Exprs2a.gif (3953 bytes) Oil painting

"Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do" - Edgar Degas

Click expressions to email This medium has been in use for over five hundred years and is still the most popular. Oils have great depth of tone and colour intensity which can be controlled at any stage of the painting and are very flexible. Compared with other mediums oils are more permanent and more interesting, (expensive though) to work with. Corrections are possible at any stage and it is better for a beginner to start off with oils.

The basic course of ten classes will help the student to get acquainted with:

  • The medium and the materials;
  • the colour theory and the uses of the colour wheel;
  • tonal values and importance of arial and linear perspectives in painting;
  • mixing of different colours and addition of thinners and mediums;
  • cleaning of brushes and their maintenance;
  • how to paint.

After the ten classes the student can continue only by doing painting piece wise.

list of materials needed for oils can be had, click here

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Student at work with oils

Working with an easel is optional, you can use a table top or any convenient surface to place the work. The thing to keep in mind is the best way to concentrate on the job, with all the necessary implements at hand.

Another useful technique which can used both with oils and acrylics is knifework. Thick paint is applied with a painting knife to create very attractive textures which make the painting spring to life.

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an example of Knife painting

A simple landscape or still life will be done on oil paper by students which will help in assessing their capabilities.

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