OIL PAINTING MEDIC

The inspiration to paint a beautiful sunset could be quashed when muddy colours seem to come from nowhere and bright colours look garish. An oil painting intended to portray intense colours of a dramatic sunset looks more like a post apocalyptic scene. How can the artist recreate the drama of a sunset in painting? Why Sunset Colours Look Wrong and How to Fix Them Clean Colours for Sunsets Rachel Shirley Sunset skies often set up contradicting dilemmas in the mind due to extreme tonal shifts and saturated colours that sunsets often feature. Before the artist can improve on sunset painting, the causes need to be pinpointed, which could be any of the following: Trying to make a sunset look dazzling by using exclusively bright colours in a painting, such as pinks, mauves and oranges, resulting in a candyfloss and childlike portrayal of dusk. Placing dark colours of sunset prior to the pales, causing contamination of the bright colours by the neighbouring dark colours. Allowing ...

Painting portraits of people with dark skin could be a challenge for the portrait artist if normally painting people of white European origin. The beginner may simply add black or brown to skin colours, resulting in an unconvincing colour of dark flesh. How can the artist paint dark skin with realism? Problems with Painting Skin Colours of Different Races Pigments for Dark Skin Tones Rachel Shirley The portrait painter faced with painting a dark skinned person for the first time may feel challenged at the idea of using different oil pigments and ratios to the usual practice. Painting an Indian person, for example, may turn out unsatisfactory because of the following malpractices: Rendering dark skin, such as African, Indian or native Aboriginal skin colour by adding black to a premixed skin colour pigment . Introducing white to a very dark skin colour such as African to express highlights, resulting in grey. Assigning a separate flesh colour pigment for different skin ...

In an attempt to paint an evening landscape, the artist may automatically use lots of black paint. A little brown or grey may be included to provide variations to the dark colour, resulting in dirty monochromes that fails to convince. What colours should the artist use to paint a dark landscape? Why Moonlit Scenes Often Look Dirty or Monochrome What Colour is Night? Rachel Shirley The artist painting a moonlit landscape may experience a dilemma between what the brain knows about the scene and what is seen; the objects are bright in colour, and yet they appear subdued. This may lead the artist to add black to all the colours normally seen in daylight, but this could result in dirty colours. In order to paint a convincing and atmospheric night time landscape, the following faulty practices need addressing: Adding black to all the colours normally seen in a landscape. For instance, mixing green with black to render a dark meadow or mixing blue with black to express a ...

The portrait artist painting teeth for the first time may end up with pegs that look too teethy or goofy. The teeth look too square, white or harshly defined, creating an unwanted focal point to the portrait painting. How can the artist paint teeth that look natural in portraiture? What Makes Painted Teeth Look Artificial Oil Techniqes for Teeth Rachel Shirley Before making changes to faulty practices in painting teeth, the portrait painter may take stock and address the causes of an unconvincing teeth painting, which could be any of the following: Allowing generalisations about teeth to leak into the portrait painting, such as the following: All teeth are square in shape, the gaps between the teeth are black and equal in width and all teeth emerge from red gums in equal measure from the top and bottom of the mouth. Using only white to represent the enamel colour of teeth and then darkening the colour with black or grey. Treating teeth as separate entities to the rest of the po...

The novice portrait artist may illustrate subtle contour shifts on a baby’s face as lines or definitive shading, making the baby look more like plastic than soft flesh. Baby’s features are given outlines, such as around the eyes or mouth, resulting in an illustrative rendering of a baby, which may look more adult. How does the artist capture the essence of a baby’ face? How Not to Paint a Baby Portrait How to Paint Babies Faces Rachel Shirley Baby portraiture is a particularly challenging subject matter, such as the subtle contours and colours of a baby’s skin. But before facing such challenges, faulty practices in painting babies must be addressed, such as the following: Treating all features of the baby’s face, such as eyes, mouth, nostrils and nose as separate entities and outlining each with a line. Expressing in a linear way contour shifts on the baby’s face, such as cheekbones, Cupid’s bow, ball of the chin and temples. Again, using lines to express creases on the ...

The key focal point to a dog portrait will rest on the eyes, which could ruin the artwork if they stare lifelessly from the oil painting as though made of glass. In some cases, they appear stuck on the dog’s head like pieces of paper, in others, they lack expression or character. What tips for the pet artist will create realistic and expressive dog’s eyes in portraits? Why Dog Eyes Often Look Flat, Glassy or Expressionless Technique for Dog Painting Rachel Shirley In order to diagnose problems with painting eyes in dog portraits, the artist must first identify culprit practices that spoil dog portraiture. This may be: Subconsciously allowing human characteristics to leak into the eyes of the dog portrait, such as illustrating idealised almond shaped eyes, painting pupils and irises too small on the eyeball and painting eyelashes as curving from the edges of the eyes. Using merely white to illustrate the eyeballs and reflections on the eyes. Rendering dog’s eyes in a “paint...

The speculating oil painter may be bombarded with numerous products and conflicting advice on the essentials of oil painting, giving the impression that a complete oil painting kit should consist of dozens of oil colours, art brushes, solvents, mediums and a studio easel. But this need not be the case. In fact, oil painting can be made cheap and simple. Build a Cheap, Effective Oil‑Painting Kit Inexpensive Oil Painting Rachel Shirley Thankfully, times have changed since the days of the old masters and their exacting processes, and there have been many innovations, not least in how the oil paints have been manufactured. Nowadays artist oil paints, containing organic pigments, have a cheaper alternative in the form of student quality oils, which contain synthetic substitutes. Numerous oil pigments are not necessary. In fact, the only oil colours I use for all my painting are as follows: A large tube of titanium white. Cadmium yellow (pale). Lemon yellow. Ultramarine blue...

An artist’s first encounter with equestrian art may produce a stuffed-looking horse, with hair and mane that appear too perfect or stiff and eyes that look lifeless. In other cases, the artist may struggle with the horse’s elongated features, leaving an empty space between the eyes and snout. How does the artist paint horses convincingly? Common Problems with Painting Horses How to Paint Horse Portraits Rachel Shirley Horse portraiture may simply require practice, as pet and human portraiture occur more frequently. However, addressing the culprits of a poor horse painting is a good way forward. It may be any of the following: Making idealised assumptions about how a horse “should” look and allowing this to interfere with observation. For example: assuming all four legs must be visible; the mane always runs like a fringe along the neck; all horses have long teeth; the snout is always black; both nostrils are visible and identical; all brown horses are chestnut,...

The surface of a freshly completed oil painting will often dazzle the eyes with deep, saturated colours and a glossy finish. A week or so later, however, the wet look has gone and dull patches begin to appear on the oil painting. Colours lose their vibrancy, particularly dark pigments. How can the artist put right an oil painting that has become dull or patchy? Fix Dull, Patchy Oil Paintings (Sinking Explained) A Glossy Finish to Oil Painting Rachel Shirley The artist may feel disheartened when dull patches begin to form on the oil paint surface. Parts of the painting remain glossy, as though just painted, but others become matt, creating an unpleasant patchy finish to the oil painting. What is the cause of dull patches on an oil painting and what can be done? Known as “sinking,” a patchy oil painting is often due to the oil in the paint being sucked into an absorbent painting surface beneath. The following practices will cause sinking. Painting straight onto an unse...

Painting hair on a portrait could cause dismay if previous results look too perfect or uniform. In some cases, a head of hair may look more like one object rather than thousands of strands that yield to the touch. In others, the hair may look as springy as nylon where each root appears rather too abruptly at the hairline. How does the artist paint realistic hair? Common Problems When Painting Human Hair How to Paint Human Hair Rachel Shirley In order to paint hair with realism, the artist must first identify painting practices at fault and make changes. Culprits to painting unconvincing hair could be any of the following: Using the same brown, white, beige or black colour to represent a whole head of hair. Trying to illustrate every strand of hair with fine linear brushstrokes. Painting the hair in accordance to an idealised root pattern, such as one that converges from one point at the top of the head. Treating the hair as a separate entity to the rest of the portrait....

Weeks after completing an oil painting, hair cracks may begin to form on the paint layer. The dry paint may start to flake off or become powdery to the touch. The upper layers can become brittle and dull. The reason for a cracking oil painting often goes back to improper preparation. Why Cracks Appear in Oil Paint Reasons for a Cracking Oil Painting Rachel Shirley I believe oils are the most robust and durable of all art mediums and little attention is required. But a cracking oil painting is a problem the artist most fears. The cause of cracking often goes back to poor practices in oil painting and associated materials. How can the artist prevent cracks appearing in an oil painting? Oil Painting Do’s and Don’ts Investing a lot of time in an oil painting deserves the best art materials, or the time will be wasted. The following advice will help prevent the frustration of a cracking oil painting. Never use substitute products for those designed for oil ...

Figure painting often entails painting clothes. But the idea of illustrating folds, textures and patterns on clothing may bewilder the artist to the point that it end up looking a confused mess. The folds and patterns contradict one another, leading to a flat representation of fabric suggesting plastic or sheet metal. What is the secret to painting clothes effectively? Problems When Painting Clothes Technique for Oil Painting Material Rachel Shirley Many problems can be avoided when oil painting figures in clothing. The following practices must be addressed before the artist can make improvements in rendering fabrics. Illustrating the detail in the fabric at the outset of the painting session, causing the area to become muddled. Using black to darken the colour of the fabric when painting shadows or creases. Illustrating folds in a linear way where lines may not always be visible. Assuming that the contours in the clothing are always darker on one side than the other....

Hand painting can be a problematic area if the brain insists that the hand is but a square piece of flesh with five tube-like digits extending from it. Combined with the idealised pink colour, it is small wonder that a painting of hands could end up looking like sausages or unconvincing in some other way. What is the secret to painting hands effectively? Why Hands Often Look Flat, Small or Stylised How to Paint Hands in Oils Rachel Shirley The following problem areas when painting the hand can wreak havoc to figure painting, but when addressed and tackled head-on, the artist can begin to make improvements. Painting the hands and the arms too small and thin in relation to the body. Portraying hands in a generalised way that does not set them apart from anyone else’s hands due to lack of observation. Painting only what the brain knows about hands rather than what the eye actually sees. For example, the palm is square; it is attached to a cylindrical wrist; it has five digits...

The artist wishing to tackle dog portraiture for the first time may encounter problems with making the dog look convincing. The fur looks too neat or uniform, the eyes almost human, the muzzle area a little cartoonish, culminating in an amateurish dog portrait. What art techniques can the artist use to achieve effective dog oil paintings? Amateur Mistakes in Dog Portrait Painting Painting Dogs with Realism Rachel Shirley To make improvements to a dog oil painting, the artist must identify practices at fault which get in the way of achieving professional dog portrait. This might be: Guess-working areas of the dog’s head due to poor photographic reference. Subconsciously making connections between a dog’s features and human features causing human characteristics to leak into the dog portrait. Portraying dog features in an idealised or generalised fashion, as opposed to what the eye actually sees. For example, all dogs’ upper mouths are posterior-shaped, all dogs’ noses loo...

A mere few paintings after investing in costly fine art brushes such as Kolinsky sable or horse hair, the bristles splay, become brittle or lose their springiness. How can the artist make the art brushes last longer and therefore save money on art materials? How to Make Art Brushes Last Longer Durable Artist Brushes Rachel Shirley Having to purchase art brushes frequently will add to the cost of oil painting. The causes of art brushes wearing out too quickly are due to bad painting practices, which are: Constantly using a thin brush of size 6 or smaller to cover a large area of oil painting. Using a fine sable to apply paint onto a rough surface such as coarse canvas, dried impasot or a montage. Being heavy-handed with the fine art bristles such as when scumbling, scrubbing on paint or pressing too hard. Using cheap household turps or white spirits to clean the brushes. Not cleaning the paint brushes properly at the end of the painting session and allowing a resid...

After agonising over the eyes and the nose, the artist may fall at the last hurdle when painting the mouth, illustrating it as a pink or red boat shape turned up at both ends. An otherwise satisfactory portrait painting may acquire a clownish quality or otherwise unconvincing. What can the artist do to paint a realistic mouth? Avoiding Cartoonish Lips in Oil Painting How to Paint Mouths Rachel Shirley The following bad practices when painting lips can be avoided in portraiture, but knowing the culprit practices are the first steps to improvement which could be any of the following: Opting for any red or pink pigment when illustrating the mouth or worse, reserving a tube of ready mixed pigment labelled “pink” or “rose in the belief that it will always be a suitable hue for lips. Rendering an idealised portrayal of a mouth as opposed to what the eye really sees. For example: the mouth is pink, it is bow-shaped, it has dimples in each corner, both lips are equal in size and ar...