Oil Painting Inspired by the Solar Eclipse of 12 August 2026

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 that suits symmetrical celestial subjects.

Where my first eclipse painting showed a profile face on the moon, this second piece presents the lunar face front‑on, giving a more iconic, symbolic presence.

Tonal Key: Using a Black Background for Cosmic Contrast

I sketched the composition using thinned burnt umber acrylic applied with a fine sable brush. Once the drawing was established, I blocked in the background with solid black acrylic paint. This underpainting creates the deep void of space and sets the tonal key for the luminous corona and atmospheric glazes to come.

Solar Eclipse Art Tutorial: Building the Underpainting

After the black acrylic dried, I applied thin washes to the remaining areas:

• Burnt sienna glaze for the sun
• French ultramarine with a touch of cerulean blue for the clouds beneath

These transparent layers create warmth behind the moon and cool atmospheric depth below.

Once dry, I scumbled in the base colours for the moon’s face. I kept to a cool palette—burnt umber, ultramarine, cerulean, and touches of burnt sienna—mixed with varying amounts of titanium white. Allowing the warm underglaze to show through adds subtle radiance.

Careful attention to the facial features ensures the expression remains cohesive as the layers build.

Oil Painting Techniques for Dramatic Celestial Lighting

With the oil layers underway, I added detail to the clouds using rough brushing in blues and greys. These muted tones set the stage for the bright cadmium red streaks of distant clouds, enhancing the celestial atmosphere.

How to Paint Celestial Scenes: Corona, Colour & Light

The red and gold clouds echo the hues of the corona. For the solar corona itself, I used:

• Lemon yellow
• Burnt sienna
• Cadmium red
• Viridian
• Titanium white

I feathered these colours outward with a stiff fan brush to create soft, radiant effects—suggesting solar flares, chromosphere glow, and corona filaments. Painting the Moon in Oils: Facial Details & Lunar Texture I spent time refining the facial shadows around the nose, mouth, and eyes. A subtle shadow channel connects the features, giving the moon a brooding, contemplative expression. Using a fine sable brush, I suggested lunar craters with thinned titanium white mixed with ultramarine and burnt sienna. I avoided overworking these areas; instead, I softened edges and hinted at texture to maintain the face’s readability.

Related article: eclipse painting, showing a face in profile on the moon

A Solar Eclipse Anniversary

I witnessed a total solar eclipse in Alderney (Channel Islands) on 11 August 1999, shortly after winning an art competition sponsored by The Art Paper, with my work exhibited in Guernsey. Nearly 27 years later, this new eclipse painting feels like a return to that moment—an artistic anniversary marked in oil.

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