Oil Painting Medic

The solar eclipse of 12 August 2026 promises to be one of the most striking astronomical events visible from the UK, occurring around 7pm and offering dramatic sky colour at sunset. This second eclipse‑inspired oil painting explores a personified moon almost eclipsing the sun, with the solar corona streaming into the distance . Below, I share the full process—composition, underpainting, colour mixing, and celestial lighting techniques—to help artists create their own cosmic oil paintings . Read my article on how I completed my first of this pair of eclipse paintings, showing a face in profile on the moon . Planning the Composition: Drawing the Eclipse Discs I began by drawing around a large dinner plate placed near the centre of the panel to represent the moon. A second disc, slightly offset, marks the sun positioned behind it. This simple geometric foundation helps establish the eclipse alignment. The painting is executed on a 24×24 inch primed panel , giving a square format...

  Concept and Composition: Painting the Moon as a Personified Figure To establish the focal point, I began with reference images showing strong side‑lighting on a human face . This dramatic chiaroscuro effect represents the moon personified—a symbolic “woman on the moon” —and helps anchor the celestial theme in figurative realism. Read my article on how I completed my first of this eclipse painting pair, showing a full view face on the moon eclipsing the sun . Using a large dinner plate as a template, I drew the eclipse spheres slightly right of centre. This off‑centre placement creates visual tension and leaves space for the solar corona and plasma flares extending outward. I sketched the composition onto a 20×24 inch primed panel , using dark brown acrylic applied with a fine sable brush. This underdrawing establishes the structure before the heavier oil layers. Tonal Contrasts: Capturing the Corona & Atmospheric Glow To build the dramatic eclipse contrast, I bloc...