Many supports are suitable for oil painting including cotton canvas, linen canvas, wood panels, and copper. All are centuries old techniques and still used today by many artists. I use mostly linen, wood panel, and copper, but primed paper, gator board, and many others are popular also. Just go to the painting support … [Read more...] about Sizing Canvases
Chiaroscuro and Other Oil Painting Techniques
Chiaroscuro is from the Italian language and the root meaning is chiaro, light, and scuro (obscure), dark. It is a perfect technique to use in oil painting to achieve drama of contrasts such as that used by the 17th Century Dutch. Another technique that helps attain this look is impasto oil painting, which is used freely in the main focus of the composition and then to a lesser degree in the shadow areas. It is very effective in all sizes and subject matter such as oil paintings of flowers, still life, and even landscape. Fumed Silica gel is a great medium to use for getting texture in oil painting. It is a combination of linseed oil and silica mixed together which forms a fluffy clear medium. When mixed with paint, the consistency retains its shape and stays put with no slumping.
Details
This detail of a new painting, yet unnamed, measures 12 x 12. This also follows along with the analogous plan...many varieties of reds, red-oranges, and yellows all throughout the composition with a vibrant blue complement used sparingly. Even in the very dark background areas lurks thin warm tones of all kinds. Over all, at first glance, the … [Read more...] about Details
Auspicious Harmony
A few years ago, I painted several pieces using the ever beautiful calla lilies as a focal point. Here I have mimicked one of the earlier compositions while changing a few objects and brightening the red tones. Using a white or off white object as the main attraction is very auspicious in color palette planning. Because white goes with anything, … [Read more...] about Auspicious Harmony
Full Steam Ahead
March 1st is just around the corner and full steam ahead it is! Pictured here is a detail of painting #5. The detail is showing a very small portion because this is the "stool climbing canvas" and will be the largest in the exhibit. As some of you know, I started taking piano lessons a few years ago. This introduction to music opened vast … [Read more...] about Full Steam Ahead
Oil Change
Drying oils are an essential component to painting in oils, and there are several which can be used. The primary function of a drying oil is to bind the pigment particles together which enables the pigment to adhere to the surface of the painting. The most common oil is linseed which is pressed from the flax seed and has been used since antiquity. … [Read more...] about Oil Change
The Painted Word
Here is a list a words I have come to know and love in all my glossaries. Impasto - thickly applied paint which stands out from the surface of a painting Pastose - paint mixed to a stiff texture, so that it can be used to create impasto Grisaille -The process of painting in different shades of grey or near-monochrome Monochrome - A painting … [Read more...] about The Painted Word