Oil painting is one of the most popular forms of modern art. The technique involves the use of pigments produced from various seeds that include, among others, poppy seed, linseed, walnut and safflower. The paints may be developed by the artists themselves or they may be bought from commercial art outlets. If you are just starting out, there are a number of different
oil painting techniques that you may wish to try out.
Layering is one of the commonest techniques employed. It is a technique in which different colors are applied in an overlapping fashion. The colors in the background must be left to dry first before those in the foreground are added. Ensure also that you use lighter colors for the background and denser ones for the objects in the foreground. The method is best suited for paintings that have to be finished with a lot of detail.
Glazing is another technique that can be learned and applied easily. The technique involves the use of a transparent paint against a background of darker paints. This is usually done so as to achieve various effects that may be associated with aspects such as hue, texture and chroma. Related to the same is the creation of a transparent glass impression. To achieve this, use a pure transparent color and contrast it with darker colors.
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.
Just as is the case with many other forms of painting, it is possible to achieve color blocking using this technique. This can be done easily using diluted brush strokes and following the outlines of objects in the paintings. This technique makes it possible to clearly define the edges of objects without necessarily using thicker paint. Use the same color that are used inside the object.
Chiaroscuro is a method that will be seen in many different types of paintings inducing those that are oil based. It is a technique that is used to demonstrate the effect of light on objects that have been included in the painting. Light and dark contrast has to be used to indicate the general direction of light. The shadows should be painted using a completely black color.
Monochromatic painting is a technique that is employed in many forms of art and may be employed in this type as well. It entails the use of a single color except in a few cases where white paints may be included. Dilutions are usually done to have a wider variety of shades. The role of the white color when used is to add volume and emphasize the lighter shades.
Different brush strokes can be adopted to bring out different effects. While long strokes are preferred when painting the background, shorter strokes are mainly used for the foreground. Non-representational strokes may be used to enhance the color of objects within the painting. Dots of varying sizes are also used to create various impressions.