oil painting for beginners

how long does it take oil paintings to dry?

Oil paintings may be handled in a few days, but they take months to dry thoroughly.

Alkyd paints look and handle like oil paints and they dry completely overnight.

All my 'Oil' paintings are done with "Ad" Griffin Alkyds made by Winsor & Newton.

brushes and canvas

• This painting used Winsor & Newton "Ad" "Galeria" brushes, #4, #8 and #12 flats.

Any bristle brushes of comparable sizes would be just fine.

• "Ad" A gallery-wrapped stretched canvas

Oil painting for beginners may use any canvas or canvas board.

• A warm and cool yellow - Indian Yellow and Lemon Yellow
• Orange
• A warm and cool blue - Ultramarine Blue and Thalo Blue
• Titanium white
  

"Ad" Disposable paper palettes are very handy for oil painting for beginners.

Use a #12 flat brush to paint the background.

• Paint a variation of warm and cool blues mixed with white.
• Make some greens by mixing yellow with the blues.
  

Mix your colors lightly on the palette. More mixing occurs on the canvas while you are painting.

Carry the colors from the face of the canvas over the sides of the canvas.

Use a variation of greens and blues throughout the background.

• It's a good idea to repeat colors in a painting.
  

• So, occasionally put in some orange or yellow to indicate light and warmth shining thru the background.

The orange and yellow help warm up the cool background. That ties it together with the warm colored bird.

• Softly blend the background colors together.

Use a #8 flat brush to paint the bird's body.

We will let the paint set a bit before doing the left leg and eye.

The bird is painted with various yellows and oranges.

• Make the colors brighter and warmer on the sunlight side.

Mix a black from your blue and orange and paint the head.

Use the #4 brush to paint the beak and toenails black.

Use the #8 brush for the flower centers.

• When you do oil painting for beginners always use the largest brush possible. This keeps your painting loose.

Mix a brown from Ultramarine Blue and orange for the centers.

Casually dab on the flower centers. They are not round circles.

Mix the grey by adding white to the brown you used for the flower centers.

• Paint the petals a soft grey.

Add more blue if necessary to keep the grey on the cool side. 

Mix yellow or orange with white to make a warm white.

• Paint the sides of the petals that would be catching sunlight with the warm white.

Mix some green and paint a few leaves with light and dark areas.

Spot out where you will paint the branches and leaf stems.

Use the old trick of how to do a painting, look at your painting upside down.

It will give you a fresh look to see any mistakes.

The background was a bit light, so I darkened it for more value contrast.

the oriole

• Paint his legs with a light grey. Mix a grey with blue and orange plus white to lighten it.

• Paint his black toenails hanging over the branch.

• Touch a bit of color in the eye. Use a very pale yellow white on the top of the eye. Put a bit of pale blue-white on the bottom of the eye.

Have both cool and warm white on the flower petals.

This helps to help separate the petals and shows the direction of the sun.

The sun is coming from the top right.

Use a warm white mixed with a bit of yellow or orange for warm sunny side.

The shadow side of the petals will have a bit of blue or light grey mixed with white.

it's your turn to paint!

• Now you know how to do oil painting for beginners.

Get your oil painting supplies and start painting.

When you are learning how to paint, relax and enjoy yourself.

• You don't have to paint like a photograph.

• Paint from your heart and express yourself.
  

that is a lot more fun!