Sean Wedgwood
Painting and drawing are great forms of art and oil painting is no exception. Oil painting is actually rather simple as the oil paint enhances the appearance of the drawing. Anyone can learn how to paint. Great artists are not born as painters, they are made. Of course, many famous artists had the God given gift but most people who are eager to learn to oil paint can be trained with the basics and at later stage become advanced. So why not start now with some basic oil painting instructions to create a great picture?
Firstly, in order to paint, it does not mean you pick up a brush and apply some strokes on the canvas! It is all about discipline, learning and understanding different aspects of oil painting basics.
Art must be understood no matter what form or type of art it is. A picture in any type of painting is made up of different components such as color, structure and technical appearance.
Before you start with your oil painting, it is imperative to understand the structure of the picture you are trying to paint. Think about how the picture will attract viewers and what objects will you include in this picture and in what positions?
If you are aiming for a three dimensional look, this will be extremely challenging although it will greatly enhance the appearance of the picture. Different shading should be applied to make the picture appear real. Colors in a picture form the most essential part and you need to think carefully before choosing or mixing the right paint.
Now that you have a little idea of what you want to paint, it is time to think of which oil paints to choose. As you are a novice and your budget may be low, it is best to search for high quality oil paints that are affordable at the same time. Opt for acrylic paint for the initial layer as they dry much quicker and their prices are lower too. This means you will not have to compromise your oil painting appearance with low quality paint.
Picking the right painting brush is the second most important part. Oil painting brushes come in two types, either soft or hard brush. Soft brushes are used for finer finishing touches to the picture and hard brushes are for long strokes. Your brush size should not be longer than 10 as you are a beginner. Do not forget to rinse the brush after you have finished as the oil paint colors usually accumulate in the brush. Many arts and craft shops have brush cleaning agents available.
Did you know that you can use less paint and yet achieve the same desired look to your picture? Do not waste the oil paint by applying too much. This will definitely keep the cost of purchasing more oil paints down. How can you use it for a longer time? It is simple; just add some spirit or poppy seed oil to the paint before applying it to the picture. This is a great tip to make your oil paint last much longer.
It need not be a challenge to learn to oil paint. By just following a few simple, cost effective steps, you will be on your way to creating a great picture!
Al Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from oil painting books [http://www.oilpaintingbooks.org/] to American football. Thanks for reading!
