Oil painting technique. Multilayer painting

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Various methods oil painting

Oil paints fit well on the appropriate primer and make it easy to model, shade and achieve the finest imperceptible transitions from tone to tone, since they remain wet for a long time, and when drying they do not change their original tone.

All the best oil painting techniques were developed during the Renaissance. Knowledge of the properties of the material enabled the old masters to create a style of oil painting that was never surpassed later. In the entire history of oil painting, this style is unique in its harmony between the material and artistic achievements.

Knowledge of painting techniques was preserved in the workshops of painters until the 18th century, but then, with the separation of painting as an art from a craft, under the influence of the emergence of new ideas in it, it was gradually lost.

Already at the first Carracci Academy, the previous technical and artistic education of the painter was replaced by philosophical and artistic education. From this time on, technical knowledge, which in the past was always a support for the painter, seems to be a constraint on artistic freedom.

A particular decline in the technique of oil painting was observed in the era of the French impressionists, who laid the foundation for unsystematic work with oil paints, which was brought to grandiose proportions by their followers (neo-impressionists).

Pointillism has an undoubted meaning from an artistic point of view, but it does not follow from the properties and nature of oil painting; new ideas in art must seek other material for their implementation if they run counter to the old. Thus, with scientific point Impressionism gave birth to a false style of oil painting, which, unfortunately, still has adherents among painters.

Work in the field of painting technique, both by representatives of art and science, at first consisted mainly in the discovery and revival of lost ancient techniques of oil painting, ignorance of which made it felt so bad in later painting. Much of what was lost was found and revealed, but painting itself at that time went too far from its tasks and principles antique painting. Of course, in our time it is not possible to reconcile the techniques of the ancient technique of oil painting with the modern understanding of painting, but the technique of oil painting, whatever its objectives, which claims to create durable works, must follow from the properties and nature of the materials of oil painting.

All normal methods of oil painting come down to two characteristic techniques.

1) Painting in one step " alla prima"(alia prima) - a method in which painting is carried out in such a way that, given the artist’s artistic knowledge of the matter and favorable conditions, the work can be completed in one or several sessions, but before the paints have time to dry. In this case, the color resources of painting are reduced only to those tones that are obtained from the direct mixing of paints on the palette and their illumination on the ground used in the work.

2) Painting in several techniques - a method in which the painter divides his painting task into several techniques, of which each is assigned a special meaning, intentionally with a certain calculation or due to the large size of the work, etc. In this case, the work is divided into the first registration – underpainting, in which the painter’s task is reduced to firmly establishing the drawing, general forms and chiaroscuro. Coloring is either given secondary importance, or it is carried out in such tones that only in further prescriptions with overlying colors give the desired tone or effect - on the second, third, etc. registrations, in which the task is reduced to resolving the subtleties of form and color. This second method makes it possible to use all the resources of oil painting.

Painting "alla prima" (alla prima). In technical terms, this method of painting is the best, since with it the entire painting consists of one layer, the drying of which, with a moderate thickness, proceeds unhindered and quite normally, which is why, with the appropriate soil, it is protected from cracks, just as the paints themselves retain their original freshness. But this method cannot always be implemented in practice and, moreover, it is not always part of the painter’s task.

The primer for painting “alla prima” should not be too sticky, nor too impermeable and slippery, therefore, when using adhesive primer, all necessary measures are taken to prevent too noticeable changes in the color of the paint due to loss of oil. Oily soil, especially one that has dried thoroughly and is therefore impenetrable, is given some permeability, which is achieved by rubbing it with alcohol or pumice; in addition, choose soil with rough surface. As for the color of the soil, the most suitable in this case are light soils with various shades, in accordance with the pictorial task, as well as pure white soil. Pinkish, yellowish and other shades of primer are obtained by painting the white primer with transparent paint.

The painting method described often does not require regular pattern, and the artist can directly begin painting and writing, depending on the painting task and the experience of the artist.

If a drawing is necessary, then it can be limited to a light charcoal sketch. Black charcoal drawing with its fixer should be avoided, since any sharp black contours will subsequently show through a thin layer of paint and thus spoil the painting. The composition of the fixative is also important for its strength.

To be able to finish the painting “raw”, i.e. Before the oil paints begin to dry, all sorts of measures are taken, but harmless to painting, starting with the selection of paints. Slow-drying paints are preferred here.

In order to delay the drying of paints as long as possible, the painting being executed is placed in the cold, in the dark, in the intervals between work, and, if possible, it is blocked from Free access air. The implementation of these last measures, unfortunately, cannot always be used, especially with large sizes of the painting, however, these measures are very effective.

Essential oils are used for the same purpose.

Painting with this method is carried out differently and depends largely on the individuality of the artist; That is why, when presenting this method, we can limit ourselves to only the most essential and important instructions.

By painting “alla prima”, in the literal sense of these words, one must mean one of the methods in which the artist sets himself the task of immediately reproducing in paint everything that he sees in nature, i.e. color, shape, light and shade, etc., without resorting to dividing this complex task into individual moments of work. The difficulty of solving this problem is, of course, great, and becomes even greater if the artist strives to finish his work “raw,” i.e. before the paints dry.

Painting is done in different ways. It can be started with strokes of semi-thick paints, applied freely, tone by tone, without stirring them for a long time on the palette, until the entire canvas is revealed.

Painting should be done with tube paints.

When applying too thick a layer of paint, which makes further work difficult, you should remove the excess using a palette knife, spatula and knife, as well as by applying it to the layer of paint blank paper, which presses the palm of the hand against it and then, after removal, takes on all the excess paint.

When painting “alla prima”, you can start rubbing it, thinning the paints with skippy and applying them liquidly, like watercolors. This laying is carried out planarly, without modeling forms, with the goal only of a broad overall effect. For it, it is better to use body paints, introducing white into them. Then, in further work, impasto paints are introduced, and real painting begins.

When working “alla prima” on too tacky ground, oil paints produce a matte painting, which in terms of color is inferior to tempera and, in addition, if the paints are de-oiled too much, they lack strength.

Painting performed “alla prima” has a unique beauty; it is pleasant in its freshness and spontaneity, revealing the author’s “brushstroke” and his temperament. Examples of this type of painting can serve as I. Repin’s sketches for his painting “The State Council”.

Painting in several stages. This kind of painting is called multi-layered.

Techniques multilayer painting are different. It can be carried out from beginning to end with oil or oil-varnish paints, as well as a mixed method of painting, the beginning of which is given with water paints, and the end with oil and oil-varnish.

Depending on the painting method chosen by the artist, the canvas primer used is also selected.

The drawing from which the work begins is completed various materials, depending on the color of the soil, its composition and methods of pictorial underpainting. As stated above, it is best to do it separately on paper and then transfer it to canvas, where it is outlined over an adhesive or emulsion primer with watercolor and tempera and thinly diluted oil paint, which dries quickly on the oil primer.

With this approach to the matter, the soil retains the purity of its color, in addition, its surface, which may suffer when corrections and changes are made in the drawing with charcoal, pencils, etc.

Then comes the underpainting, the technical side of which should perhaps better suit its purpose.

Underpainting. Since the underpainting in a painting is the first layer of painting, which must then take over subsequent layers, then, in the interests of the strength of the painting, it should be done in such a way that it makes it possible, with full guarantee of the strength of the work, to proceed with further registrations in a short time .

The most appropriate technique for this task will be water paints: watercolor and tempera.

Underpainting with water paints is done only on emulsion primer, on which both watercolor and tempera paint work quite well. This primer should contain a significantly smaller amount of oil than an emulsion primer for oil painting.

Watercolor, however, is only suitable for small works; In addition, the tone of watercolor paints under varnish is not similar to the tone of oil paints. This is why watercolor underpainting requires a full coverage of it with oil paints.

Tempera painting should be considered the most applicable in underpainting. It is especially appropriate when performing large-sized works. Here, of course, only tempera can be used highest qualities, i.e. casein or egg tempera.

Tempera underpainting gives greater strength to paints, which become so intense under varnish that the oil paint that finishes the painting can give up in terms of color intensity in front of them. This circumstance must be taken into account when performing underpainting. The best material for underpainting will be in in this case oil-varnish paints.

Tempera underpainting is underway liquid paints solid and transparent, but always in a thin layer without any paste.

Underpainting with oil paints, both technically and pictorially, is done in different ways.

Carrying out painting using this method on adhesive and semi-adhesive primers is the most appropriate, since using last number oil deposits are reduced, which has a very favorable effect on the strength of the painting, but impeccably prepared oil primer can also be used.

One of the frequently used and quite productive ways of painting in underpainting is to do it “as a rub” with oil paints, diluted essential oils, turpentine, oil, etc., which is also practiced in “alla prima” painting.

A thin, as if watercolor layer of paints establishes the forms, the general coloring of the picture and its entire ensemble.

Drying of the underpainting made by this method is very fast if the paints are fast-drying, and, moreover, through, due to the thinness of the paint layer, which, of course, has great importance for further work on the painting.

But you can also do underpainting with impasto painting, and the technique will depend entirely on the properties of the soil used.

Paints are applied to the adhesive pulling primer in the form in which they come from tubes, without any thinners.

The positive properties of this underpainting are that its paints dry quickly and bind firmly to the ground. The disadvantage is the change in the tone of the paints during the painting process, as well as when wiping the underpainting with varnish before further registration.

The old masters, especially those more distant from us, looked at their work in the underpainting as a preparatory rough work, where all the attention of the master was absorbed in the setting of the drawing, modeling of forms, and details of the composition; As for the coloring, only the necessary base was prepared for it in the underpainting, based on which the color of the picture was subsequently created, the freshness of which is largely explained by the method of work described above.

Modern painting adheres to general outline, the same system in work, but the “alla prima” painting method received very great importance in it. Each era, as we see, creates its own system of painting, which, of course, cannot be ignored.

Underpainting in a pictorial sense should be carried out in such a way as to simplify, if possible, all further registrations. A correctly executed underpainting is therefore easy to finish with a small load of paints during the second registration.

An underpainting made with tempera will be ready for registration earlier than other underpaintings. Then, in order of readiness, come oil underpaintings on adhesive primers and, finally, impasto oil paints on emulsion and oil primers. A well-dried painting is recognizable by the following signs: it does not stick; when scraped with a fingernail and a knife, it turns into powder, but not into shavings; It doesn't fog up when you breathe.

If necessary, the underpainting can be well scraped and smoothed with a knife, special scraper, etc., before re-painting.

Scraping, pumice and smoothing layers of oil painting is especially appropriate when underpainting with impasto (greasy) layers of paint, since here excess roughness is cut off and, what is especially important, the top crust of dried oil is removed, which, when the oil paint dries too much, prevents the layers applied on top from attaching oil paints. After this operation, the underpainting is washed clean water and dried.

If the underpainting is not impasto, there is no need to scrape it. In order for the dried layer of oil paint to regain the ability to accept paint, if it has not been scraped and sanded, it is wiped with bleached oil, which is rubbed into it with the palm of the hand. The oil is applied in the smallest amount, just to moisten the surface that is supposed to be painted again.

Instead of oil, the underpainting can be coated with a warm liquid solution of Venetian turpentine (balsam) in turpentine, as was practiced in the old days, or with a liquid solution of turpentine varnish, since essential oils easily moisten dried oil paint. The same goal is achieved by adding painting varnishes containing essential oils to paints.

If the rules for handling the underpainting are not followed, the upper layers of the painting become prone to crumbling, and the more so, the longer the underpainting is left in place; There are many examples of this in works of art. later era.

When further painting the underpainting, glazes can be introduced if they were part of the painting execution plan, or secondary painting is carried out in the so-called “half-letter”, i.e. with a thin layer of body paint, and the painting ends with this technique. It must be borne in mind, however, that too much build-up of colors in oil painting is considered unacceptable; Each newly applied layer must be dried, and only then can further work begin.

Basic Rules:

1) do not apply oil paints in thick layers in general, and especially paints rich in oil;

2) always use a moderately adhesive (oil) primer in painting, as well as the underpainting and, in general, the underlying layers of painting, saturating them with oil if its content in the latter is insufficient.

The best painting technique for the second registration is “alla prima” painting, which gives freshness to the pictorial execution.

The second registration is carried out with more liquid paints than underpainting. Painting varnishes and condensed oils are applicable here. The latter are introduced into paints in a mixture with turpentine varnishes. The second registration, in terms of the content of binders in its paints, thus exceeds the underpainting. The ancient principle of layering oil paints - “fat on skinny” - is fully observed.

If the underpainting was carried out in conventional tones, then to make the work easier, it is useful to start the second registration in local tones of nature with glaze or semi-glaze, on top of which body painting follows.

Glazing. Glazes are thin, transparent and translucent layers of oil and other paints applied to other well-dried similar paints to give the latter the desired intense and transparent tone.

Almost all paints are suitable for glazing: some are transparent, others are semi-transparent. Less suitable ones include cadmium, cinnabar, Neapolitan yellow, English red, kaput-mortuum, black cork and peach and some others.

Transparent glazes only change the tone of the underlying preparation into a thicker and more transparent one, without affecting the detail of the modeling and the main light and shade. Translucent ones can significantly change, depending on the degree of their transparency, the detail of the underpainting modeling.

Glazing can be used to complement or complete almost any painting that has been started in one way or another, but also best results achieved on an underpainting specially prepared for this purpose. In this case, the underpainting is done in such a way that the painting is lighter and colder than it is supposed to be in its finished form; the proper tone and chiaroscuro give it glazes in combination with the tones of the underpainting.

Glazing was of great importance to the old masters. Titian, Rembrandt, Velasquez, their contemporaries and other masters of earlier times made excellent use of them in their painting. The popularity of glazes in past eras indicates that they perfectly met the pictorial needs of the artists who used them.

Glazes, due to their physical structure, strongly absorb light, and therefore a picture executed by them requires significant lighting for its lighting. more light than painting done in body paints, which reflect light more than absorb it.

For the same reason, painting done with glazes is devoid of airiness, which is best achieved in painting with paints with a matte surface that strongly reflects and scatters light.

The tones produced by glazing come forward rather than receding back. Therefore, the sky in the painting is not painted with glazes.

Of great interest to the artist of our time are semi-glazes applied in translucent tones.

Semi-glaze is paint applied in a thin translucent layer. From an optical point of view, such a layer of paint is one of the types of so-called “turbid media”, to which some of the visible colors nature. The tones obtained in painting using semi-glazes have a unique beauty. They do not shine with strength and brightness, but it is not possible to obtain them by physically mixing colors on a palette. The old masters of the later era made extensive use of the described painting method; Contemporary artists also use it, often accidentally or unconsciously.

Corrections. Oil paints become more and more transparent over time. This increase in transparency is also observed in body paints, and some of them, like lead white, become translucent due to their loss of hiding power, as well as the thinning of the layer upon drying. Taking into account this feature of oil painting, it is necessary to be very careful about all kinds of correspondence and radical alterations in oil painting, which the painter sometimes needs, since all corrections and notes made with a thin layer of body paints, after a long period of time, become again visible.

Thus, in the equestrian portrait of Philip IV by Velasquez, eight legs are visible (Madrid gallery), of which four protrude from under the tone of the ground, which the author covered them with, apparently being dissatisfied with the position of the legs.

In the portrait of the artist Litovchenko by I. Kramskoy ( Tretyakov Gallery) through the black hat placed on the artist’s head, Litovchenko’s forehead can be seen quite clearly, on which the hat was placed, apparently, later, when the head was already painted. In Rembrandt's portrait of Jan Sobieski, the stick that Sobieski holds in his hand was originally big sizes, and then shortened. There can be many such examples.

The above examples clearly show that corrections made in a thin layer, even of opaque paints, in oil painting do not achieve their goal. Here, thorough repeated layers of paint are needed, which alone can make forever invisible those parts of the painting that they want to destroy. It is even better in this case to completely clear the areas intended for alteration from painting and then write them down again on clean ground. Using chloroform, acetone and benzene, you can easily and quickly remove even very old oil-based paint.

When making small corrections on important places (for example, the head, hands of a portrait, etc.), you need to take into account the possible swelling and the usual darkening under the varnish of the corrected places. And therefore, when starting to correct, the areas to be altered are thoroughly dried, covered with liquid varnish and corrected with paints and painting varnish in order to avoid the appearance of dryness. In the same case, if a fade has formed, it should not be covered with retouching varnish, but the lost shine and tone should be restored to it only by oiling.

Greetings, dear readers!
In this article we will talk about the basics of working with oil paints. Of course it is the most popular technology in the world. The Greatest Masters paintings have been studied, improved and created with oil paints for centuries.

By the way, do you know when the first oil paints appeared? Most likely you thought about the 14-15th century and... you were wrong. Many people think so. But just recently, scientists did... Open this news too!

Detailing the painting with a thin liner

It is quite logical if you want to start your creativity with oil paints. And if you have never done this before, but really want to start, you should first find out what a beginning artist should have on hand and how to start painting with oil paints.

How to create your own artist kit?

• We buy the necessary paints

My main advice to aspiring artists: buy quality paints immediately, don't try to save money! Cheap paints won't do much good, but they'll cause a lot of headaches. When you constantly practice, you will be able to evaluate the quality of your work, which will directly depend on the quality of the paints.

Absolutely you don't have to buy a big set, since there are always colors left that are never used. To start painting with oil paints, just use a few separate tubes. To develop a skill, a novice artist is recommended to have the following palette:

In general, the paint palette consists of 3 main (primary), from which all other colors (secondary and tertiary) are obtained by mixing. And when you learn to mix them, you will understand how and from what it is obtained. Everything around us consists only of red, blue and yellow... Amazing, isn't it?

• Choosing brushes

Second important advice for newbie artists: Be careful when buying brushes! Inspect them to ensure that the connection (clamp) between the pile and the handle is as tight as possible. Believe me, it’s not very pleasant when the lint comes out of the brush and you have to constantly remove it from the damp canvas!

From experience I will say that good brushes will last you many years, if they are of high quality and you handled them correctly.

For beginners painting with oil paints, I recommend starting with flat and semicircular flat brushes. It is enough to purchase 3-5 sizes.

High-quality brushes often become favorites

Over time, you can add retouching, fan and line brushes to the collection. In another article-tip you can find out in more detail what brushes come in size, shape and

• Selecting thinners and solvents

To dilute (liquefy) oil paint to the desired consistency, you need special liquid substances: mainly turpentine or refined linseed oil. Also, many artists use "Tees" — aids for thinning paint. On the market of foreign manufacturers there are various mediums, which I also use.

Important things for every artist

Not recommended for dilution use solvents in pure form(white spirit, turpentine) because they break the structure of oil paint and “steal” its shine. But you will still need solvent to clean brushes and other tools, as well as paint-stained hands.

• Buying a palette

It is impossible to imagine an artist working on a painting without a palette in his hands! This useful thing performs several functions: paints are placed on it, paints are mixed on it, oil cans (special containers) with oil paint thinners are attached to it.

Therefore, in order to paint with oil paints correctly and create many shades, I recommend acquiring a suitable palette. Wooden or plastic, large or small, square or round... The choice is yours.

• Preparing the canvas

Canvas is most often used as a basis for oil painting.Fortunately, contemporary artist can buy ready-made primed canvas on a stretcher.

Almost every art store has canvases for sale. different sizes and from different materials: natural (linen, cotton) and synthetics. I recommend natural materials, they are denser and do not sag much over time.

If you want to prepare the canvas yourself, then to do this you need to prepare a stretcher and stretch the fabric very tightly over it. Then you need to prime the fabric to create a canvas. Canvas sagging is common, so After priming, you need to retighten the canvas a little tighter. Read more about how to make a canvas with your own hands

We prepare the canvas ourselves

Note: most best foundation for canvas – linen. It can be fine-grained, medium-grained and coarse-grained. The stroke on the surface depends on the grain of the canvas. About choosing a canvas

• We purchase an easel

Of course, you can learn to paint with oil paints without an easel by attaching the canvas to any surface. But still, an easel is much more convenient: it is installed at the desired angle at eye level and gives best review paintings.

With an easel it is convenient not only to write, but also to find flaws in the work, and correct them immediately. An easel is a reliable stand for your future painting! They come in different heights and convenience, as well as tabletop mini easels for small canvas sizes.

• We stock up on auxiliary accessories

Have you already thought about where your brushes will go? Where will you wash them? How will you wipe paint off your hands and other utensils? Be sure to stock up on jars in which you will wash your brushes, paper napkins, old newspapers and a few cotton rags.

These important little things should always be at your fingertips, so that you can work calmly and focus your attention on the picture and not on the materials. All this will be indispensable for you in your work to clean your brush or palette knife, or, for example, to remove excess paint from the canvas and wipe your dirty hands.

• Other Important Materials and Accessories

An indispensable tool for working with oil - palette knife! With its help, it is convenient to remove excess paint from the canvas and transfer it to the palette. It also leaves amazingly voluminous strokes! In principle, one palette knife is enough.

But if you decide to learn how to paint well with oil paints and devote a lot of time to this activity, it is better to purchase several of these tools of different shapes and sizes.

Sketchbook – a special box for transporting paints and painting supplies. You will really need it if you decide to go out and paint in oils in nature or plein air, as it is also called (from the French Plain air - on outdoors, on fresh air)

Oilers- small containers with a clip with which they are attached to the palette. There are two types: simple and double.

Another important element is protective varnish. Finished painting usually varnished 6-8 months after completion of the work. The varnish protects the painting from ultraviolet radiation, moisture and darkening.... Well, there are a number of other reasons why you should varnish a painting. In addition, varnish makes the colors richer and brighter, adding intensity to the paint layer. How to varnish a painting

Howstart painting correctly with oil paints when the artist's kit is assembled?

So, you have collected everything you need and secured the primed canvas. What to do next? Start writing!

I know that Many novice artists have a fear of a white canvas, something can go wrong and everything will be ruined. Don't be afraid, because the main thing is to just start! Here's how to stop being afraid and start painting.

You can start with a simple plot that comes to mind... For example, a mosaic pattern with selected bright colors, which consists of different figures, shapes and symbols. Well, like the ancient Egyptians, remember? Or you can take a finished image and try to copy it onto canvas...

Start drawing - feel the power of color!

Exist . The most common of them are - multilayer painting and Alla Prima. Most of the most famous paintings are painted in them, although there are many other techniques.

We will talk about them in general and the rules of writing in more detail in another article, but now you need to start to just get a feel for the paints, brush and canvas.

By the way, did you know that creative people have Read, maybe you are a creator by nature, you just didn’t know it!

Here are some more tips:

• Set up a drawing corner in your apartment. There must be enough light to work during the day without additional lighting. It is in the place of the best natural light that we place the easel. If there is not enough natural light, use additional lighting to provide good light on the easel.

• Try to apply oil paints evenly, achieve uniformity on the canvas. If you really want to apply a second coat, take your time; Sometimes you need to give time for the first layer to dry.

• Mix colors! Experiment with shades. Remember that white makes any color lighter, and black makes any color darker, with their help it is easy to achieve the desired shade of shadows and highlights. But don’t get too carried away with black and white, since titanium white, for example, makes some colors cloudy, and black is generally rarely used in classical painting. Although each manufacturer has several black shades on sale. An alternative to black can be dark indigo... it is softer and more delicate in appearance.

“Painting is the most accessible and convenient of the arts” - Johann Goethe, German poet, philosopher and thinker

Additional Video Tips:

Ask your questions below in the comments, I usually answer all questions quickly

In oil painting there are many techniques and techniques for working with paints. The artist himself decides which methods are closer and more interesting to him to use. There are always two basic techniques: single-layer and multi-layer technology.

Single layer oil painting technique.

A preliminary drawing of the future painting is applied. The picture is painted in a short time. Dye should not dry out, since when applying colorful strokes the artist mixes them into each other, creating new shades right on canvas. This technique is also called ALLA PRIMA (in one step). It allows you to work en plein air or with a small format sketch. Working with a hard knife or a palette knife, the picture turns out textured. By applying paint thickly, you can shape, move and mix the paint layer. Paints differ from each other in their properties. For example, white and cadmium have a dense structure, which allows you to work pasty (pasty) or body-like. One session is not always enough to complete a painting. To prevent the paint from drying too quickly, place the painting in a cool place protected from the sun.

Multilayer oil painting technique.

Long-term work on a painting requires applying two or more layers of paint. The first layer is underpainting. The artist applies a drawing to the canvas and paints a layer on which the main tonal spots are visible. The next layer is registration and detailing. Before proceeding further, the previous layer must dry out. Otherwise the paint will dry out and become dull. This is due to the fact that undried paints absorb oil from freshly applied layers. Before work, it will be enough to oil the picture.

Modern artists combine both techniques, alternating layers of paint, achieving depth, saturation and brightness of color. Using texture paste, the artist literally sculpts the texture, thereby bringing objects to the foreground. With a bristle brush and palette knife you can create a rough, bumpy surface. And then add colorful layers corresponding artistic design author.
Don’t look for a special recipe for mixing colors, don’t imitate the author you like! The individuality of the artist is manifested in the author's style of writing. Follow your own path, gaining vision and skill in drawing. On our

the past fascinates with its colors, the play of light and shadow, the appropriateness of each accent, the general condition, and flavor. But what we see now in galleries, preserved to this day, differs from what the author’s contemporaries saw. Oil painting tends to change over time, this is influenced by the selection of paints, execution technique, finishing coat of the work and storage conditions. This does not take into account minor mistakes that a talented master could make when experimenting with new methods. For this reason, the impression of the paintings and the description of their appearance may differ over the years.

Technique of the old masters

The oil painting technique gives a huge advantage in work: you can paint a picture for years, gradually modeling the shape and painting the details with thin layers of paint (glaze). Therefore, corpus painting, where they immediately try to give completeness to the picture, is not typical for the classical manner of working with oil. A thoughtful step-by-step approach to applying paint allows you to achieve amazing shades and effects, since each previous layer is visible through the next one when glazing.

The Flemish method, which Leonardo da Vinci loved to use, consisted of the following steps:

• The drawing was painted in one color on a light ground, with sepia for the outline and main shadows.
• Then a thin underpainting was done with volume sculpting.
• The final stage was several glaze layers of reflections and detailing.

But over time, Leonardo’s dark brown writing, despite the thin layer, began to show through the colorful image, which led to the darkening of the picture in the shadows. In the base layer he often used burnt umber, yellow ochre, Prussian blue, cadmium yellow and burnt sienna. His final application of paint was so subtle that it was impossible to detect. Own developed sfumato method (shading) allowed this to be done with ease. Its secret is in heavily diluted paint and working with a dry brush.

Rubens, Velazquez and Titian worked in the Italian method. It is characterized by the following stages of work:

• Applying colored primer to the canvas (with the addition of some pigment);
• Transferring the outline of the drawing onto the ground with chalk or charcoal and fixing it with suitable paint.
• The underpainting, dense in places, especially in the illuminated areas of the image, and completely absent in places, left the color of the ground.
• Final work in 1 or 2 steps with semi-glazes, less often with thin glazes. Rembrandt's ball of painting layers could reach a centimeter in thickness, but this is rather an exception.

In this technique, special importance was given to the use of overlapping additional colors, which made it possible to neutralize saturated soil in places. For example, red primer could be leveled out with a gray-green underpainting. Work in this technique was carried out faster than in Flemish method, which customers liked best. But the wrong choice of the color of the primer and the colors of the final layer could ruin the painting.

Coloring of the picture

To achieve harmony in a painting, they use the full power of reflexes and complementary colors. There are also such small tricks as using colored primer, as is customary in Italian method, or coating the painting with varnish and pigment.

Colored primers can be adhesive, emulsion and oil. The latter are a pasty layer of oil paint of the required color. If a white base gives a glowing effect, then a dark one gives depth to the colors.

Rembrandt painted on a dark gray ground, Bryullov painted on a base with umber pigment, Ivanov tinted his canvases with yellow ocher, Rubens used English red and umber pigments, Borovikovsky preferred gray ground for portraits, and Levitsky preferred gray-green. Darkening of the canvas awaited everyone who used earthen colors in abundance (sienna, umber, dark ocher).

For those who make copies of paintings by great artists in digital format, this resource will be of interest, where web palettes of artists are presented.

Varnish coating

In addition to earthen paints, which darken over time, resin-based coating varnishes (rosin, copal, amber) also change the lightness of the painting, giving it yellow tints. To artificially make the canvas look antique, ocher pigment or any other similar pigment is specially added to the varnish. But severe darkening is more likely to be caused by excess oil in the work. It can also lead to cracks. Although such the craquelure effect is often associated with working with half-damp paint, which is unacceptable for oil painting: they paint only on a dried or still damp layer, otherwise it is necessary to scrape it off and paint over it again.

How good it is to be an artist! After all, he can capture the beauty of the world around us in pastel drawings, and oil painting is actually some kind of miracle! Sometimes you look at a picture and you want to step over the border of the baguette and disappear into wonderful world, painted on canvas by the artist’s talented brush. Do you also want to be one of the lucky few who can freely use a brush and paints? If you are not afraid of difficulties, and determination and love for drawing overwhelm your heart and soul, then go ahead! We are confident that with your determination you will become a true master very soon.

Oil painting - where to start

Starting is always difficult. Painting on canvas with oil paints is a task that requires a lot of knowledge, skills and abilities. Of course, it is best to start getting involved in art as early as possible. Unfortunately, not everyone’s parents took them to art school as children.

But nowadays there are art studios for people of all ages, where anyone can study oil painting. Master classes in such schools are usually taught by experienced teacher-artists who are well versed in the subject and can fully reveal all the secrets of the craft. If for some reason you cannot or do not want to visit such an establishment, then this is not a problem. In the end, stubborn and goal-oriented person can learn to write on his own oil paintings. And first you will need to go to the store and buy everything you need for painting.

What materials will be needed for work?

Oil painting is a business that requires not only talent and skill, but also significant financial costs, because in order to paint pictures, you will need a lot of everything. Here is a list of what you will need for work:

1. Special oil paints in tubes.

2. Brushes of different sizes made of natural bristles (flat) and (round) for the final finishing of your painting.

3. Sketchbook.

4. Solvent for oil paints.

5. Charcoal for applying a preliminary drawing to the canvas or a simple soft pencil.

6. Subframe. It can be ordered from a framing shop or bought ready-made in a store.

7. Primed canvas.

Well, now you are practically fully armed and can begin creative process. But first listen to our short story about the properties of oil paints.

More about oil paints

The beautiful oil painting will take your breath away. But have you ever thought about how much time a master spends at his easel? Much depends on the quality of the paints the artist uses. It’s hard for us to imagine now, but once upon a time painters had no idea about oil paints. They were invented only in the 15th century by the Flemings, and the secret of their manufacture is for a long time was kept in the strictest confidence. Can you imagine how lucky we are?! Nowadays, such paints can be bought completely freely, and of the most excellent quality!

You need to know what is consumed the most during work White color. Therefore, if you buy paints in a set, then buy a few more lead tubes or you can also not use ready-made store kits, but assemble your own palette. Just don’t try to buy as many flowers as possible right away. Take only the basic ones: white paint, black paint (it is best to buy burnt bone), ocher (yellow and red), cadmium red, or cinnabar, kraplak, cadmium yellow, chrome green, ultramarine and cobalt blue, mars brown. This set will be quite sufficient at first.

Oil painting for beginners. Stages of work

As you know, an elephant is best eaten in parts, so let's find out what stages the work on an oil painting will consist of.

1. First you need to decide on the nature, i.e. decide what exactly you will paint: still life, landscape, or maybe even a portrait?

2. Let's say you chose a still life. As is known, it consists of several various items, which must be carefully drawn; in addition, it is necessary to carefully consider the lighting. The play of light and shadow is very important point, which should never be forgotten.

3. If you still have the primed canvas and the stretcher separately, then this needs to be corrected and the canvas stretched using a furniture stapler.

5. Now it's time to do the initial underpainting. Here your task comes down to understanding the primary colors, shadows and light in your painting. After this step, your oil painting should dry out a little. You can return to work on it the next day.

6. After the sketch has dried, you can begin further creativity. The time has come to clarify the contours and work out the details.

7. On final stage wide brushes should be put aside and pick up a round thin kolinsky brush. She applies the smallest finishing touches to the picture.

8. Well, the work is ready. After the painting has completely dried, you can coat it with a special varnish.

What is better to start with: a portrait, a landscape or a still life?

If you have never practiced oil painting on canvas before, then you should not start with a portrait, because this is the most difficult thing. And landscape is difficult for an inexperienced artist, especially if you want to paint it from life. The difficulty largely arises because the lighting in nature is constantly changing, the trees move from the wind, and there are too many different distractions: buzzing mosquitoes and flies, annoying passers-by, etc.

Another thing is a still life (dead nature): I composed it from different objects, and it will stand like a cute one for as long as you need it. Just don’t immediately try to imitate the “Little Dutchmen” and take on complex composition, consisting of many objects and colors. To begin with, it is better to be content with a modest still life of two or three things.

How to use the palette

You've probably seen in various films how venerable painters beautifully hold a palette with one hand and freely draw on the canvas with the other. You can do this too, for this there is a special hole in the palette: insert it there thumb, and with the rest you support it from below - very convenient, try it!

The paints are squeezed onto the upper left edge of the board, and the middle of it should remain free - you will mix the colors on it. Very important: after a painting session, do not forget to scrape off any unused paint, otherwise it will dry to the palette and interfere with subsequent work.

Oil painting technique

Learning to paint in oils can be hampered by the fact that a novice artist may have poor understanding of the technique of such drawing. Oil paints have a high density, and without experience it can be difficult to achieve imperceptible tonal transitions. Take a look at the reproductions antique paintings- you will not see a trace of strokes on them. If you are attracted to this particular style, then first of all you will need to master the so-called glaze technique. In this case, the paints are diluted with a solvent quite liquidly, but they are practically applied to the surface of the canvas. This is difficult to explain in words, it is best to see how real artists do it.

Another technique that allows you to achieve beautiful effects in painting, shading of paint with a brush on canvas. In this case, one color seems to melt into another. And, of course, it is not at all necessary to try to write without strokes. Perhaps you want to imitate

Last parting words for a budding artist

Well, that’s the end of our short story about oil painting. The master class, although small, was very informative. Now it will depend only on you how soon you can please your loved ones with beautiful works. Start creating as soon as possible and don’t be afraid of anything. We wish you creative success!