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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Commonly Used Oil Painting Techniques

By Christine Ward


Oil painting has been with us for many years and remains one of the main techniques used in modern art. The pigments used are extracted from various seeds that include, among others, walnut, safflower, poppy seeds and linseed. The artist can develop the paints themselves or can obtain those commercially available in art stores. If you are venturing into this area, there are a number of oil painting techniques that you may wish to know of.

One of the most popular techniques is the use of layers. In this method, the artist will first paint one layer on the canvas and let it dry. Other colors are then applied in an overlapping manner so that they completely cover those underneath them. The general advice when this method is used is that one chooses lighter colors and then progressively moves to darker colors. Layering is preferably used for a painting that requires fine details and a fine surface finish.

Glazing is another popular technique that is easy to apply. It entails the addition of a transparent paint on top of an opaque one with the aim of modifying some aspects. Such may include texture, chroma and hue among others. It is possible to create the impression of a transparent glass using this technique. This done by using a pure transparent color against a background of dark contrast so as to create an impression of density.

Color intensification is necessary in most cases. It is done by diluting a given color or set of colors so as to increase the variety of shades that are available. In general, the lighter shades will be used for the background while the dark shades are for the foreground.

Color blocking is a technique that is used to emphasize the outline of objects appearing on a work of art. In an oil painting, it can be achieved using diluted brush strokes. This will ensure that the desired effect is achieved without adding too much paint to the object. It is generally recommended that one uses a color similar to that used for the object.

Chiaroscuro is a technique that has been used for many years. It is mainly used when there is a need to bring volume to an object. The main consideration when applying this technique is the application of light and dark contrasting to demonstrate the movement of light across the object. Choose a neutral background and ensure that the shadows are completely black.

Monochromatic painting is a feature that can be easily applied here. Some subjects are only brought out by a single color. You can dilute the color chosen severally so as to achieve as many shades as possible. White paint may be helpful in adding volume and relief through the emphasis of white shades. This is done by applying thick white paint over the lighter shades. Be cautious not to overuse the white paint.

Various brush stroke sizes can be tried out in a bid to differentiate various aspects of the painting. Generally, long strokes are mainly used when dealing with the background while the shorter strokes are best used for foreground objects. Small and large dots may also be used to bring out different effects. Irregular stroke patterns are sometimes used to enhance color.




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