Art of Oil Painting

Discover all the techniques you need to know to create beautiful oil paintings

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• Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing
• Year: 2003
• Print ISBN:
  9781560107514
• eBook ISBN:
  9781610598187
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

This compilation of projects from some of our most popular How to Draw and Paint and Artist’s Library series titles provides inspiration and instruction on every aspect of oil painting. From the fundamentals to advanced techniques, The Art of Oil Painting is filled with information that artists of all skill levels will find useful. The contributing artists are all acclaimed for their particular styles and approaches to oil painting, so there are countless lessons you can learn from their individual and distinct perspectives. And the step-by-step demonstrations guide aspiring artists through the oil painting process using a wide variety of inspiring painting subjects-so there’s something for everyone! With this comprehensive reference, you’ll soon discover how exciting painting in oil can be.

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING

The rich, versatile art of oil painting has captivated artists for centuries and continues to be a favorite artistic medium. Oil is a very adaptable medium that lends itself to many painting styles—from the precision of photorealism to the freedom of expressionism. The projects in this book are a collection of lessons from some of the finest and most popular oil painting books published by Walter Foster Publishing. Each artist shares personal techniques and insights for mastering the medium. And because all these fine artists have developed their own special approach to painting, there are countless lessons to be learned from their individual and distinct perspectives. Learn from these artists’ wide range of experiences and styles as you follow them through a diverse presentation of subject matter and instruction. Above all, have fun painting in oil!

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

There are so many items to choose from in art supply stores, it’s easy to get carried away and want to bring home one of everything! However you only need a few materials to get started. A good rule of thumb is to always buy the best products you can afford. And think of your purchase as an investment—if you take good care of your brushes, paints, and palette, they can last a long time, and your paintings will stay vibrant for generations. The basic items you’ll need are described here, but for more information, you can refer to Oil Painting Materials and Their Uses by William F. Powell in Walter Foster’s Artist’s Library series.

BUYING OIL PAINTS

There are several different grades of paint available, including students’ grade and artists’ grade. Even though artists’ grade paints are a little more expensive, they contain better-quality pigment and fewer additives. The colors are more intense and will stay true longer.

Basic Palette

CHOOSING A PALETTE OF COLORS

The nine colors shown above are a good basic palette (including a warm and cool version of each of the primary colors). Each artist featured in this book has some unique colors in his or her palette, so these lessons will give you an opportunity to try out some other colors. Keep in mind that there is always more than one way to mix a color—once you understand the basics of color theory, you can get a better feel for the art of mixing color. (For more on color, please see pages 8-9.)

Selecting Supports
The surface on which you paint is called the “support”—generally canvas or wood. You can stretch canvas yourself, but it’s simpler to purchase prestretched, preprimed canvas (stapled to a frame) or canvas board (canvas glued to cardboard). If you choose to work with wood or any other porous material, you must apply a primer first to seal the surface so the oil paints will adhere to the support (instead of soaking through).

PURCHASING AND CARING FOR BRUSHES

Oil painting brushes vary greatly in size, shape, and texture. There is no universal standard for brush sizes, so they vary slightly among manufacturers. Some brushes are sized by number, and others are sized by inches or fractions of inches. Just get the brushes that are appropriate for the size of your paintings and are comfortable for you to work with. The six brushes pictured below are a good starting set; you can always add to your collection later. Brushes are also categorized by the material of their bristles; keep in mind that natural-hair brushes are best for oil painting. Cleaning and caring for your brushes is essential—always rinse them out well with turpentine and store them bristle side up or flat (never bristle side down).

Fan Brushes can be useful for creating foliage and texture or for glazing with thin paint.

Flat Brushes can be used to create soft, blended strokes or can be turned sideways to make thin lines.

Small Soft-hair Round Brushes come to a fine point, making them ideal tools for rendering smaller areas and details.

Medium Round Bristle Brushes are ideal for dabbing in thick paint or creating thin, wavy lines.

Medium Bright Brushes are flat with shorter bristles and are perfect for scrubbing in foliage or creating texture.

Bristle-hair Filberts can hold a considerable amount of paint and are generally used for blocking and painting in larger areas.

UTILIZING ADDITIVES

Mediums and thinners are used to modify the consistency of your paint. Many different types of oil painting mediums are available—some thin out th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Chapter 1: Introduction to Oil Painting
• Chapter 2: Painting With Robert Moore
• Chapter 3: Painting With John Loughlin
• Chapter 4: Painting With Michael Obermeyer
• Chapter 5: Painting With Anita Hampton
• Chapter 6: Painting With William Schneider
• Chapter 7: Painting With Tom Swimm
• Chapter 8: Painting With Caroline Zimmermann
• Chapter 9: Painting With Kevin Short
• Chapter 10: Plein Air Painting With Frank Serrano
• Chapter 11: Knife Painting With William F. Powell
• Index
• Copyright Page