Oil Painting

28Jul/100

Paint Monotypes with Oil Paint Sticks

Using oil paint sticks is a preferred method to paint monotypes.  You use a lot of colors, blend and mix them to create pattern and images. Next step is taking a white piece of paper and placing it on top to create the monotype. Painters usually use glass as an initial support for their model. Paint slides nicely on it and it is very easy to clean up and reuse.

On glass you can create lines with different widths depending on the size the paint stick, the pressure you apply. Of course, the surface you paint on is important so any material other than glass will have a different effect. If you don`t use the oil paint sticks for a while some of the paint will dry and form a dry layer but this can be easily removed.

You don`t have to wait for the paint to dry, you can keep on painting on the wet paint. An interesting thing will happen if you do this.  Colors will blend, gain contrast or lift off. It all depends on the way you use each oil paint stick. The only way to learn is to experiment as much as possible and try different combinations and analyze the result.  The advantage of oil paint is that it doesn`t dry up very easily so you can take your time and decide if you like what you painted so far. You can constantly modify it any way you like, use new colors and styles.
The type of paper you place on the print you have designed on glass is very important .You may try different types like dry or damp. You can also vary the pressure you apply and watch the result. Some people work better on damp paper than on dry. After you have placed the paper the glorious moment when you reveal your work arrives. The secret is to lift the paper very slowly while grabbing it from one corner. Wash your hands first so you won`t leave any marks on the paper.

Now take the monotype and apply another piece of paper on it to see if it will make a second print. Usually it will but the colors are a bit faded out. Depending on the amount of paint you have used the result may still look nice. If you are going to write something on your future designs remember that the monotype will be in reverse so the way you write the letters is very important. If the paint is still wet on the glass you will have no problem in cleaning it after painting with oil sticks but if you let it there for a while you might need to use solvent.

Painting monotypes with oil sticks can be a lot of fun and allows you to be as creative as you want and constantly improve your painting. You might get your hands a little dirty but this is actually part of the fun.

Junfeng is the staff writer for Paintingiant.Com. Paintingiant Art offers Oil Paintings reproduction and picture frames for sale from China reproduction like Commissioned Oil Painting, Commissioned Boat Painting, landscape painting, Commissioned Pet Portrait oil paintings & Wedding Portrait oil Painting etc. Purchasing of paintings from Paintingiant.Com help you cutting off 80% than from your local gallery.

8Jul/100

Supplies You Need to Paint with Oil Paints

Oil paints are very different than your typical acrylic or watercolor paints. Not only are they more durable, but they also allow for slow drying which is advantageous for many professional painters. The delay basically provides more time for the artist to continue working with the paint while their visions slowly come at them piece by piece. Corrections can easily be made as long as the paint is still wet. The best part about oil paints is their lasting quality. Once it’s dry, your painting can live far past your lifetime.

So what do you need to get started in oil painting? Well, good quality brushes are a must. If you are not sure about yours, buy new ones. And when you use them be sure to properly clean them with warm water and soap after each use. This will keep the hairs in tact and reliable for future projects. There is a wide range or painter brushes to choose from with just as many brand names. Typically, an artist will only find their perfect brush through experimenting and using a wide variety of brushes. Gesso should be applied before any painting surface before applied with oil paints. It can easily be brushed on using specific brushes. Gesso is basically a primer that helps the paint stick to the surface and enables a longer lasting effect. Before you apply oil paints over the gesso, be sure it is completely dry or you will damage your new brushes.

Oil painters usually paint on canvas, it is for the most part a favorite. However, there are plenty of other painting surfaces to choose from. Two other popular materials to paint on are wood or masonite. Masonite is a great surface for oil paints, it holds well and it will sometimes outlast a canvas. Either way, a painting easel is a necessity for any true painter. Whether you’re painting on a block of wood or on canvas paper, you should keep your working plane vertical, solid, and consistent. Whatever you do, get an easel that is collapsible and/or adjustable so that all your projects can be worked on with ease.

*Note that oil paint is not water soluable. That means you will have to purchase additional chemicals in order to wash your brushes effectively. The most common type of oil paint remover is any type of lindseed oil.

28Jun/100

Learn To Oil Paint – A Beginner Guide

Painting and drawing are great forms of art and oil painting is no exception. Oil painting is actually rather simple as the oil paint enhances the appearance of the drawing. Anyone can learn how to paint. Great artists are not born as painters, they are made. Of course, many famous artists had the God given gift but most people who are eager to learn to oil paint can be trained with the basics and at later stage become advanced. So why not start now with some basic oil painting instructions to create a great picture?

Firstly, in order to paint, it does not mean you pick up a brush and apply some strokes on the canvas! It is all about discipline, learning and understanding different aspects of oil painting basics.

Art must be understood no matter what form or type of art it is. A picture in any type of painting is made up of different components such as color, structure and technical appearance.

Before you start with your oil painting, it is imperative to understand the structure of the picture you are trying to paint. Think about how the picture will attract viewers and what objects will you include in this picture and in what positions?

If you are aiming for a three dimensional look, this will be extremely challenging although it will greatly enhance the appearance of the picture. Different shading should be applied to make the picture appear real. Colors in a picture form the most essential part and you need to think carefully before choosing or mixing the right paint.

Now that you have a little idea of what you want to paint, it is time to think of which oil paints to choose. As you are a novice and your budget may be low, it is best to search for high quality oil paints that are affordable at the same time. Opt for acrylic paint for the initial layer as they dry much quicker and their prices are lower too. This means you will not have to compromise your oil painting appearance with low quality paint.

Picking the right painting brush is the second most important part. Oil painting brushes come in two types, either soft or hard brush. Soft brushes are used for finer finishing touches to the picture and hard brushes are for long strokes. Your brush size should not be longer than 10 as you are a beginner. Do not forget to rinse the brush after you have finished as the oil paint colors usually accumulate in the brush. Many arts and craft shops have brush cleaning agents available.

Did you know that you can use less paint and yet achieve the same desired look to your picture? Do not waste the oil paint by applying too much. This will definitely keep the cost of purchasing more oil paints down. How can you use it for a longer time? It is simple; just add some spirit or poppy seed oil to the paint before applying it to the picture. This is a great tip to make your oil paint last much longer.

It need not be a challenge to learn to oil paint. By just following a few simple, cost effective steps, you will be on your way to creating a great picture!

Al Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from oil painting books to American football. Thanks for reading!

24Jun/100

Oil Paint Was Made From Plants – History

History of making oil paint from plants

Oil paint is a type of paint which consists of color pigments suspended in a drying oil. A drying oil is one which hardens to a tough, solid film after it’s exposed to air. The oil hardens because of a chemical reaction between the components and the presence of oxygen. Drying oils are a key component of oil paint for painting. This oil comes from different kinds of plants.

What plants were used in the past to make oil paint?

There are many kinds of oils that were used in the past for oil paint. A few examples of oils that were used by the artists are linseed oil, frankincense oil, Tung oil, perilla oil, poppyseed oil, walnut oil and safflower oil.

Linseed Oil

The plant Linaceae is the source of linseed oil. Linseed oil is extracted from the Linaceae plant and a clear to yellowish colored oil is obtained. Sometimes certain solvents are added to it in order to decrease the drying time of the oil. In the field of oil painting, the usage of linseed oil was a giant leap. But as time has passed and new techniques have been found, the usage of linseed oil has dropped. Mainly, because of the artificial materials introduced which have the ability to resist yellowing. In Modern & Abstract Oil Paintings, they still use linseed oil. Frankincense Oil

Frankincense is a scented resin. This is obtained from the genus Boswellia trees. The bark of the tree is peeled off and a milky white liquid is exuded from it which hardens on its contact with air. Oil is then extracted from these hardened resins by steam distillation. Due to the difference in soil and climate conditions, many different kinds of species are found. Among all the species, the opaque resins are believed to be the best kind. These are found in Oman, Yemen and the North coast of Somalia.

Poppyseed Oil

Poppyseed oil is obtained form the small, dark seeds of opium poppy, commonly known as the poppy flower. Although the poppyseed oil is used for many purposes like cooking oil and moisturizers, the foremost usage is in the production of paints. Poppyseed oil takes more time to dry as compared to linseed oil. That is the reason why poppyseed oil is not used as a ground layer for painting.

Walnut Oil

As the name indicates, walnut oil comes from walnuts. Walnut oil dries very quickly and it also does not give a yellow shade. For this reason, it was very popular amongst the Renaissance painters. It is considered to be a good oil paint thinner cleaning brushes for the same reason. Now the demand of walnut oil has decreased with the passage of time. This is because, walnut oil is considered to be of lesser quality than that of linseed oil by some people and also, the stock of walnut oil may go bad if not kept by care.

Safflower Oil

Safflower is a plant having spiny leaves and bears red or yellowish flowers on an upright and stiff stem. The height of the plant is between 30 to 150 cm. Safflower has been used for edible oil extracted from its seeds, coloring and flavoring of foods, and medicines. The safflower oil, used as edible oil, is also used for painting and is sometimes used instead of linseed oil mainly because it does not give the yellow shade as that of linseed oil.

All the above mentioned oils have been used in the past by artists for oil paintings. Now, these oil paints are being used in modern abstract oil paintings and decorative modern paintings. Considering the different properties of these oils and the desired effect for the painting, different oil paints may be used in the same painting.

This article is written by Nanine Masclee. Art Gallery Nanyna is an online modern art gallery with a unique collection of original oil paintings, Modern and Abstract Oil Paintings, Flower Paintings, Modern Seescapes, Animals, Africa, Sports, Dance, People and Children Paintings.

18Jun/100

Learn How to Use Oil Paint

Oil Paint has been used by many of the most famous painters. It is a great medium that isn’t hard to use and has many exceptional qualities. Before you begin painting, you need to make sure you have all the supplies including paint, brushes, terpentine or another oil paint solvent, canvas to paint on, and anything else you might need.


Begin by very lightly drawing out what you are going to paint. This is optional, but if you are doing a realistic intricate painting, you will probably benefit from this first task. Make sure it is very light with pencil so that it doesn’t show through the painting. You don’t have to be detailed, just get the general layout. If you want, you could even do an intricate pencil drawing on another paper first to get the feel for it.


Next, you will do a light wash of the lightest colors in all the areas. Use white paint only on the white spaces. Mix a little paint with more terpentine or solvent to make it a thin wash. If you use too much paint, it will take forever to dry and you’ll never finish it.


Follow with the next darkest layers and work your way through. Continue using thin layers, but not as thin as before because it isn’t a wash. You can become more and more intricate as you go through. What is great about oil is that it doesn’t dry quickly, so you have time to work with it. Be careful, though, because you are more likely to mix the colors, so make sure you know if it’s dry or wet and what you are supposed to do with it.


If you are doing more of an abstract colorful painting that doesn’t require intricate detail, you can be less precise, although I would still recommend starting with a wash. If you are doing a Pollack style drawing, than, of course, this probably isn’t necessary. What’s great about abstract is that you can do what you want and you don’t have to follow the laws of paints if they don’t suite you.


For intricate paintings, I recommend waiting until it is completely dry or almost dry before starting the very intricate stuff. Of course, I suggest playing around with it. For example, I wait until a human face is completely dry before I do the intricate detail of the eyes, but not when I do the detail of the nose because I want to do more blending with skin.


The best way to learn how to paint is by trying and practicing it on your own. There is no right or wrong way to paint; it is an art. Experiment and you will find yourself with your own style before you know it!

Do you need more oil paint instruction? Go to BeginninginArt.com for more information about oil painting, drawing, art supplies, and more. Start painting and develop your own artistic style today!

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3Jun/100

Seascape Oil Painting 202 – Paint California Coast

Description
Seascape Oil Painting 202 is a 1 Hour 43 Minutes Video DVD with Artist and Instructor Kenneth John. UNCUT, just painting as he does in his studio. Ken has sold over 700 seascape oil paintings over the last 10 years and he shares his success with you in this DVD, that can be watched on TV or computer. The DVD has a full menu for navigation.Watch, listen and paint along, step by step, with Ken as he paints a California Coastline impressionist scene from blank canvas to finish... More >>

Seascape Oil Painting 202 - Paint California Coast

28May/100

Paint your Life: your Friendly Oil Paintings Reproductions Provider

Art has been part of the history of the human being, and a significant one at that. It has served as an effective outlet for a person’s emotion, whether it be of joy, angst, love, hate, and almost every feeling a human being is capable of possessing. Today and for the past thousand years, art has remained an important part of every day life. That is why, even up to this moment, great works of art from great artists of yesteryears remain invaluable possessions. Oil paintings of all sorts continue to grace homes, offices, buildings, hospitals, schools—you name a place and you will definitely find a work of art in it.

Paint Your Life understands the modern man’s need of having oil paintings around him. This is because nothing compares to the ambience a room has when it is decorated with a work of art, particularly an oil painting. With Paint Your Life, this setup is nowhere next to impossible as they bring you’re your very own oil painting reproduction at the click of your mouse right at your homes.

Depending on your preference for an artist, for a genre, or for a movement—and of course, your budget—you can now order to have your choice oil paintings reproductions delivered to your homes courtesy of Paint Your Life. Of course, those who are able to afford it, can easily go to auction houses where original pieces are being sold, but luckily for those majority of us who cannot afford that much, we have our very own oil paintings reproduction provider. There’s paint Your Life online at your service.

Paint Your Life has a very interesting and comprehensive website where you may choose the oil painting that you wish to order and delivered. Their never-ending display at their online gallery will have you feeling overwhelmed at the many choices you will be presented. But worry not as Paint Your Life has their oil paintings reproductions categorized according to artist, subject, and movement. It should make your decision making a lot more easy for you.

Paint Your Life offers affordable prices for your orders of oil paintings reproductions, of course depending on some factors such as the size of your order, the level of difficulty of the oil painting, the frame with which you’d like your order to come in, and the turnaround time that you have requested. It should not also be a problem for you if you’re not within the US as Paint Your Life likewise accepts orders and delivers them to clients located at Canada, Europe, and even Japan.

Another good thing about getting your oil paintings reproduction orders at Paint Your Life is the guarantee that you will be given. Paint Your Life ensures you full satisfaction with your every order in that aside from assuring you that your oil paintings reproduction reaches your home, they guarantee a full refund if they don’t or if they come damaged or even if you don’t like the one you initially orders. They will be happy to send a refund or another oil painting reproduction of your choice instead. All these at hand, you will surely get to your computers and log in to Paint Your Life now.

you can now order to have your choice oil paintings reproductions delivered to your homes courtesy of Paint Your Life. Another good thing about getting your oil paintings reproduction orders at Paint Your Life is the guarantee that you will be given.

28May/100

Learn How to Oil Paint – Tips & Techniques From a Master Painter

If you want to learn how to oil paint and not sure how to begin, then the following article will prove to be quite helpful in your pursuit to become a good painter.

Before you read on, you will have to try and forget everything you ever learned about oil painting and look at your painting from a new perspective. A recent art class I attended, taught by a master painter, has completely changed the way I approach oil painting and has opened up many new creative doors for me. I hope it will do the same for you.

START WITH A CONCEPT

Up until just recently, I was a very frustrated oil painter. I have 10 or so incomplete paintings collecting dust in the corner of my small studio. I would attempt to complete these 10 or so 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 painting without a clear vision of what I really wanted to accomplish with my oil painting.

Concepts are methods for solving problems in a painting. I bet you never saw painting as being a series of problems. Neither did I , but this way of thinking really does make learning how to oil paint more interesting.

What do you want your painting to be about?

Instead of thinking: “My painting is about trees in a field”, start thinking in terms of , “My painting is about the light that falls on the trees in a field”.

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 aspect of oil painting is learning how to control your brush. Without good brush control and technique, your effectiveness as a painter is truly limited.

Make sure you have the best possible brushes you can afford. While it is possible to save money on paint and canvas, one should never work with cheap brushes. In my experience, cheaper brushes are simply not worth it. The biggest issue with cheap brushes is with the hairs falling off and becoming embedded in your painting. It is quite annoying.

One of the biggest mistakes artists make, myself included, is not reloading the paint brush enough. I am not sure if this is an act of laziness or fear of wasting paint. Whatever the reason may be, make sure 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.

MASSING

One great way to get the main ideas of an oil painting down is with a technique called Massing. Massing is about seeing your subject as a whole and not concentrating on all of the fine details.

For instance, lets say you subject is a pineapple. Instead of trying to get down all the various textures and details on your pineapple, think in terms of “planes” of light and shadow.

Add in those planes first and then later on you can put in all of your finer details.

COLOR

Nothing in my opinion, can confuse a painter more, then working with color. I know one of my weaknesses in the beginning was working with too many colors in the same painting which resulted in a muddy nightmare.

I never really took the time to understand how colors interact with one another.

Here are some great tips to keep in mind while working with color in your paintings:

- If you add white to another color, it will make that color cooler and more opaque.

- Instead of adding white to a color to make it brighter, try adding more color instead.

- Don’t be afraid to use black. Many teachers recommend staying away from black, but I beg to differ. Did you know you can get some very nice greens by mixing ivory black with certain blues and yellows?

Want to learn how to oil paint today and create professional quality paintings? Visit http://www.creativespotlite.com and http://www.artinstructionblog.com today for free step by step painting demonstrations, one on one artist interviews and more!

27May/104

Assorted Artist Paint Brushes 15-PIECE Kit Set

  • Complete Brush Set for all your artistic needs!
  • Material: Wood (handle), Artificail Hair Bristles.
  • Usage: School and Home Use.
  • Package Dimension: 11.5" X 8.5" X 0.5"
  • Also include a 10-cup w/ thumbhole palette

Product Description
Here's the complete set of smaller brushes for the artist in the family! Flat, round, pointed - you name it, it's all here. Use these brushes with acrylic, oil, poster or water colors for finer details. Size range from 0 to maximum of 4 with various types of bristles.... More >>

Assorted Artist Paint Brushes 15-PIECE Kit Set

25May/100

Oil Painting With No Paint Brush

A paintbrush is certainly the most commonly used tool in oil painting. But that does not necessarily imply that paint brushes are indispensable for oil painting. Most people, because they do oil painting with paint brushes, easily forget that there are other ways to apply paint to a surface.

Most people who are knowledgeable about oil painting will agree that palette knives have for long been the traditional oil paint mixing tool. It is indeed a fact that palette knives are ideally suited for creating smooth, consistent mixtures of paint with the medium. At the same time, there is no denying that there is a host of oil painters who go beyond the palette with their knives, straight to the painting surface.

These knives are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and even made in plastic. As all of us are aware, for mixing purposes, just one traditional shape or size might do. But applying paint calls for a range of palette knives to choose from like choosing a set of brushes. When you are attempting to paint with palette knives, experiment with different shapes and sizes to see what produces the best effects. It is generally believed that smaller and thinner knives are ideal for lining, and the bigger ones are more suited for loading on the paint.

There are people who are fond of using stencils into their painting work = particularly when the subject demands a repetitive effect. There are ready-made stencils available in the market or you can make your own with the aid of a stencil kit. But you must take care to use the proper materials or else, the desired results cannot be achieved.

All professional painters will agree that stenciling is not a traditional oil painting method. This is one reason why there are hardly any tutorials. Professional will insist you should still keep in mind the fundamentals of the medium - what is generally known as ‘fat over lean’. It is obvious that very thin paint will bleed around the edges, so it might be necessary to wait until one of the thicker layers of your painting. But it is a fact that stenciling in one of the under layers gives a great effect. However, it is advisable to experiment to find a solution that will fit your needs.

You will soon find rags, sponges and even your own fingers as excellent alternate tools when it comes to oil painting. Professional oil painters claim that it is possible one could create an entire oil painting using rags and/or sponges and without the aid of paint brushes. Sometimes the background color of the painting can be effectively done using just one’s own fingers. Of course, the basic ‘fat over lean rule’ always applies, so bear that in mind when experimenting in any innovative methods.

However, one should exercise caution when painting with your fingers or any other part of your body. You must make sure that the oil color and solvents do not absorb into your skin and then into your bloodstream. This could lead to health problems.

Ben Jonson is an expert author for Oil paintings reproductions,Canvas oil paintings. He has written many articles like Oil on Canvas,Original oil paintings,Famous art paintings. For more information visit our site Oil paintings. Contact him at paintingmax.ben@gmail.com