All images and content are copyrighted by Joan A Brown 2009 © All rights reserved.
Learn to paint a landscape in ONE easy lesson!
"I dream a painting and then I paint my dream" — Vincent Van Gogh
Joan A Brown | Free step-by-step oil painting lesson - No.1
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Step 1: Preparing the canvas
Prepare the canvas to accept the colors we are about to place on it.
Load the 1 inch brush with a liberal amount of home-made soft white
paint prepared above (Liquid White or, Magic White) by tapping one
corner of the bristles of the brush into the paint.
Fig. 1
Using elongated 'X' strokes (a movement of the wrist similar to
conducting a music orchestra) and, working with long vertical and
horizontally strokes back and forth across the canvas, apply a thin,
even coat of paint to the entire canvas. Fig. 2, 3, 4
Do not allow this layer to dry before you start painting. Painting must
be completed in one sitting.
Prepare the canvas to accept the colors we are about to place on it.
Load the 1 inch brush with a liberal amount of home-made soft white
paint prepared above (Liquid White or, Magic White) by tapping one
corner of the bristles of the brush into the paint.
Fig. 1
Using elongated 'X' strokes (a movement of the wrist similar to
conducting a music orchestra) and, working with long vertical and
horizontally strokes back and forth across the canvas, apply a thin,
even coat of paint to the entire canvas. Fig. 2, 3, 4
Do not allow this layer to dry before you start painting. Painting must
be completed in one sitting.
Step 2: Make paint medium
When working with oils we must use an oil-based "medium" to thin
and manipulate the paint. Contrastly, when working with watercolors
you would use "water" to thin and manipulate the pigments.
Start by placing 1 part odorless paint thinner in your shallow container
and add 2 parts linseed oil to that. In this demo I used about 1/2 tsp
thinner to 1 tsp oil. Mix together well.. Fig.3
We will use this mixture whenever we need to thin our paints.
When working with oils we must use an oil-based "medium" to thin
and manipulate the paint. Contrastly, when working with watercolors
you would use "water" to thin and manipulate the pigments.
Start by placing 1 part odorless paint thinner in your shallow container
and add 2 parts linseed oil to that. In this demo I used about 1/2 tsp
thinner to 1 tsp oil. Mix together well.. Fig.3
We will use this mixture whenever we need to thin our paints.
Start your Landscape Painting
Fig.3
Step 3: Making soft white
Before starting our painting, we will need to dampen the canvas (or
wet it, thus the term, "wet-on-wet") to prepare it to accept the paints
we are about to apply to it.
Since the white from the tube is thicker in consistency than we need,
we will use the medium you made previously to thin some of the
white you placed on your palette. If you prefer to use the store bought
Liquid White or Magic White instead, that's fine too.
If not, take a good amount of white paint and place it somewhere on
your palette. Next, add a few drops of your medium mixture to the
paint and mix using your palette knife until you get a very creamy
liquidy (similar to heavy cream) consistency. Fig.4, 5, 6
Before starting our painting, we will need to dampen the canvas (or
wet it, thus the term, "wet-on-wet") to prepare it to accept the paints
we are about to apply to it.
Since the white from the tube is thicker in consistency than we need,
we will use the medium you made previously to thin some of the
white you placed on your palette. If you prefer to use the store bought
Liquid White or Magic White instead, that's fine too.
If not, take a good amount of white paint and place it somewhere on
your palette. Next, add a few drops of your medium mixture to the
paint and mix using your palette knife until you get a very creamy
liquidy (similar to heavy cream) consistency. Fig.4, 5, 6
Fig.5
Fig.4
Fig.6
Note:
You may need to make
a good deal more than
what is pictured here.
Mix enough soft-white
so you don't run out or,
purchase a small can of
Liquid White or,
Magic White and use
that if you don't want
to mix your own..
You may need to make
a good deal more than
what is pictured here.
Mix enough soft-white
so you don't run out or,
purchase a small can of
Liquid White or,
Magic White and use
that if you don't want
to mix your own..
Fig. 1
Dedicated to my late beloved son, Jabec Easton Bellehumeur.