Morning class,
This week, I’ve been focusing on the simplicity of set-up and essential techniques.
Sometimes you want to get painting quickly, so I’ve propped a blank canvas or board behind my subject on the kitchen countertop, where the light was streaming in.
I used Oil Paper from a pad, just a handful of water-mixable oils, one water-mixable thinner for dilution, and a couple of brushes.
Eucalyptus Leaves
Setup & Materials:
Simple Setup: A blank canvas propped behind eucalyptus leaves on a kitchen countertop.
Water-Mixable Oils:
Winsor & Newton Artisan range (Cobra and Holbein are also good).
Dilution:Use Winsor & Newton water-mixable thinner for better flow; water alone doesn’t work as well for dilution.
Brushes can still be cleaned with water.
No Extra Oil: Only thinner is used for dilution.
Painting Surface: Oil paper, which is absorbent and allows for quick drying.
Brushes: A round, a flat, and a small round brush, but I only used a square flat for the entire painting.
Process:
1. Mix Five Base Tones;
- Two shades of green.
- A muted red hue for stalks and muting greens.
- A lighter ochre colour for the background.
- A cool blue grey.
2. Map out the negative shapes of the leaves
3. Block in the glass vase
4. Work between the cooler and warmer greens of the leaves
5. Add muted red for the stalks
6. Increase contrast and dark values towards the end of the painting
Blue Patterned Pot with Pink Hyacinths
Setup & Materials:
Simple Setup: A blue-patterned pot with pink hyacinths on a kitchen countertop.
Water-Mixable Oils:
Winsor & Newton Artisan range (Cobra and Holbein are also good).
Dilution: Use Winsor & Newton water-mixable thinner for better flow; water alone doesn’t work as well for dilution.
Brushes can still be cleaned in a larger pot with water.
No Extra Oil: Only thinner is used for dilution; I don’t add any extra oil medium.
Painting Surface: Oil paper. I paint a muted acrylic ground before drawing out the subject
Brushes: a round and a flat; I use the flat for 99% of the painting.
Process:
1. Mix Nine Base Tones:
- Three shades of green.
- Three shades of pink
- Three muted yellows
2. Block in the white first so it can start to slightly dry.
3. Block in the foreground and wooden top.
4. Wash in the green leaves mid-tone.
5. Block on the pink shapes of the flower heads.
6. Add a darker contrast to the leaves.
7. Paint the blue pattern on top of the white pot.
8. Refine the value range within the flowers.
9. Add highlights or darker accents.
A Moka Pot
Setup & Materials:
Simple Setup: A moka pot on a kitchen countertop.
Water-Mixable Oils: Winsor & Newton Artisan range, Cobra and Holbein Duo Aqua
Dilution: Use Winsor & Newton water-mixable thinner for better flow; water alone doesn’t work as well.
Brushes can still be cleaned in a larger pot with water.
No Extra Oil: Only thinner is used for dilution; I don’t add any extra oil medium.
Painting Surface: Oil paper.
Brushes: A flat Aspen Brush by Princeton
Process:
- Sketch in with a mid-tone grey the basic line work, then block in the shadow side.
- I’m using the pink seen in the background as the base for a background mid-tone.
- Block in the foreground with a lighter, warmer yellow ochre tone.
- Once that’s blocked in, I can start looking at how the light is falling on the subject, and by using this limited palette, I have to work within the confines of the colours I can get.
- The highlights are the last parts to be painted.
(You can see another step-by-step moka pot demo in acrylics here)
Hope it inspires you to seize the day and try a simple setup.
Grab a strong cup of coffee, put on your favourite background music and sketch or paint a small study of something lovely that’s already around you.
Have a fabulous weekend!
Will
FURTHER LESSONS:
You can see a Traditional Oils vs Watermixable Oils comparison video
