other colors you like, just remember to keep it to 3 primaries and one dark neutral plus white.

• If necessary, you can always add in a brighter primary for the areas in highlight—for example, I often will use a cadmium yellow in addition to the colors above when working on sunlit landscapes just to get that extra “glow” in my greens.


The Limited Palette2 Paintings, 1 Palette:

• Cobalt Blue• Alizarin

Crimsom• Yellow

Ochre• Cadmium

Yellow• Burnt Umber• Titanium

White

Notice the difference in mood of the 2 paintings above. • Both were painted using the colors listed at left, this illustrates the wide range of effects capable with a limited palette.


Composition


Composition Basics

• Composition refers to the way you arrange the elements/objects contained in your painting in order to create and maintain:– Balance– Harmony– Viewer interest


Focal Point vs. Overall Movement• There are many approaches to composition, all are a

matter of personal preference and what you want to say with your painting

• For example, you may wish to have an overall sense of movement rather than a strong focal point—either one can work but each will convey a different mood and feeling in your finished work


• Look for things that repeat to keep your composition cohesive and to engage your viewer:– Shapes– Colors– Directional movement– Motion

Look for examples of the items listed above in the painting at right

Composition Basics


Tying it all together…


Tying it all together…• Painting with oils provides rich clear color• You can work on many different surfaces, canvas pads are

a great surface to practice on• You can work either in layers or alla prima• Focus on shapes and values – sketch in charcoal first!• Experiment with larger brushes for looser, more painterly

brushwork• Use complementary colors for shading• Try working with a limited palette• Experiment with new subject matter• Paint from life whenever you can, either outdoors or in your

studio• If you work from photos, try not to “copy” the photo, instead

use it just for inspiration and reference

oil basics & more

Education

artists painting medium

titanium white medium

methods materials

color basics colors

lean medium

opacity medium

layering color

limited palette composition