11 Oil Painting

Revised Edition: 2016

ISBN 978-1-283-50731-8

© All rights reserved.

Published by:
The English Press
48 West 48 Street, Suite 1116,
New York, NY 10036, United States
Email: [email protected]
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - How to Paint
Chapter 2 - How to Stretch a Canvas
Chapter 3 - How to Paint a Painting
Chapter 4 - How to Oil Paint
Chapter 5 - How to Create an Abstract Painting
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Chapter 6 - How to Draw
Chapter 7 - How to Paint With Watercolors as a Novice
Chapter 8 - How to Clean a Paintbrush
Chapter 9 - How to Paint the Evening Sky
Chapter 10 - Painting
Chapter 11 - Oil Painting
Chapter 12 - Portrait Painting
________________________WORLD TECHNOLOGIES________________________
Chapter- 1
How to Paint
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Painting is a medium through which many people find that their emotions and thoughts
can shine through. No previous experience is necessary, and if you’ve ever taken an art
class, even if it was finger painting in elementary school, then you’ve had an introduction
to painting.
Steps
1. Choose your paint. For your first painting, try using watercolor paints or acrylic
paints. Both are water based and easy to use. In the future, after you’ve painted
for a while, you may want to experiment with oil paints.
o Watercolors come in cases or small tubes of pigment. When used alone,
they are thick and opaque, and do not cover much area. When used in
combination with water, they will thin out and become transparent.
Watercolors are used on specific paper made for use with watercolor; any
old piece of paper will not necessarily work very well. If you have
difficulty finding the right kind of paper, an employee at any arts and
crafts store will be more than happy to show you various tablets of
watercolor paper sheets.
o
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Acrylics are tubes of paint ready to go to work. They do not need to be
watered down, but can be to achieve a desired effect, such as tints and
better coverage, as well as making your paint supply last a little longer.
Unlike watercolors, when acrylics dry, they will not moisten again so
don’t squeeze out more paint than necessary. If you have paint leftover
that you would like to use again, cover the tray or cup tightly in plastic
wrap or tin foil. They will keep for several days to a week at the most.
Acrylics are used on canvas panel, which is a canvas with a cardboard
backing, or canvas that is stretched over a wooden frame.
2. Get a canvas panel. For beginners, you may be more comfortable using a canvas
panel than painting on a stretched canvas. Canvas panels are inexpensive and,
while some artists may argue that stretched and mounted canvas is more
professional, panels are just as good for painting on. The only downside is that if
too much water or thick layers of paint are applied, the canvas will curl inward.
This can be remedied by painting a large X on the back side from corner to corner
to counteract the curl. You will encounter the same problem with watercolor
sheets, and you may do the same thing; just make sure your X is done in white
paint to avoid a darker color showing through your painting.
3. Select brushes.
o The larger the brush, the broader the stroke. The smaller the brush, the
finer the stroke. Therefore, for covering large areas of canvas with paint, a
bigger brush will get the job done quickly. A smaller brush will allow you
to add detail more easily. For instance, if you are painting a landscape, you
can use a big brush to lay down the base color for your sky. Then, you can
go in with a small brush and add hues of different colors for clouds, sun
rays, sky gradient, or even stars or birds.
o When considering brushes, not only is size important, but material. Most
brushes you will come across and probably use the most are made from
synthetic hair. Take care to rinse the paint out of your brushes when you
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are done. When acrylic paint dries, it turns to plastic, thus ruining your
brush. While working, keep your brushes in a cup of water to prevent
them from hardening.
4.
Familiarize yourself with the color wheel, a circle of primary and secondary
colors.
o Primary colors are: Red, Blue, and Yellow. These are colors that come
straight from a tube; they cannot be made from mixing other colors.
However, secondary colors (purple, green, and orange) can be made from
the primary colors.
 Red + Yellow=Orange
 Yellow + Blue=Green
 Red + Blue=Violet
o Mix the two primary colors in equal amounts for a true color, or add a
little more of one color than the other. For example, making purple with
slightly more blue than red will result in a bluish indigo color, while
mixing with more red may result in a deep maroon.
o Adding a small amount of white or black to any color will make it lighter
or darker. Mixing more white or black into certain colors may change
them drastically, as red when mixed with white will become pink.
o If a color is too bright for your liking, mix the color’s opposite into it to
dull the vibrancy. A color’s opposite is the one directly across from it on
the color wheel, i.e. the opposite of red is green, yellow is violet, and blue
is orange.
5.
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Paint. It may take some time to find out what you like to paint. Some people
enjoy portraits, others landscapes, and further more, some enjoy abstract artwork.
There is an endless list of things you could paint. For inspiration, think about what
looks pleasing to your eye. Maybe you enjoy certain color combinations more
than others? Maybe certain shapes? If you get stuck on what to paint, you can
always reference from life. The classic example is a bowl of fruit. It’s
overflowing with different angles, colors, shapes, and sizes. Most importantly, it
won’t move, so you can reference from it as long as the fruit keeps. Then, you
might try portrait. Chances are you won’t find anyone to sit still long enough for
you, so a photograph will probably suit you better when you first start. Here are
some additional ideas:
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o
Paint with just black and white. Or, choose any two colors and use in
combination with black and white. Paint a picture with these colors only.
o Choose a subject matter and intentionally warp and distort the anatomy of
it, i.e. painting a cat with legs longer than the length of its body, a house
that retains its typical features but bends into a spiral, etc.
o
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Illustrate a dream you’ve had before.
Ask someone to write down 3-5 random words, and paint what comes to
mind when you read them.
o Try to paint water. It can be anything from an ocean to water running from
the tap.
6. Practice techniques.
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o
When painting with acrylic, layer. This means start with the farthest thing
away in the background, for instance, paint the sky, then the mountain,
then the plains for your background, then the trees, grass, and object of
subject for your foreground. This prevents you having to paint around
anything.
Tips
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When painting with watercolor, always work from lightest to darkest.

Traditionally, there is no white paint in watercolor. These days you can
cheat, as it is possible to buy a white watercolor, but for best results, start
with very, very light colors for your outline before jumping in with the
dark colors. An example would be painting something shiny, say a blue
bowl. Take a very watered down light blue, and outline the shape of the
bowl, and then outline, not fill in, where the light reflections of the bowl
will go, giving it shape and making it more realistic.
• Have a look at some classic examples of paintings, such as the work of Pablo
Picasso, Johannes Vermeer, Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo,
Jackson Pollock, Edvard Munch, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. They will give you
an idea of different styles of painting.
• Making skin tone doesn’t have to be tricky, but if you just mix orange and white
for a peach tone, you’ll notice it looks flat and unrealistic. Take a moment to look
at your own skin. The underlying veins make all the difference in colors. For light
skin tones, add just a touch of green, and for dark skin tones, just a touch of blue.
• Try to befriend other painters. In some art schools or community-based art
programs, they will have an open studio session where artists can use the same
space to work. Talk to others about their methods and preferred style, watching
other people work can show you what else is possible.
• Visit art museums in your local area. If there are no museums, check in with art
departments in colleges and schools nearby to see if they have anything on
display. Some popular galleries in cities have online tours and high-resolution
photographs of paintings.
• Watch movies about art, such as:
o Girl with a Pearl Earring, which portrays the art of Vermeer. Several
scenes deal with color theory and painting methods.
o Frida, about the life and art of Frida Kahlo, gives excellent examples of
illustrating vision and expression, also painting techniques.
Warnings
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• Don’t give up too soon. Painting is a typically long and repetitive hobby and can
take anywhere from half an hour to months to finish just one piece. Always
remember, most art looks bad until it’s finished. If you’re not happy with the way
it looks, just give it time and keep working. Although overworking a watercolor
painting can make it muddy, a new layer on an acrylic painting serves to correct,
hide, enhance the layers beneath it.
Things You'll Need

• Paints, either watercolor or acrylic.
• The appropriate base material for your medium: watercolor - watercolor paper.
Acrylic - stretched canvas, canvas board, acrylic paper or even masonite.
• Brushes of a variety of sizes in synthetic fiber.
• A cup of water.
• Reference subject (physical model, photograph, an image from a publication, etc.)
• Pencil for sketching preliminary design (optional).
• Sketch pad for collecting ideas (optional).
• An easel (optional).
Chapter- 2
How to Stretch a Canvas
WT Your masterpiece, ready to be created
After having a frame built, the canvas needs to be stretched just right for it to work.
Here's a personal tried-and-true method for stretching canvases with no viewable staples
on the finished stretched canvas.
Steps
1. Cut your piece of canvas at least 6-8 inches wider than the dimensions of the
stretcher bars (taking into account the frame's depth). You'll need this extra
canvas to have something to get a grip on to be able to pull and stretch it.
2. Lay your frame centered on top of the canvas you've cut.
3.
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Go with the grain.
Make sure that the grain of the canvas is lined up straight with the stretcher
bars.
4.
Cut the canvas wider than the frame and center it.
Start with the longest side of the canvas. Fold it over, and plop down three
staples with your heavy duty stapler near the center of that stretcher bar.
5.
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Rotate the canvas. Or go to the opposite side and pull rather tight, fold the
canvas over the frame, and put down three more staples near the center of that
stretcher bar(exactly like the first side).
6. Go to one of the unstapled sides and give the canvas a good solid pull, fold it
over, and put in two staples.
7. Go to the opposite and last unstapled side and pull the canvas very tight, fold
it over the frame, and give it a few staples there as well.
8.
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Work from the centers to the corners. Pull first...
Go back to the first side and working from the centers to the corners, pull a
piece of the loose canvas over the stretcher bar (generally standing/kneeling
from the opposite side) putting in two staples or so for each section
(depending on the size of the frame).
9.
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...then staple.
Go to the opposite side of the canvas and repeat the previous step.
10.
Work towards the corners.
Continue pulling and stapling pieces of the canvas moving around the canvas
edges in the same order as above. If you want, you can staple near the corners
and then place a staple between the center and the corner, instead.
11.
12.
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Continue until you have about four inches of unstapled space from the
corners.
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Fold the corners.
Fold the corners however suits you best and staple them down. One way that
works is to tuck them under twice so that one straight edge is just even with the
corner.
13.
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Pull the corners tight...
...hold the spot...
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...and staple securely
Pull the corners very firmly, as this is the final tightening you give the canvas
and the most important.
14. Once you're finished, flip the whole canvas over and tap it with your finger.
It should sound like a drum. It should be very, very taut. If there is any creasing or
strange pulling, you'll be able to see it from here. If you mis-stapled or don't have
the canvas particularly taut, pull the staples and fix it. The canvas will sag far
worse once it is painted.
15. Pound in each staple with a hammer until it is flush with the wood.
Tips
• The most important part is to make sure the canvas fibers run square to the frame.
If they don't, the bars will twist and two opposite corners will lift up.
• Tearing the canvas will make a straighter line than cutting it will.
• Pull the canvas tight with your fingers, then use a good quality gesso. The gesso
will tighten the canvas further as it dries.
• Note: regular desk staplers are not heavy duty enough to hold the canvas. You
need a heavy duty staple gun.
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•
Canvas stretching pliers
There are special pliers (with a wider surface to avoid pulling holes in the canvas)
made for stretching canvas. They are available at art supply stores.
• After canvas is stretched, put shims/wood wedges into corner to further stretch
canvas.
• Using an ordinary spray bottle filled with plain water, dampen the back of the
stretched canvas. As it dries, it will shrink and thus tighten the canvas even more.
• Unprimed (ungessoed) canvas is easier to stretch than primed (gessoed) canvas.
Warnings
• Be careful not to staple your fingers.
• Use gloves, as this can be rough on the hands and may cause blisters.
Things You'll Need

• Good raw painter's canvas
• Stretcher bars assembled into a frame to stretch the canvas over
• Heavy duty stapler
• Box of staples
• Hammer
Chapter- 3
How to Paint a Painting
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Do you know how to paint? If you would like to learn how, then this can get you started.
Steps
1. Study different artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo
DaVinci, Giovanni Bernardino Azzolini, Robert Bateman, Emil Carlsen, and
Choi Buk among others.
2. Notice that there are many different techniques and styles to painting, and
every painting is as unique as the artist.
3. Once you're comfortable with it, gather your supplies
4. Understand that the kind of paint you use is all preference, there's no "right
kind of paint to use", even though paints like watercolors are easiest to use
for beginners, and oils would probably be used for advanced paintists.
5. Find inspiration and get moving.
6. Set up your workspace: place newspaper over your workspace, get your
paper/canvas/whatever you're working on, and set your paints and water so that
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you won't have to reach over your work in progress.
7. Wear something that can easily get dirty and won't matter, such as sweats, a
smock, an apron, or just an old t-shirt.
8. Get painting. There's no one way to paint, so it's almost impossible to tell you
how.
9. Use your imagination, and have fun with your new hobby.
Tips
• Always be ready to clean up once you're finished, because the chances are, you
will have made a mess.
• Make sure you're wearing something that can get paint on it without a problem.
• Purchase some books on painting that shows different techniques, they'll probably
be more help than just looking online.
• Some techniques to look into are: pointillism, cubism, impressionism, GongBi,
realism, and nocturne among others.
Warnings
• This activity is not for children under 3 years of age.
• Some paints can contain toxic chemicals, so try to buy nontoxic paints.
Things You'll Need

• Paint (water color is recomended for beginners)
• Paint brushes (Crayola sells a small package of mixed brushes, you have chisel
and then the usual stuff crayola sells, these aren't usually prefered, but are good if
you're on a budget)
• A cup of water
• A paper towel (to dry off your paint brushes if your paint doesn't require water,
also helps to remove unwanted color from your brushes)
• An apron/smock/clothes that can get dirty
• Canvas/paper/canvas panels
• Reference photos (which can of course be taken from online, and are optional)
• A color wheel
• Imagination
How to Paint a Picture
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Painting is a fun way to express your feelings. Weither you're happy or sad, you can
always paint to get your emotions out on paper. Here's how!
Steps
1. Think of something to paint. It could depend on your mood, surroundings, etc.
2. Wear old clothing, so that you don't have to worry about getting paint stains.
If you don't have a smock, a pair of old overalls would be a good choice.
3. Set up an easel, or put something underneath your canvas or paper. You
wouldn't want paint to seep through and stain anything.
4. Sketch out your picture first. You can always erase pencil lines when you're
done.
5. Choose the colours you want to use in your work.
6. Get your brushes, a cup of water, and a paper towel ready, and start painting
away!
Tips
• Always work somewhere unimportant. If you were painting on your granite
countertops, it could ruin them!
Things You'll Need
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• Palette
• Water
• Paint
• Surface to paint on
• Brushes
• Paper towels
Chapter- 4
How to Oil Paint
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Have you ever wanted to paint beautiful, expressive paintings with oils? Here are some
basics to guide you into the wonderful world of oil paints. Once you've got the basic
techniques down pat, the world is your canvas!
Steps
1.
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Choose a place to work where there is good ventilation--a window or door
can be opened, or good ventilation can be turned on, and/or you have a fairly
open space where air can circulate and move around. If you paint outside,
remember that you will need to set up securely so the wind won't blow things
over. Note that insects, especially bees, love Citrus Thinner.
2. Adjust your easel so that you can easily touch the painting surface without
bending down or standing on tip-toes while holding the brush. Hold your
brush at or behind the bulge behind its ferrule (the silver part). You will stand for
hours, so make sure you won't strain your back. Standing is better than sitting, but
if you must sit, paint at arm's length from the easel.
3. Put down a drop cloth, plastic bag, or tarp. Secure the edges with masking tape
to keep it from bunching up or blowing away. Your work area is going to stand
entirely on the drop cloth, so make sure you have covered enough area to have
plenty of elbow room. If you plan on working at a table with a table easel, cover
the floor below you and the table top.
4. Put on your painting clothes.
5.
o
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Set up your paints. Have enough room for your palette, brushes and palette
knife, solvent and solvent/oil containers, rags and paint tubes to be comfortably
displayed, readily available for you to use.
You need to have one container with just solvent, and the other with
medium. A standard painting medium is 1 part oil to 2 parts solvent. The
most common oil is linseed and its varieties (refinded, cold pressed, or
stand oils) but some painters use safflower, walnut or poppy oils. Alkyd
resin and Japan drier can be added to the painting medium to speed drying
time. Consider putting the medium in a squirt bottle. You can squirt the
contents onto the palette to work into your paint. Put the solvent (mineral
spirits, or brush cleaning fluid) in a closeable container.
o If you choose to buy a variety of paint colors, try not to get excited about
squeezing every single color onto your palette before you begin to paint,
as this will waste a lot of paint. Give yourself 2 or three colors to start with
and go from there. (Though sometimes it is good to have the entire range
in front of you, be conscious of colors not yet on your palette).
6. Paint. This part really depends on what you want to produce. However, there are
certain things to keep in mind no matter what you're painting.
o For example, oil paints have a short blending life on the canvas. It is not
hard to turn an area into a dull brown mud spot if there are a lot of
repetitive layers and alterations made. If you try to alter something and it
doesn't work immediately, grab a rag and wipe it off. All the paint from
that area will come off.
o Oils take a while to dry, so you have time to remove paint for almost 24
hours after the application. Just like any other paint, if you make the first
coat too thick, it won't dry all the way.
7. Clean your brushes well between color changes. When you are ready to remove
paint from your brush and use a different color, wipe as much paint off with a rag
as you can before putting the brush into the thinner. This will make your thinner
last longer and will remove more paint from the brush. Swish your brush in the
thinner container, then dry it off with a rag.
8. Give your work of art its space. When the first layer is complete, it will be about
48 hours before it will be dry enough to do the second application without
smearing your first day's work. Don't leave your work in an area that is especially
hot, or humid, and keep it in an area where it won't get smeared, scraped, touched,
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brushed up against, smooshed, etc.
9.
If there is a good amount of paint left on your palette that can be used next
time, use your palette knife to scrape the "good" paint together, then
dampen a clean rag with thinner just slightly and wipe the rest of your
palette clean. Use a piece of saran wrap to cover the leftover paint, wrapping it
fairly snug.
10.
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Wipe dirty brushes off as much as possible with clean rags and then swish in
the thinner, until there doesn't appear to be paint coming off of the brush.
Do this to all of your used brushes. Under lukewarm running water, hold a bar of
mild hand soap in one hand, then run the brush along the soap, as if you were
painting on the soap. Go with the direction of the bristles until no paint runs off
the brush. Hold the bristles between your index finger and thumb, under the
running water, making sure none of the bristles are bent or frayed out. Press
firmly with your thumbnail from the base of the bristles to the tip with your index
finger firm against the back, opposite your thumb, until no paint comes out of the
brush. Rinse soap out thoroughly, and wrap a clean rag or paper towels around the
bristles of the clean, rinsed brushes, pressing to absorb excess water. Doing this
after painting rather than waiting until the next time you want to paint gives the
brushes time to dry completely, because you can't paint with them if they are wet.
11. Put the lid on the thinner container and leave it until next time, regardless of
how cloudy it is. When the thinner settles, the pigment in the paint goes to the
bottom, and clean thinner settles on top. The next time you want to paint, you can
pour the clean thinner into a clean container, wipe the pigment from the bottom,
then pour the thinner back into your thinner container, ready to go. (This process
saves a lot of money!)
Tips
• If you have a hard time getting the paint off of your hands, baby oil or olive oil
works really well.
• If you decide to only purchase the primary colors, squeeze a spot the size of a
dime of Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, and Ultramarine Blue on your palette,
spacing them as far apart as you can, as if you were dotting the points of a
triangle. Now put a portion of the Titanium White about the size of a nickel in the
very center. Use your palette knife to mix colors.
• A recommended 10-tube palette is Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium
Orange, Cadmium Yellow, Viridian, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue, Dioxazine
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Purple, small Mars Black, and large Titanium White.
• A great exercise to begin with is to use primary colors to create various shades of
gray from white to black, and paint in black and white. This gives you a great
opportunity to understand value and contrast.
• The thinner/oil mix seems to last longer than just the thinner between cleaning,
but when it gets really cloudy, it doesn't separate. Properly dispose of the old mix,
and don't mix again until ready to use.
• When applying colors, overcompensate your color values. That way it will be
more difficult for your paintings to have a bland, tired look.
• In the process of creating an oil painting, it is important to remember what "stage"
the painting is in before setting up to work on it. A good rule is to work using
what is known as a "thin to fat" or "fat over lean" approach. This means that your
first application of paint to the canvas needs to be thinner and less "oily." That is
why the thinner oil mix consists of 1 part oil to 2 parts thinner. As you progress
through the stages of the painting, each application will have a bit more oil, and a
bit less thinner.
• When painting outside, be sure your canvas and your palette are not in direct
sunlight. Shade your canvas and palette, because if you paint with the canvas in
direct sunlight, it will cause you to mix your colors incorrectly. When you get
home and look at your painting, it will be dark and muddy.
• Try sketching your subject in on the canvas first with a lot of thinner and little bit
of Raw Sienna. It will help you stay focused when painting outside.
• A limited palette is recommended when painting outside as well. You can mix the
colors you need and won't have to drag all of your paints out into the field.
Warnings
• The materials used when oil painting are serious, hazardous materials. Always
know exactly what you are working with, and read the labels first before thinking
of using it. Know the proper way to dispose of these hazardous materials
according to where you live and their requirements. Work with serious care at all
times while using and handling oil paint.
• Always keep your eyes on the painting.
• Do not store flammable materials in enclosed areas if they have been used with
thinner or walnut or linseed oil. Thinner and oil mediums are combustible.
• If thinner gets on your skin, it can cause irritation. Pay close attention so you
know if additional measures must be taken.
Things You'll Need

• Oil paints (if on a budget, the only colors you need are Cadmium Red, Cadmium
Yellow, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White)
• Color wheel (to assist with the correct combinations for specific colors, and to
help you understand how complementary colors can be used)
• Walnut or Linseed Oil (to combine with pigments to create your own paint, if
desired)
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• Brushes (Connoisseur's Hog Bristle or any bristle in sizes 10&4, 2, 4, & 8 Round,
6 & 8 Flat, and a 1 Filbert. You will find which brushes suit you most though.)
• Thinner or Turpentine or Turpenoid (to rinse brushes while painting and create
thinner wash techniques). This is seriously flammable, so be careful.
• Palette knife (smaller knives make less of a mess, and you'll find yourself using
less paint)
• Two containers with lids that hold your thinner and walnut or linseed oil while
painting
• 10"x13" paint palette
• Storage box like a tackle or tool box
• Canvas to paint on (stretch it yourself or buy pre-stretched and primed)
• Easel (optional)
• Drop cloth, painting clothes, and gloves
• Rags
Chapter- 5
How to Create an Abstract Painting
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Abstract painting might look easy, and it might look as if the artist did not know what
they were painting. It might look like it; however, this is far from the truth. Abstract can
be more difficult than landscape or scenery, because there is nothing to copy from, and
nothing like it has been painted prior to the moment that the artist picked up the brush or
palette knife.
Steps
1. Buy a ready made canvas in a craft store. Buy any size that you feel you would
like to work on. A smaller one, 10x10, or 12x12 might be best, if you are just
learning and experimenting. The canvas will be ready to work on as is, but if you
prefer a colored background, buy a jar of Gesso, to prime the canvas and give it a
touch of color. When doing this however, you will have to wait about 24 hours
until the canvas dries before you can paint on it. Another option is using canvas
board, which is cheaper, or you can even use gesso to prime Masonite or any
other flat board if you want to work larger or are on a budget.
2. Decide whether to use acrylics or oil paint. Acrylics have no odor, are easy to
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work while wet but when they dry the paint turns to plastic and will not come off
of some surfaces and clothes, they dry faster and can be painted over if you make
a mistake. Oils are the complete opposite, but are preferred by some because they
take longer to dry and therefore you don't have to rush to mix colors on the
canvas, you will need turpentine to dilute paint, which can also create a cool
effect when put onto the canvas,and you will need turpentine and dish soap to
clean your brushes and be aware that oils are toxic so don't leave them lying
around where children or pets can get into them. You can also use linseed oil to
dilute your paint, however, this can make the oils take longer to dry, where as
diluting with turpentine will make them dry quicker. Make sure you are in a well
ventilated area because the odor of the paint can cause problems.
3. Buy a color chart and an easel and paints and brushes. Buy the basic colors at
first, and use the color chart to determine which colors belong together.
4.
Start your painting by thinking of an object, or a scene. Do not think of the
actual drawing of each, just dwell on the thought. Look at a vase, not at how it
actually would be sketched, but how you would think it would look. Your
imagination, and your feelings will create what you paint on the canvas.
Remember, you are interpreting, not drawing.
5. Allow the brush to take over painting with one color. When your thought
process stops, you stop. Add another color, shade it, make it lighter at any part, or
heavier at another. Improve what you see on the canvas and of what you think
should be added.
6. Add a bit of yellow, to a part of the red, blend it and make various shades of
orange. Some areas will be darker, some lighter according to the brush strokes.
7. Remember once you feel that the painting is finished, stop. Do not go back to
improve or touch it up. Do not overwork your painting, but learn to finish it, the
moment you feel it is finished.
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Tips
• Experiment with adding textures to the canvas, and painting over them for added
depth to the painting.
• Use colors according to the feeling you wish to paint. Read about colors and how
to use them to express emotions. Reds and yellows will be happy, while blues,
blacks, and browns will signify darker feelings. The feeling you wish to convey
will depend on the colors and brush strokes you use.
• Don't be afraid of drips and splatters. At times drips might add texture to your
painting and so will splatters especially of a blending color.
• Don't wear nice clothes. Wear something you don't mind getting paint on.
• Sometimes the best pictures you make are the ones with your eyes closed. So
don't be afaid to close your eyes and just have fun with it.
Warnings
• Wash your brushes with a cleaning solution after you are finished painting to keep
your brushes soft and usable.
• You can also wrap your brushes in clear film or a carrier bag and they will stay
fresh for weeks.
• Be sure to store your brushes brush-side up.
How to Mix Colors
Steps WT
Interested in learning how to mix luscious, vibrant colors? Have you ever mixed red and
blue paint only to find you have "mud" instead of purple? Want to know how to create
luminous shades of red and yellow? Now it's time to learn how.
1. Get out your paints. Cut a number of 8" x 10" pieces of watercolor paper or
2.
primed canvas, on which to try out all the following color mixing techniques. You
will find these sheets a great reference tool.
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Obtain a color wheel. These are sometimes included in painting kits. If you don’t
already have one, you should buy one from an art store. It is a very good visual
tool that would demonstrate the relationship between the different types of colors
of the spectrum. Learn the three elementary divisions of color:
o Primary colors are red, blue, yellow. These are the three 'starter' pigments
and can’t be created using any other combination of colors, hence the term
'primary'.
o Secondary colors are orange, purple, green. They are the products of the
three combinations of primary colors.
 Yellow + red = orange.

 Red + blue = purple.
 Blue + yellow = green.
o Tertiary colors are those that involve all three primary colors (red, yellow
and blue) in some combination or another. Tertiary means three. For
example, the combination of orange and blue is a tertiary color because
orange is made up of red[primary] and yellow[primary], and with the
blue[primary] you have three primary colors in the mixture. Blue-green is
a tertiary color because it has a primary and secondary colors. #
Recognize the various hues of a color. All colors have various shades
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and are either 'warm' or 'cool'. Warm colors are prominent and bold,
whereas cool colors are subdued and sober. If you own a relatively new
digital camera, you can see the difference for yourself. Some digital
cameras have settings called 'Warm' or 'Cool' which throw a different light
to the picture being taken. Although some colors are traditionally divided
into the warm or cool category (for example, orange and red are always
considered warm colors) even these have 'cooler' versions.
o Traditionally warm colors include yellow, orange, and red;

o Traditionally cool colors include purple, blue, green.
3. Learn about complementary colors. Complementary colors are colors that
occupy opposite positions on a color wheel or any other color model. In color
theory, two colors are called complementary if they produce a neutral color
(black, grey) when mixed in equal proportions. You can alter the proportions to
get variable colors like blue gray, green gray, or purple gray; red brown, yellow
brown, or greenish brown. Complementary colors, when painted next to each
other, enhance one another and are very striking. Why do you think a red rose is
so stunning? It's those wonderful green leaves making the red dance. Did you ever
wonder why so many spring flowers are purple and yellow? Mother Nature knows
what she's doing.
4. Alter combinations once they have been created If you have created a sober
color, see what you can add to make it brighter. If you've created a bright
color, see what dulls it down. When you have a blue that is too bright, you can
dull it by adding a bit of orange, mix it well and watch how the blue changes from
bright to dull. If you are getting a greenish brown you might have added too much
orange or the orange may have too much yellow in it.
5. Vary the proportions and types of color It takes red and blue to make purple,
and yellow is the complement, now you can decide which red and which blue
to use to make the exact shade of purple you like.
6. Create a color grid. On a large sheet of watercolor paper or canvas, draw a series
of boxes. Label each row with a particular base colour, like green or blue. Paint
each box in the row with the various colour combinations you have discovered.
Keeping the like colors together will ensure that you can visually see the change
in the intensity of color. Using your color grid, you would also be able to see
whether a pigment is warm or cool, by comparing it to the swatches of color
around it.
Warnings
• Color Mixing Takes Time you cannot expect to make a masterpiece or even a
neat anti-masterpiece the first time you try mixing paint.
• Your art journey is a spiral. As you get each new principle, when you come back
around to study, oh, say color again, you have the capacity for a higher-level of
understanding.
Things You'll Need
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• Disposable paper palette
• Mixing knife or palette knife (any size will do)
• Watercolor paper or primed canvas (there are pads available of both at your local
art supply store; actual primed canvas is good)
• Water containers for cleaning brushes
• Synthetic brush of your choice (#8 round or #6 flat is good)
• Spray bottle to keep paint moist
• Paper towel for blotting and cleaning brush
• Color Wheel
• Paint colors as listed in following pages
• A smock or an old shirt you would not mind getting dirty
Chapter- 6
How to Draw
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Do you want to build up your drawing skills? Whether you dream of becoming a great
artist or are looking to give your own imagination a creative outlet, drawing is a beautiful
way of expressing your individuality and observing the details of the world around you.
This will help you.
Steps
1.
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Draw what you see. Start with simple objects (like the classic bowl of fruit) or
common objects and progress to more complicated subjects--an intricately shaped
table, for instance, or people's faces. The better you get at drawing real-life
objects, the better you'll eventually be at putting ideas on paper. For example, let's
say you get an idea for a comic book character. You can imagine every detail--the
expression on their face, the emotion in their eyes, the pose that represents who
this character is. If you haven't been practicing with drawing faces, eyes, and
poses, however, you'll have a hard time recording this character on paper in a way
that matches with the image you have in your head.
2. Make a rough sketch. If you're drawing a tree, don't draw one leaf at time.
Imagine what you want the tree to look like ultimately, and make a light sketch
with a pencil. You can draw an outline of your intended drawing, or you can draw
its "skeleton" (as is often done with drawing bodies). Another option is to imagine
the basic shapes the object is made of. In other words, break the object apart with
your mind. A tree, in most cases, is an oval or triangle centered on top of a
cylinder. Draw both shapes in 3D so that you can fill in the details later, while
maintaining the proportions you want. Otherwise, it's easy to get caught up in
drawing one section of the object and forget about the "big picture" so that you
end up running out of room, or, more often, your drawing ends up looking
unattractively imbalanced.
o If you're drawing a real object, cross check what you have on paper with
the original object. Make sure that the sizes of the shapes relative to each
other are as accurate as possible.
3. Elaborate. Use heavier/darker line to bring out the parts of the drawing you need,
and use an eraser to take out the lines you don't need. Add details, bit by bit,
making sure to frequently step back and look at your drawing as a whole to make
sure it's coming along the way you want it to. Learn and experiment with several
techniques, which can enhance your ability to express ideas through drawing:
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o
Shading - Details the curves and/or shape of an object through the

differentiation between light and dark. Think about the way the light hits
an object and which parts of the object are light or dark as a result. This
can add luminosity, intensity, and depth to a drawing.
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o
Perspective - Things that are further away appear smaller. If you are
drawing a large object (such as a building) or a complicated scene (such as
a neighborhood), it's especially important to understand perspective (if
you don't want your drawing to appear cartoon-ish), but focusing on
perspective when drawing small, simple objects (a cube, a stack of books)
is an excellent exercise in drawing.
o Proportions - The way different parts of the object relate to each other in
terms of size can affect how realistic the drawing is perceived to be.
Altering proportions (by exaggerating some aspects and minimizing
others) can convey unique ideas, or represent a certain style of drawing
(especially with characters, as is seen in caricatures and anime).
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Color - Adds a new dimension to a piece. Contrast, blending, saturation,

and color schemes make some drawings more lively, or more realistic, or
abstract, depending on how the color is applied.
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o
Tools - Different shades of pencils (HB,2B,3B,4B...), using a sharp point,

blunt point, the side of the pencil, pens, felt-tip pens, chalk, and so on.
4.
Draw Familiar Shapes
Draw as often as you can. The more you practice, the better you'll get. Even
when you're concentrating on something else but your hands are free (such as
when you're on the phone--the perfect opportunity to doodle) take a piece of paper
and a pencil and start drawing basic shapes (circles, squares, triangles, rectangles,
etc.). Challenge yourself progressively by making these shapes as perfect as
possible. Then challenge yourself some more by drawing variations of a shape:
different sizes of circles and squares, different kinds of rectangles and triangles.
With enough repetition (and crumpled sheets in the recycling bin), you should
reach a point where you could comfortably draw most shapes. To heighten this
basic skill, draw curves and curls as well. Try doing springs and spirals and
various loops, curlicues and garlands, paying attention to the consistency of your
curves.
5.
Tips
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Keep your work. Make a place where you can put all of your drawings, or keep it
all together in an art journal. Doing this will help you review your progress. The
more you get used to drawing, the more you'll be able to see what your flaws are
and determine how to correct them. Also, as you continue drawing, you'll develop
your own personal style. It's always interesting to look back and see how your
ability to express yourself has grown. Don't let yourself down. Practice make
perfect.
• Keep trying and don't give up if you do poorly the first time.
• The secret to making professional quality drawings is to include line, shape,
value, texture, and color. Most everyone starts with lines which they use to create
shapes. Often beginners stop there. A drawing should have something in it that is
completely white, something pitch black, and many values in between. You
should show what in the drawing is smooth and what is rough. Adding even one
or two colors to a gray pencil drawing will add a lot of interest.
• Another secret to drawing realistic pictures is trying to make them look three-
dimensional. This is done not only with shading but texture and the direction of
lines. For example, if you draw a ball, make the lines curved.
• The joy of drawing is being able to draw freely, so go easy on yourself when you
feel you're not progressing as fast as you want to. It's always OK to make
mistakes. Even the best artists make mistakes when they're drawing as part of
routine.
• Vary what you draw. For instance, work on drawing inanimate objects, then take
a break and work on people the next day. This keeps your brain fresh and prevents
you from becoming frustrated.
• Remember, as the famous author James A. Owen once said, "Drawing is just two
things, putting lines on paper, and deciding where they go."
• Art students that wish to stand out from the rest of the class should draw with
colored pencils.
• Use 'rough' paper and pencil that's used on one side for your doodles or practice
sketches. Save your money and trees by saving good paper for your best work.
• Also, one of the best things you can start out doing is just doodling! And once you
finish doing that, move on and then start being a critic to your work, add detail
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and soon you're on your way.
• Also, when you slant the lead (or graphite) of your pencil, those can be used as
shading techniques.
• Find inspiration in everything. News stories, landscapes, emotions, anything can
be drawn realistically or abstractly.
• Some of the best art has the best shading. If you master shading you're off to a
great start. Remember practice makes perfect.
• Pay attention to critique and use it to improve. It's common for amateurs to take
offense from critique, but usually, it's not meant badly. Acknowledge flaws in
your art and try to overcome them.
• Take an art class. You can learn many techniques and tips from professionals.
Don't be afraid about your talent level- art class isn't about showing off, it's about
learning and sharing new things from others.
• Remember that your best is your best. Do not compare yourself against other
professional work.
• Drawing is an art, and takes great precision, but you can learn to draw. You don't
have to be naturally good at it, you just have to be able to take some time to learn!
Warnings
• Show your work to other people at your own risk--you should only present your
work to those you know who'll encourage you. Ask them to be honest, then
improve using the feedback.
• People may very well make fun of you; ignore them. If they knew anything about
art they would know that drawing takes a lot of hard work to succeed at it.
• Always be open to critique if you are going to show your work.
• It is recommended to draw larger because as drawings get smaller and smaller,
even a minor blister or mark here and there can dramatically alter its appearance,
especially if you are drawing a face.
Chapter- 7
How to Paint With Watercolors as a Novice
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A good way to learn how to paint with watercolor paints is to start with watercolor
pencils. Once you've mastered them, move on to paints and you'll be a Pablo Picasso (or
whatever artist you admire) in no time. Not every brush stroke will be exactly how you
imagined it to be, and sometimes (believe it or not), mistakes can make your work a
beautiful masterpiece.
Ingredients
apple and red bean
Steps
1. Use the pencils to color in a picture that you drew (or photocopied). Vary the
depths of color by shading areas that are "raised." For example, draw a flower
petal or a leaf (pressing hard on some areas, and lighter on the others).
2. Use a dark watercolor pencil (black, brown, purple, etc) for shadows (like the
one a tree casts).
3. Dip your paintbrush in clean water once you've colored in your picture, and
stroke or dab your brush on the paper, right over the colored areas.
4. Experiment with the pencils, especially if you're new to using them. Start by
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painting small designs, like an insect, a single flower, or even something that you
can put in front of you. To study the depths of color, try a shoe or a piece of fruit.
Anything can become an artistic object.
5. Use less water on your brush for more vibrant colors. For pastel colors, use
more water.
6. Once you've mastered the small designs, try a bigger design. Once you've
mastered that, go bigger, and so on.
Tips
• "Practice makes perfect" is the phrase you need to remind yourself of when you
start painting.
• If you find that painting is your niche, stick with it and have patience.
• Too much water and brushing in one spot will make your paper tear and fall apart.
Sometimes, it's best to let the paint dry and begin painting again. If you're really
in a hurry use a hairdryer, but take care - it can cause the paint to run.
• Watercolor paper or card stock works a lot better than regular printer paper.
• Investment in good quality materials is critical. Watercolor paper that will stand
up to your best effort is at least 140 lb. stock. It comes in "blocks" that give
support to the individual pages until they are complete, and ready to remove and
frame. 100% cold pressed cotton paper will give you the best results.
• Buy the best quality pencils your budget will allow. Less expensive pencils will
show up as "watered down" color, even with deep or vibrant colors since they are
manufactured with lower pigment levels.
• Always sign your work. This is very important. You never know whose hands it
could end up in.
Things You'll Need

• Watercolor pencils
• Watercolor paper
• Watercolor brushes
• Bowl of water
• paper towels (for dabbing off any excess water)
How to Remove a Painting from a Frame
WT Crushed frame needing replacement
Sometimes it is necessary to reframe a painting due to its value, uniqueness or in order to

transport it compactly. Instead of throwing away the work of art, removing and reframing
can give a picture a renewed display time.
Steps
1.
2.
WT Torn canvas with 2" vertical tear
Assess the damage to the painting. If serious, you may need to hire a
professional restorer.
Supporting stretcher bar on back of huge 4' x 8' canvas
Examine the front and back of the frame. Determine the method of attachment.
Removal is reversal of assembly.
3.
4.
WT Diagram of back of frame
Note which staples go to which part of the assembly.
WT Lots of staples holding this artwork together
Remove staples, nails or screws from back of frame. It is not necessary to take
out the staples holding the stretcher bar itself.
Gently pull staples
Use pliers to remove the staples if they don't come out easily. Continue
around the back of the picture.
5.
6.
WT Maneuver screwdriver under spline to start removal
Carefully wedge in the screwdriver to get a grip on the spline.
7.
WT Spline coming out of track that holds canvas
Remove the spline from all the way around the painting.
Long staple going through canvas and into outer frame
Pull any staples/nails found holding the canvas to the frame, being careful
not to rip the canvas material too much. It may need to be re-attached to
another stretcher bar if the current one is not reusable.
8.
9.
WT Frame comes apart from Canvas and stretcher bar
Gently push the canvas backward or frame forward to separate from each
other.
10.
WT Notice seam where spline used to be
Slowly poke under the canvas. The wood stretcher bar holds the canvas giving it
shape. There is a crevice into which the spline used to fit, pinching the canvas
taut. This is the same principle a screen door uses.
11.
WT Peeling canvas from wood stretcher bar
Continue around the edge of the frame/picture. There may be many years that
the canvas has been pressed folded. It is not glued to the wood, but may be stuck
slightly.
Tips
•
•
WT Lastly, the canvas comes apart from the wood
If transporting, carefully roll up around a foam cylinder and place in sturdy

carton. Wrap loosely so paint does not chip and break off.
Some canvas art is actually adhered directly to the inside back of the frame.
If the painting was framed before it was completely dry it could have adhered to
the frame. In some cases it takes a full year for oils to dry. Use care separating the
painting from the inside back of the frame to avoid pulling the paint away from
the canvas. There may also be an indentation in the paint where the frame had
been. Be sure these indentations are covered with your new frame.
Warnings
• If the artwork is old, or of great value; you may want to hire an insured expert
trained in properties of ancient paint to do the job.
• Keep the canvas on its support (stretcher bar) unless there is a compelling reason
for removing it. There is risk of damaging it while removing it. Plus, the painting
may be damaged when restretched later. Many paint repairs can be done without
removing it from the supports.
• Also keep in mind that if the painting is directly up against glass, (which it should
not be if framed correctly) that it might be stuck to the glass. Be very careful
separating the two.
• Whenever rolling a painting on canvas, always roll with the paint surface on the
outside of the roll. Rolling the paint surface inwards causes the paint film to
compress, and can cause it to visibly crack apart when unrolled. Rolling the paint
surface outwards will cause the paint surface to crack apart, but the cracks will fit
together neatly when unrolled.
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Using hammer to force screwdriver under staple to leverage it away from stretcher bar
and canvas
Things You'll Need

• Flathead Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Hammer
• Foam core cylinder (Optional for transporting).
Chapter- 8
How to Clean a Paintbrush
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Clean paintbrushes awaiting a new project
This is the time-proven method to clean a paintbrush thoroughly and keep it usable for a
long time. These instructions are adaptable to almost any type of paint (or other
substance) as long as you choose the correct solvent in step two.
Steps
1. Wipe the brush on a rag or paper towel to remove as much paint as possible.
2. Rinse the brush in the appropriate solvent. It's okay to use the dirty solvent
(water) from your painting session.:
o Use mineral spirits for most oil-based paints.
o Use water for water-based paints (acrylic, watercolor, latex, etc.) and also
most white glues and wood glues.
o Use denatured alcohol for shellac.
3. Check the product's label if you're not sure what to use.
4. Wipe the brush again with a rag to remove any remaining solvent. You may
skip this step if the solvent is water.
5. Pick up a bar of plain soap in one hand and brush it with the paintbrush
using your other hand, working the soap into the bristles. Liquid soap works,
too. Just dispense a little into the palm of your hand.
6. Rinse the brush under running water. You may want to rub the bristles of
between your fingers, but be very gentle with sable brushes.
7. Repeat steps 4 and 6 until the soap suds are white and the water rinses clear.
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8. When the brush is clean, shake or blot out the extra water. Reshape the
bristles to the correct form, then store the brush upright in a container so that the
bristles are not deformed when dry. Then your brush is clean and ready to use!
Tips
• If you paint with artists' oils every day, you may find daily cleaning too time-
consuming. Try wrapping your brushes in plastic wrap or storing them in a re-
sealable plastic bag. Leaving your brushes in solvent continuously will greatly
shorten their useful life.
• If you are using latex (water based) paint and the color is deep, such as a dark
green, black, etc, you may find that although cleaned, the bristles retain a "greasy"
feel to them, and the brush feels like it is still full of paint. That's because it is! To
correct this, simply clean the brush in thinner! (mineral spirits) This is because the
colorant used to tint the paint is oil based, even though the paint itself is water
based. A couple of swishings should remove the oil based tints.
• Do not leave a brush on its bristles or in water. Instead, wrap a paper towel around
the bristles, fold the end under, and lay it flat until it dries. Wrap a rubber band
around the bristles when done. This tends to train the bristles, making the brush
easier to control on the next job.
• Hot water can be used to help straighten stray nylon/poly brush filaments. Hold
bent or stray filaments under hot water, you should see signs of improvement
within 60 seconds, then quickly run cold water over the filaments to set the new
position. DO NOT attempt this procedure with china bristle.
• If you use acrylic (latex), Acetone (nail paint remover) can be use to save a dried
up brush. Simply soak it for a minute or two in acetone, than wash of with soap.
Repeat till the bristles are soft and clean. Use tweezers to remove those frizzy,
gone crazy, hairs on the side.
Warnings
• Even if you use turpentine for your oil-painting mediums, you should use mineral
spirits for the solvent. It's much less toxic.
• Don't forget to wash your hands after cleaning your brushes.
Things You'll Need
• Used paint brush

• Solvent for paint used
• Soap
• Water
• Rags or paper towels
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How to Become an Artist
Art is all around you. It is not only in the ability to paint, sketch and draw, but in other
media as well. Creating a sculpture takes the skill of an artist. Abstract painting, or
creating clay models is a form of art. Art is actually all around you, in every shape and
form. Take the time to look at your surroundings in a different manner. Look at a tree, it
is not even, it is not straight, it is not brown. It has texture, and shading. Most
importantly: no two objects are alike.
Steps
1. Buy a sketchbook and sketching pencil. Buy an easel and paints. Go to the
stores. Draw things you see. Go to the park, and sit on a bench and just look
around you. Art is everywhere. The pool is oval, the sun is round, the trees are all
different shades, and no two leaves are the same. No two flowers are the same, or
of the same shape or size. If you look at all this and find you are interested in
learning more, then you have an artistic nature. You can easily become an artist.
2.
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Look at a tree in the sun. Notice that the leaves have varying colors. See which
side the sun shines on and how it looks. Look at the same tree an hour later and
notice how it looks now that the sun has or is setting. Study the grass, and its
shadows. Look at a sunset, the shading and the colors. Actually 'look' at things
intently, and mark it all down in your sketchbook.
3. Develop more of an artistic nature. Learn about colors, shades, and how to use
them. Buy a color wheel and try to change colors. Decide what type of art you are
interested in. There are hundreds of art techniques that you can learn from.try to
learn from everything around you, Lamps, posters, trees, anything!
4. Train your eyes to focus on structure, color, and value. Do not paint or draw as
to how the object "should" look, rather than how it does look. Nothing is really
what it looks like. Whites have other shades in it, reds are of varying degrees of
red. The skin is not black, and a white person is not really white but varying
shades of pinks, yellows, blues all mixed in.
5. Buy books on art education, Recommended is "Drawing From The Right
Side of The Brain". This is a great book to learn from. It is easy to read, and
interesting, and you will amaze yourself at how fast you will be actually drawing.
6. Find Internet sites about artists, art methods, drawing, and painting.
Becoming an artist is not difficult once you realize what type of art you are
interested in. Read up on artists and visit art shows.
7. Understand that no one has to be born with a talent. Those that are, are lucky.
Art can be developed with interest. Most art need not be painted like a picture.
One can use a camera for exactness. Paintings develop from the artists feel of the
subject, interpretation and varying colors. No two people are exactly alike. No
two artists paint the same way, and no two see things in the exact colors. Art can
be learned, discovered and can develop with the proper exposure. Just remember
being an artist is not how well you can draw, but the emotion that comes out of it.
8. Be yourself, and you will be a great artist.
Tips
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• You will likely improve in bursts of personal insight into seeing the world around
you as an artist.
• Keep old drawings to encourage you as you see your improvement.
• Look at art, as you increase in sophistication, you MIGHT be able to more fully
appreciate the sophistication of great artists. Not everyone is able to notice detail.
Great art is instructive; it will cause you to change your approach on a given
subject and give you hints on how to achieve what you set out to create. The best
way to view art is in person, a reproduction in a book is nice, but remember there
is more to a painting than the picture represented; tactility of the surface,
luminosity, and other subtleties are only accessible in person--it is often the case
that the greatness of the work are only apparent in these aspects. This is especially
the case in abstract art, but should not be discounted in figurative work; go look
how Rembrandt handles his paint, where he makes use of transparent washes, the
effect of a given color layered over another--if you begin to notice such things
you'll be guaranteed to expand your flexibility as an artist.
• When you finish your first sketchbook, buy another! By the time you've finished
that you'll have improved so much.
• Join an art community such as Conceptart.org. Other new artists are there and you
can share tips.
• Get your work out there by trying to get your artwork into art galleries.
Warnings
• Don't give up when you don't see improvement in the first few months. Even
DaVinci and Van Gogh started from nothing but kept with it.
• Don't stop trying to learn when you attain a level where you can make things look
nice. This is the most dangerous time for a developing artist.
• Know the rules. Some people slop a little paint on a canvas and smear it around
and call it abstract. This is an insult to art. Build a foundation of traditional art
before you branch out and start experimenting. You need to know the rules before
you break them.
Chapter- 9
How to Paint the Evening Sky
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How do you get a successful painting of the sunset or the evening sky. This is going to
explain how.
Steps
1. Before the sun sets, set your easel up. Choose a place (indoors or out), where
your view is unhindered. If setting up outside, follow the tips below for painting
outdoors.
2. Premix your colors before the sun sets. Since the sun sets quickly, and the sky
changes every few seconds, time is not on your side. It's best to premix your
colors to save time. Even if you are unsure what colors you'll need, have a variety
on hand that won't take much time to tint one way or the other. Or at least get
your palette prepared with your paint already squeezed out and ready to mix.
3. Once the sun begins to set, take some initial photos for reference later.
o It is good to remember that you will not get a completed painting. This
will only be a "sketch" that you will complete from your photos later.
4. Thin your colors with thinner and sketch in the basic colors you see. Start
with the darkest colors. Paint quickly. If time allows, you can add thicker color
and more details.
5. From the photos you've taken, work on your painting in the days to come
until it's finished.
Tips
• When painting outdoors stake your easel down with tent stakes so it doesn't blow
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over.
• Carry plenty of paper towels and plastic bags for your trash.
• Keep your canvas and your palette out of any direct sunlight. If it's evening, keep
the sun facing you and not behind you. When the sun shines directly on your
canvas and palette, it keeps you from mixing colors correctly. When you get
home and see your painting under canned light, the colors will be dark and look
muddy.
• Keep yourself from becoming discouraged when painting from nature by planning
on NOT going home with a completed painting.
• Take a notebook and a pencil with you and take notes on what you see. This will
add to your photographs for finishing your painting later. Write down what
direction the sun is coming from, which way the shadows are falling, what palette
of colors you will be using (refer to your color wheel), and anything and
everything you can think of write it down.
• Plan on doing several "sketches". Thin your paint and sketch in accurately the
outline of what you're painting. It's best to use a neutral color like raw sienna. Use
darker thinned paint to block in the shadows, or if you prefer, the raw sienna
works fine. As time allows, get in as much detail as possible. You can always use
your photos and your notes to finish the painting at home.
• Work small and loose. Try to get the colors true in your painting. You can work
from the small plein air painting to create a larger studio painting later.
Warnings
• When painting from nature, the light changes every second, you have to work
quickly. It's best to take plenty of photos.
• Your camera will get the colors wrong. All cameras do. All dark areas will turn
much darker in the photo and may lose detail. Don't rely on your photo to create
the scene without color notes from painting from life. It's only a memory aid for
shapes and details.
How to Do Wax Painting
WT Basic crayon drawing prior to painting
This is a great artistic exercise using simple wax crayons, plain paper and black paint.
The first stage consists of drawing a crayon picture and is followed by brushing over it
with black paint. The resulting picture will have a black background wherever the paint
rests, with the wax crayon drawing standing out. This is because the paint won't stick to
any spot drawn with crayon. Depending on how creative you feel, you will be able to
make the most amazing pictures. It is great fun for young and old alike.
Steps
1. Take a plain colored card paper - preferably white or some other very pale
color. You could also use strong paper, as long as it can absorb paint without
becoming too moist.
2. Get your wax crayons out. Arrange the colors that you'll use for picture:
o Light colored crayons are the best choice as they will stand out the most
against the black.
o Avoid using black, brown and navy blue altogether. They will not stand
out against the black paint background.
3. Decide on your design or illustration. Perhaps sketch it out with an erasable
pencil first, which you can then trace over with the crayons.
4. Draw the picture. Using the wax crayons, draw your picture, design or cartoon.
If you want, you can even just write a message - great for a party or a sign.
5. Paint with black. After doing the crayon work, give a wash of black paint over
the whole picture. The black paint color will not stick to the drawing done in wax
crayons. Your picture, design or words should stand out boldly.
6. Hang to dry. Let the painting dry flat somewhere warm and airy. It shouldn't take
too long and then you can hang it up and admire it.
Tips
• You can use fluorescent wax crayons or white color that will give you a horror
effect after giving a wash with black! This could be a great Halloween or scary
party effect.
• Put down newspaper under the painting to avoid harming the surface you're
painting on.
• Make sure the crayon is is really thick, or the paint may stick.
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Warnings
• Make sure the paper you use is strong enough for the paint.
Things You'll Need

• White lightweight card or strong paper; pale colors okay also
• Black paint (children's art paint is best)
• Crayons
• Paintbrush
• Water to clean off paintbrush
• Newspaper for covering painting surface
• Imagination
Chapter- 10
Painting
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The Mona Lisa, by Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most recognizable
artistic paintings in the world.
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface
(support base). The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a
brush but other objects may be used. In art the term describes both the act and the result
which is called a painting. Paintings may have for their support such surfaces as walls,
paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay, copper or concrete, and may incorporate
multiple other materials including sand, clay, paper, gold leaf as well as objects.
Painting is a mode of expression and the forms are numerous. Drawing, composition or
abstraction and other aesthetics may serve to manifest the expressive and conceptual
intention of the practitioner. Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in a still
life or landscape painting), photographic, abstract, be loaded with narrative content,
symbolism, emotion or be political in nature.
A portion of the history of painting in both Eastern and Western art is dominated by
spiritual motifs and ideas; examples of this kind of painting range from artwork depicting
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mythological figures on pottery to Biblical scenes rendered on the interior walls and
ceiling of The Sistine Chapel, to scenes from the life of Buddha or other scenes of eastern
religious origin.
Elements
Chen Hongshou (1598–1652), Leaf album painting (Ming Dynasty).
Intensity
What enables painting is the perception and representation of intensity. Every point in
space has different intensity, which can be represented in painting by black and white and
all the gray shades between. In practice, painters can articulate shapes by juxtaposing
surfaces of different intensity; by using just color (of the same intensity) one can only
represent symbolic shapes. Thus, the basic means of painting are distinct from ideological
means, such as geometrical figures, various points of view and organization
(perspective), and symbols. For example, a painter perceives that a particular white wall
has different intensity at each point, due to shades and reflections from nearby objects,
but ideally, a white wall is still a white wall in pitch darkness. In technical drawing,
thickness of line is also ideal, demarcating ideal outlines of an object within a perceptual
frame different from the one used by painters.
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Color and tone
Color and tone are the essence of painting as pitch and rhythm are of music. Color is
highly subjective, but has observable psychological effects, although these can differ
from one culture to the next. Black is associated with mourning in the West, but in the
East, white is. Some painters, theoreticians, writers and scientists, including Goethe,
Kandinsky, and Newton, have written their own color theory. Moreover the use of
language is only a generalization for a color equivalent. The word "red", for example, can
cover a wide range of variations on the pure red of the visible spectrum of light. There is
not a formalized register of different colors in the way that there is agreement on different
notes in music, such as C or C♯ in music. For a painter, color is not simply divided into
basic and derived (complementary or mixed) colors (like red, blue, green, brown, etc.).
Painters deal practically with pigments, so "blue" for a painter can be any of the blues:
phtalocyan, Paris blue, indigo, cobalt, ultramarine, and so on. Psychological, symbolical
meanings of color are not strictly speaking means of painting. Colors only add to the
potential, derived context of meanings, and because of this the perception of a painting is
highly subjective. The analogy with music is quite clear—sound in music (like "C") is
analogous to light in painting, "shades" to dynamics, and coloration is to painting as
specific timbre of musical instruments to music—though these do not necessarily form a
melody, but can add different contexts to it.
Rhythm
WT Georges Seurat (1859–91), Circus Sideshow (1887–88)
Rhythm is important in painting as well as in music. If one defines rhythm as "a pause
incorporated into a sequence", then there can be rhythm in paintings. These pauses allow
creative force to intervene and add new creations—form, melody, coloration. The
distribution of form, or any kind of information is of crucial importance in the given work
of art and it directly affects the esthetical value of that work. This is because the
esthetical value is functionality dependent, i.e. the freedom (of movement) of perception
is perceived as beauty. Free flow of energy, in art as well as in other forms of "techne",
directly contributes to the esthetical value.
Non-traditional elements
Modern artists have extended the practice of painting considerably to include, for
example, collage, which began with Cubism and is not painting in the strict sense. Some
modern painters incorporate different materials such as sand, cement, straw or wood for
their texture. Examples of this are the works of Jean Dubuffet and Anselm Kiefer. There
is a growing community of artists who use computers to paint color onto a digital canvas
using programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and many others. These images
can be printed onto traditional canvas if required.
History
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Cave painting of aurochs, (Bos primigenius primigenius), Lascaux, France, prehistoric
art
The oldest known paintings are at the Grotte Chauvet in France, claimed by some
historians to be about 32,000 years old. They are engraved and painted using red ochre
and black pigment and show horses, rhinoceros, lions, buffalo, mammoth or humans
often hunting. However the earliest evidence of painting has been discovered in two rock-
shelters in Arnhem Land, in northern Australia. In the lowest layer of material at these
sites there are used pieces of ochre estimated to be 60,000 years old. Archaeologists have
also found a fragment of rock painting preserved in a limestone rock-shelter in the
Kimberley region of North-Western Australia, that is dated 40 000 years old. There are
examples of cave paintings all over the world—in France, Spain, Portugal, China,
Australia, India etc.
In Western cultures oil painting and watercolor painting have rich and complex traditions
in style and subject matter. In the East, ink and color ink historically predominated the
choice of media with equally rich and complex traditions.
The invention of photography had a major impact on painting. In 1829, the first
photograph was produced. From the mid to late 19th century, photographic processes
improved and, as it became more widespread, painting lost much of its historic purpose to
provide an accurate record of the observable world. There began a series of art
movements into the 20th century where the Renaissance view of the world was steadily
eroded, through Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism
and Dadaism. Eastern and African painting, however, continued a long history of
stylization and did not undergo an equivalent transformation at the same time.
Modern and Contemporary Art has moved away from the historic value of craft and
documentation in favour of concept; this led some to say in the 1960s that painting, as a
serious art form, is dead. This has not deterred the majority of living painters from
continuing to practice painting either as whole or part of their work. The vitality and
versatility of painting in the 21st century belies the premature declarations of its demise.
In an epoch characterized by the idea of pluralism, there is no consensus as to a
representative style of the age. Important works of art continue to be made in a wide
variety of styles and aesthetic temperaments, the marketplace being left to judge merit.
Among the continuing and current directions in painting at the beginning of the 21st
century are Monochrome painting, Hard-edge painting, Geometric abstraction,
Appropriation, Hyperrealism, Photorealism, Expressionism, Minimalism, Lyrical
Abstraction, Pop Art, Op Art, Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, Neo-
expressionism, Collage, Intermedia painting, Assemblage painting, Computer art
painting, Postmodern painting, Neo-Dada painting, Shaped canvas painting,
environmental mural painting, traditional figure painting, Landscape painting, Portrait
painting, and paint-on-glass animation.
Aesthetics and theory
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Apelles or the Art of painting (detail), relief of the Giotto's Bell Tower in Florence, Italy,
Nino Pisano, 1334–1336
Aesthetics is the study of art and beauty; it was an important issue for such 18th and 19th
century philosophers as Kant or Hegel. Classical philosophers like Plato and Aristotle
also theorized about art and painting in particular; Plato disregarded painters (as well as
sculptors) in his philosophical system; he maintained that painting cannot depict the
truth—it is a copy of reality (a shadow of the world of ideas) and is nothing but a craft,
similar to shoemaking or iron casting. By the time of Leonardo painting had become a
closer representation of the truth than painting was in Ancient Greece. Leonardo da
Vinci, on the contrary, said that "Pittura est cousa mentale" (painting is a thing of the
mind). Kant distinguished between Beauty and the Sublime, in terms that clearly gave
priority to the former. Although he did not refer particularly to painting, this concept was
taken up by painters such as Turner and Caspar David Friedrich.
Hegel recognized the failure of attaining a universal concept of beauty and in his
aesthetic essay wrote that Painting is one of the three "romantic" arts, along with Poetry
and Music for its symbolic, highly intellectual purpose. Painters who have written
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theoretical works on painting include Kandinsky and Paul Klee. Kandinsky in his essay
maintains that painting has a spiritual value, and he attaches primary colors to essential
feelings or concepts, something that Goethe and other writers had already tried to do.
Iconography is the study of the content of paintings, rather than their style. Erwin
Panofsky and other art historians first seek to understand the things depicted, then their
meaning for the viewer at the time, and then analyze their wider cultural, religious, and
social meaning.
In 1890, the Parisian painter Maurice Denis famously asserted: "Remember that a
painting—before being a warhorse, a naked woman or some story or other—is essentially
a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order." Thus, many 20th-century
developments in painting, such as Cubism, were reflections on the means of painting
rather than on the external world, nature, which had previously been its core subject.
Recent contributions to thinking about painting has been offered by the painter and writer
Julian Bell. In his book What is Painting?, Bell discusses the development, through
history, of the notion that paintings can express feelings and ideas. In Mirror of The
World Bell writes:
‘A work of art seeks to hold your attention and keep it fixed: a history of art urges it
onwards, bulldozing a highway through the homes of the imagination.’
Painting media
WT Honoré Daumier (1808–79), The Painter
Different types of paint are usually identified by the medium that the pigment is
suspended or embedded in, which determines the general working characteristics of the
paint, such as viscosity, miscibility, solubility, drying time, etc.
Oil
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of
drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed
was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called
'varnishes' and were prized for their body and gloss. Oil paint eventually became the
principal medium used for creating artworks as its advantages became widely known.
The transition began with Early Netherlandish painting in northern Europe, and by the
height of the Renaissance oil painting techniques had almost completely replaced
tempera paints in the majority of Europe.
Pastel
Pastel is a painting medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment
and a binder. The pigments used in pastels are the same as those used to produce all
colored art media, including oil paints; the binder is of a neutral hue and low saturation.
The color effect of pastels is closer to the natural dry pigments than that of any other
process. Because the surface of a pastel painting is fragile and easily smudged, its
preservation requires protective measures such as framing under glass; it may also be
sprayed with a fixative. Nonetheless, when made with permanent pigments and properly
cared for, a pastel painting may endure unchanged for centuries. Pastels are not
susceptible, as are paintings made with a fluid medium, to the cracking and discoloration
that result from changes in the color, opacity, or dimensions of the medium as it dries.
Acrylic
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Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer
emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry.
Depending on how much the paint is diluted (with water) or modified with acrylic gels,
media, or pastes, the finished acrylic painting can resemble a watercolor or an oil
painting, or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with other media. The main
practical difference between most acrylics and oil paints is the inherent drying time. Oils
allow for more time to blend colors and apply even glazes over underpaintings. This slow
drying aspect of oil can be seen as an advantage for certain techniques, but in other
regards it impedes the artist trying to work quickly.
Watercolor
Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a
water soluble vehicle. The traditional and most common support for watercolor paintings
is paper; other supports include papyrus, bark papers, plastics, vellum or leather, fabric,
wood, and canvas. In East Asia, watercolor painting with inks is referred to as brush
painting or scroll painting. In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese painting it has been the
dominant medium, often in monochrome black or browns. India, Ethiopia and other
countries also have long traditions. Fingerpainting with watercolor paints originated in
China.
Ink
Ink paintings are done with a liquid that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to
color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing with a pen,
brush, or quill. Ink can be a complex medium, composed of solvents, pigments, dyes,
resins, lubricants, solubilizers, surfactants, particulate matter, fluorescers, and other
materials. The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink’s carrier, colorants, and
other additives control flow and thickness of the ink and its appearance when dry.
Hot wax
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to
which colored pigments are added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a surface—usually
prepared wood, though canvas and other materials are often used. The simplest encaustic
mixture can be made from adding pigments to beeswax, but there are several other
recipes that can be used—some containing other types of waxes, damar resin, linseed oil,
or other ingredients. Pure, powdered pigments can be purchased and used, though some
mixtures use oil paints or other forms of pigment. Metal tools and special brushes can be
used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate
the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Other materials can be encased or collaged
into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium to adhere it to the surface.
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Fresco by Dionisius representing Saint Nicholas in a Ferapontov Monastery
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, done on plaster on walls or ceilings.
The word fresco comes from the Italian word affresco which derives from the Latin word
for "fresh". Frescoes were often made during the Renaissance and other early time
periods. Buon fresco technique consists of painting in pigment mixed with water on a thin
layer of wet, fresh, lime mortar or plaster, for which the Italian word for plaster, intonaco,
is used. A secco painting, in contrast, is done on dry plaster (secco is "dry" in Italian).
The pigments thus require a binding medium, such as egg (tempera), glue or oil to attach
the pigment to the wall.
Gouache
WT A Fresco "White Angel" from Mileševa, Serbia
Gouache is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water. Gouache differs

from watercolor in that the particles are larger, the ratio of pigment to water is much
higher, and an additional, inert, white pigment such as chalk is also present. Like all
watermedia, it is diluted with water. This makes gouache heavier and more opaque, with
greater reflective qualities.
Enamel
Enamels are made by painting a substate, typically metal, with frit, a type of powdered
glass. Minerals called color oxides provide coloration. After firing at a temperature of
750–850 degrees Celsius (1380–1560 degrees Fahrenheit), the result is a fused lamination
of glass and metal. Enamels have traditionally been used for decoration of precious
objects, but have also been used for other purposes. In the 18th century, enamel painting
enjoyed a vogue in Europe, especially as a medium for portrait miniatures. In the late
20th century, the technique of porcelain enamel on metal has been used as a durable
medium for outdoor murals.
Spray paint
Aerosol paint (also called spray paint) is a type of paint that comes in a sealed pressurized
container and is released in a fine spray mist when depressing a valve button. A form of
spray painting, aerosol paint leaves a smooth, evenly coated surface. Standard sized cans
are portable, inexpensive and easy to store. Aerosol primer can be applied directly to bare
metal and many plastics.
Speed, portability and permanence also make aerosol paint a common graffiti medium. In
the late 1970s, street graffiti writers' signatures and murals became more elaborate and a
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unique style developed as a factor of the aerosol medium and the speed required for illicit
work. Many now recognize graffiti and street art as a unique art form and specifically
manufactured aerosol paints are made for the graffiti artist. A stencil can be used to
protect a surface except the specific shape that is to be painted. Stencils can be purchased
as movable letters, ordered as professionally cut logos, or hand-cut by artists.
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent, fast-drying painting medium

consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium (usually a
glutinous material such as egg yolk or some other size). Tempera also refers to the
paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples
from the first centuries AD still exist. Egg tempera was a primary method of painting
until after 1500 when it was superseded by the invention of oil painting. A paint which is
commonly called tempera (although it is not) consisting of pigment and glue size is
commonly used and referred to by some manufacturers in America as poster paint.
Water miscible oil paint
WT The painter of the old harbor - Honfleur (France)
Water miscible oil paints (also called "water soluble" or "water-mixable") is a modern
variety of oil paint which is engineered to be thinned and cleaned up with water, rather
than having to use chemicals such as turpentine. It can be mixed and applied using the
same techniques as traditional oil-based paint, but while still wet it can be effectively
removed from brushes, palettes, and rags with ordinary soap and water. Its water
solubility comes from the use of an oil medium in which one end of the molecule has
been altered to bind loosely to water molecules, as in a solution.
Painting styles
Style is used in two senses: It can refer to the distinctive visual elements, techniques and
methods that typify an individual artist's work. It can also refer to the movement or
school that an artist is associated with. This can stem from an actual group that the artist
was consciously involved with or it can be a category in which art historians have placed
the painter. The word 'style' in the latter sense has fallen out of favor in academic
discussions about contemporary painting, though it continues to be used in popular
contexts. Such movements or classifications include the following:
Western
Modernism
Modernism describes both a set of cultural tendencies and an array of associated cultural
movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western
society in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Modernism was a revolt against
the conservative values of realism. The term encompasses the activities and output of
those who felt the "traditional" forms of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, social
organization and daily life were becoming outdated in the new economic, social and
political conditions of an emerging fully industrialized world. A salient characteristic of
modernism is self-consciousness. This often led to experiments with form, and work that
draws attention to the processes and materials used (and to the further tendency of
abstraction).
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Impressionism
The first example of modernism in painting was impressionism, a school of painting that
initially focused on work done, not in studios, but outdoors (en plein air). Impressionist
paintings demonstrated that human beings do not see objects, but instead see light itself.
The school gathered adherents despite internal divisions among its leading practitioners,
and became increasingly influential. Initially rejected from the most important
commercial show of the time, the government-sponsored Paris Salon, the Impressionists
organized yearly group exhibitions in commercial venues during the 1870s and 1880s,
timing them to coincide with the official Salon. A significant event of 1863 was the Salon
des Refusés, created by Emperor Napoleon III to display all of the paintings rejected by
the Paris Salon. While most were in standard styles, but by inferior artists, the work of
Manet attracted tremendous attention, and opened commercial doors to the movement.
Abstract styles
Abstract painting uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition
which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world.
Abstract expressionism was an American post-World War II art movement which had a
combination of the emotional intensity and self-denial of the German Expressionists with
the anti-figurative aesthetic of the European abstract schools such as Futurism, the
Bauhaus and Synthetic Cubism and the image of being rebellious, anarchic, highly
idiosyncratic and, some feel, nihilistic.
Action painting, sometimes called "gestural abstraction", is a style of painting in which

paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being
carefully applied. The resulting work often emphasizes the physical act of painting itself
as an essential aspect of the finished work or concern of its artist. The style was
widespread from the 1940s until the early 1960s, and is closely associated with abstract
expressionism (some critics have used the terms "action painting" and "abstract
expressionism" interchangeably).
Other modernist styles include:
• Expressionism
• Cubism
• Pop art
Other styles
Outsider art
The term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English
synonym for art brut, a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created
outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane-
asylum inmates. Outsider art has emerged as a successful art marketing category (an
annual Outsider Art Fair has taken place in New York since 1992). The term is
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sometimes misapplied as a catch-all marketing label for art created by people outside the
mainstream "art world," regardless of their circumstances or the content of their work.
Photorealism
Photorealism is the genre of painting based on using the camera and photographs to
gather information and then from this information, creating a painting that appears to be
very realistic like a photograph. The term is primarily applied to paintings from the
United States art movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As a full-
fledged art movement, Photorealism evolved from Pop Art and as a counter to Abstract
Expressionism.
Hyperrealism is a genre of painting and sculpture resembling a high-resolution

photograph. Hyperrealism is a fully fledged school of art and can be considered an
advancement of Photorealism by the methods used to create the resulting paintings or
sculptures. The term is primarily applied to an independent art movement and art style in
the United States and Europe that has developed since the early 2000s.
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for
the visual artworks and writings of the group members. Surrealist artworks feature the
element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur; however, many
Surrealist artists and writers regard their work as an expression of the philosophical
movement first and foremost, with the works being an artifact. Leader André Breton was
explicit in his assertion that Surrealism was above all a revolutionary movement.
Surrealism developed out of the Dada activities of World War I and the most important
center of the movement was Paris. From the 1920s onward, the movement spread around
the globe, eventually affecting the visual arts, literature, film and music of many
countries and languages, as well as political thought and practice, philosophy and social
theory.
Other styles include:
• Art Deco • Mannerism • Pluralism

• Baroque • Minimalism • Pointillism
• Body painting • Miniature • Post-painterly
• CoBrA • Naïve art Abstraction
• Constructivism • Neo-classicism • Postmodernism
• Digital painting • Op art • Precisionism
• Fauvism • Orientalism • Primitive
• Figuration Libre • Orphism • Realism
• Folk • Painterly • Regionalism
• Futurism • Pinstriping • Rococo
• Graffiti • Romantic realism
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• Hard-edge • Romanticism
• Lyrical Abstraction • Socialist realism
• Street Art
• Superstroke
• Stuckism
• Tachism
• Tonalism
Idioms
Some painting idioms are described below.
Allegory
Allegory is a figurative mode of representation conveying meaning other than the literal.
Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic
representation. Allegory is generally treated as a figure of rhetoric, but an allegory does
not have to be expressed in language: it may be addressed to the eye, and is often found
in realistic painting. An example of a simple visual allegory is the image of the grim
reaper. Viewers understand that the image of the grim reaper is a symbolic representation
of death.
Bodegón
In Spanish art, a bodegón is a still life painting depicting pantry items, such as victuals,
game, and drink, often arranged on a simple stone slab, and also a painting with one or
more figures, but significant still life elements, typically set in a kitchen or tavern.
Starting in the Baroque period, such paintings became popular in Spain in the second
quarter of the 17th century. The tradition of still life painting appears to have started and
was far more popular in the contemporary Low Countries, today Belgium and
Netherlands (then Flemish and Dutch artists), than it ever was in southern Europe.
Northern still lifes had many sub-genre's; the breakfast piece was augmented by the
trompe-l'œil, the flower bouquet and the vanitas. In Spain there were much fewer patrons
for this sort of thing, but a type of breakfast piece did become popular, featuring a few
objects of food and tableware laid on a table.
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Bodegón or Still Life with Pottery Jars, by Francisco de Zurbarán. 1636, Oil on canvas;
46 x 84 cm; Museo del Prado, Madrid
Body painting
Body painting is a form of body art. Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body
painting is temporary, painted onto the human skin, and lasts for only several hours, or at
most (in the case of Mehndi or "henna tattoo") a couple of weeks. Body painting that is
limited to the face is known as face painting. Body painting is also referred to as (a form
of) temporary tattoo; large scale or full-body painting is more commonly referred to as
body painting, while smaller or more detailed work is generally referred to as temporary
tattoos.
Figure painting
Figure painting is a form of the visual arts in which the artist uses a live model as the
subject of a two-dimensional piece of artwork using paint as the medium. The live model
can be either nude or partly or fully clothed and the painting is a representation of the full
body of the model. It is analogous in most respects to figure drawing, which is usually
done in crayon, ink, pencil, watercolor or mixed media on paper. Some artists well
known for figure painting are Peter Paul Rubens, Edgar Degas, and Édouard Manet.
Illustration painting
Illustration paintings are those used as illustrations in books, magazines, and theater or
movie posters and comic books. Today, there is a growing interest in collecting and
admiring the original artwork. Various museum exhibitions, magazines and art galleries
have devoted space to the illustrators of the past.In the visual art world, illustrators have
sometimes been considered less important in comparison with fine artists and graphic
designers. But as the result of computer game and comic industry growth, illustrations are
becoming valued as popular and profitable art works that can acquire a wider market than
the other two, especially in Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and USA.
Landscape painting
Landscape painting is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as
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mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is
a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works
landscape backgrounds for figures can still form an important part of the work. Sky is
almost always included in the view, and weather is often an element of the composition.
Detailed landscapes as a distinct subject are not found in all artistic traditions, and
develop when there is already a sophisticated tradition of representing other subjects. The
two main traditions spring from Western painting and Chinese art, going back well over a
thousand years in both cases.
Portrait painting
Portrait paintings are representations of a person, in which the face and its expression is
predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the
person. The art of the portrait flourished in Ancient Greek and especially Roman
sculpture, where sitters demanded individualized and realistic portraits, even unflattering
ones. One of the best-known portraits in the Western world is Leonardo da Vinci's
painting titled Mona Lisa, which is a painting of an unidentified woman.
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically
commonplace objects which may be either natural (food, flowers, plants, rocks, or shells)
or man-made (drinking glasses, books, vases, jewelry, coins, pipes, and so on). With
origins in the Middle Ages and Ancient Greek/Roman art, still life paintings give the
artist more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition than do
paintings of other types of subjects such as landscape or portraiture. Still life paintings,
particularly before 1700, often contained religious and allegorical symbolism relating to
the objects depicted. Some modern still life breaks the two-dimensional barrier and
employs three-dimensional mixed media, and uses found objects, photography, computer
graphics, as well as video and sound.
Veduta
A Veduta is a highly detailed, usually large-scale painting of a cityscape or some other

vista. This genre of landscape originated in Flanders, where artists such as Paul Brill
painted vedute as early as the 16th century. As the itinerary of the Grand Tour became
somewhat standardized, vedute of familiar scenes like the Roman Forum or the Grand
Canal recalled early ventures to the Continent for aristocratic Englishmen. In the later
19th century, more personal "impressions" of cityscapes replaced the desire for
topographical accuracy, which was satisfied instead by painted panoramas.
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Chapter- 11
Oil Painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of
drying oil — especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed
was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called
'varnishes' and were prized for their body and gloss. Other oils occasionally used include
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poppyseed oil, walnut oil, and safflower oil. These oils confer various properties to the
oil paint, such as less yellowing or different drying times. Certain differences are also
visible in the sheen of the paints depending on the oil. Painters often use different oils in
the same painting depending on specific pigments and effects desired. The paints
themselves also develop a particular consistency depending on the medium.
Although oil paint was first used for the Buddist Paintings by Indian and Chinese painters
in western Afghanistan sometime between the fifth and ninth centuries, it did not gain
popularity until the 15th century. Its practice may have migrated westward during the
Middle Ages. Oil paint eventually became the principal medium used for creating
artworks as its advantages became widely known. The transition began with Early
Netherlandish painting in northern Europe, and by the height of the Renaissance oil
painting techniques had almost completely replaced tempera paints in the majority of
Europe.
Techniques
WT Self portrait, at work, Anders Zorn, 1897
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto
the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint. Oil paint can be mixed with turpentine, linseed
oil, artist grade mineral spirits or other solvents to create a thinner, faster or slower drying
paint. A basic rule of oil paint application is 'fat over lean.' This means that each
additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper
drying. If each additional layer contains less oil, the final painting will crack and peel.
There are many other media that can be used in oil painting, including cold wax, resins,
and varnishes. These additional media can aid the painter in adjusting the translucency of
the paint, the sheen of the paint, the density or 'body' of the paint, and the ability of the
paint to hold or conceal the brushstroke. These variables are closely related to the
expressive capacity of oil paint.
Traditionally, paint was transferred to the painting surface using paint brushes, but there
are other methods, including using palette knives and rags. Oil paint remains wet longer
than many other types of artists' materials, enabling the artist to change the color, texture
or form of the figure. At times, the painter might even remove an entire layer of paint and
begin anew. This can be done with a rag and some turpentine for a certain time while the
paint is wet, but after a while, the hardened layer must be scraped. Oil paint dries by
oxidation, not evaporation, and is usually dry to the touch in a day to two weeks. It is
generally dry enough to be varnished in six months to a year. Art conservators do not
consider an oil painting completely dry until it is 60 to 80 years old.
History
Although the history of tempera and related media in Europe indicates that oil painting
was discovered there independently, there is evidence that oil painting was used earlier in
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Afghanistan.Surfaces like shields — both those used in tournaments and those hung as
decorations — were more durable when painted in oil-based media than when painted in
the traditional tempera paints.
Most Renaissance sources, in particular Vasari, credited northern European painters of

the 15th century, and Jan van Eyck in particular, with the "invention" of painting with oil
media on wood panel, however Theophilus (Roger of Helmarshausen?) clearly gives
instructions for oil-based painting in his treatise, On Various Arts, written in 1125. At
this period it was probably used for painting sculptures, carvings and wood fittings,
perhaps especially for outdoor use. Early Netherlandish painting in the 15th century was
however the first to make oil the usual painting medium, and explore the use of layers
and glazes, followed by the rest of Northern Europe, and only then Italy. Early works
were still panel paintings on wood, but around the end of the 15th century canvas became
more popular, as it was cheaper, easier to transport, and allowed larger works. Venice,
where sail-canvas was easily available, led the move. The popularity of oil spread
through Italy from the North, starting in Venice in the late 15th century. By 1540 the
previous method for painting on panel, tempera had become all but extinct, although
Italians continued to use fresco for wall paintings, which was more difficult in Northern
climates.
Ingredients
WT Flax seed is the source of linseed oil
The linseed oil itself comes from the flax seed, a common fiber crop. It is interesting to
note that linen, an important "support" for oil painting (see below) also comes from the
flax plant. Safflower oil is sometimes used in formulating lighter colors such as white
because it "yellows" less on drying than does linseed oil, but it has the slight drawback of
drying more slowly.
Recent advances in chemistry have produced modern water miscible oil paints that can be
used with and cleaned up with water. Small alterations in the molecular structure of the
oil creates this water miscible property.
A still-newer type of paint, heat-set oils, remain liquid until heated to 265–280 °F (130–
138 °C) for about 15 minutes. Since the paint never dries otherwise, cleanup is not
needed (except when one wants to use a different color and the same brush). Although
not technically true oils (the medium is an unidentified "non-drying synthetic oily liquid,
imbedded with a heat sensitive curing agent"), the paintings resemble oil paintings and
are usually shown as oil paintings.
Supports for oil painting
WT
Splined canvas
The Francesco St Jerome by Palma il Giovane, circa 1590. A rare example of oil painting
on copper
Traditional artists' canvas is made from linen, but less expensive cotton fabric has gained
popularity. The artist first prepares a wooden frame called a "stretcher" or "strainer". The
difference between the first and second is that stretchers are slightly adjustable, while
strainers are rigid and lack adjustable corner notches. The canvas is then pulled across the
wooden frame and tacked or stapled tightly to the back edge. Then, the artist applies a
"size" to isolate the canvas from the acidic qualities of the paint. Traditionally, the canvas
was coated with a layer of animal glue (size), (modern painters will use rabbit skin glue)
and primed with lead white paint, sometimes with added chalk. Panels were prepared
with a gesso, a mixture of glue and chalk.
Modern acrylic "gesso" is made of titanium dioxide with an acrylic binder. It is

frequently used on canvas, whereas real gesso is not suitable for that application. The
artist might apply several layers of gesso, sanding each smooth after it has dried. Acrylic
gesso is very difficult to sand. One manufacturer makes a sandable acrylic gesso, but it is
intended for panels only, not canvas. It is possible to tone the gesso to a particular color,
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but most store-bought gesso is white. The gesso layer will tend to draw the oil paint into
the porous surface, depending on the thickness of the gesso layer. Excessive or uneven
gesso layers are sometimes visible in the surface of finished paintings as a change in the
layer that's not from the paint.
Standard sizes for oil paintings were set in France in the 19th century. The standards were
used by most artists, not only the French, as it was - and evidently still is - supported by
the main suppliers of artist materials. The main separation from size 0 (toile de 0) to size
120 (toile de 120) is divided in separate runs for figures (figure), landscapes (paysage)
and marines (marine) which more or less keep the diagonal. Thus a 0 figure corresponds
in height with a paysage 1 and a marine 2.
Although surfaces like linoleum, wooden panel, paper, slate, pressed wood, and
cardboard have been used, the most popular surface since the 16th century has been
canvas, although many artists used panel through the 17th century and beyond. Panel is
more expensive, heavier, harder to transport, and prone to warp or split in poor
conditions. For fine detail, however, the absolute solidity of a wooden panel gives an
advantage.
Process
WT The Cliffs at Etretat, Claude Monet, 1885
WT A palette
WT Tubes of paint
The artist might sketch an outline of their subject prior to applying pigment to the
surface. "Pigment" may be any number of natural substances with color, such as sulphur
for yellow or cobalt for blue. The pigment is mixed with oil, usually linseed oil but other
oils may be used as well. The various oils dry differently, creating assorted effects.
Traditionally, artists mixed their own paints from raw pigments they often ground
themselves and medium. This made portability difficult and kept most painting activities
confined to the studio. This changed in the late 1800s, when oil paint in tubes became
widely available. Artists could mix colors quickly and easily, which enabled, for the first
time, relatively convenient plein air (outdoor) painting (a common approach in French
Impressionism).
The artist most often uses a brush to apply the paint. Brushes are made from a variety of
fibers to create different effects. For example, brushes made with hog's bristle might be
used for bolder strokes and impasto textures. Fitch hair and mongoose hair brushes are
fine and smooth, and thus answer well for portraits and detail work. Even more expensive
are red sable brushes (weasel hair). The finest quality brushes are called kolinsky sable;
these brush fibers are taken from the tail of the Siberian mink. This hair keeps a superfine
point, has smooth handling, and good memory (it returns to its original point when lifted
off the canvas); this is known to artists as a brush's "snap."
In the past few decades, many synthetic brushes have come on the market. These are very
durable and can be quite good, as well as cost efficient. Floppy fibers with no snap, such
as squirrel hair, are generally not used by oil painters. Sizes of brushes also are widely
varied and used for different effects. For example, a "round" is a pointed brush used for
detail work. "Flat" brushes are used to apply broad swaths of color. "Bright" is a flat with
shorter brush hairs. "Filbert" is a flat with rounded corners. "Egbert" is a very long
"Filbert" and is rare. The artist might also apply paint with a palette knife, which is a flat,
metal blade. A palette knife may also be used to remove paint from the canvas when
necessary. A variety of unconventional tools, such as rags, sponges, and cotton swabs,
may be used. Some artists even paint with their fingers.
Most artists paint in layers, which is simply called "Indirect Painting". The method was
first perfected through an adaptation of the Egg tempera painting technique and was
applied by the Flemish painters in Northern Europe with pigments ground in linseed oil.
More recently, this approach has been called the "Mixed Technique" or "Mixed Method".
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The first coat (also called "underpainting") is laid down, often painted with egg tempera
or turpentine-thinned paint. This layer helps to "tone" the canvas and to cover the white
of the gesso. Many artists use this layer to sketch out the composition. This first layer can
be adjusted before moving forward, an advantage over the 'cartooning' method used in
Fresco technique. After this layer dries, the artist might then proceed by painting a
"mosaic" of color swatches, working from darkest to lightest. The borders of the colors
are blended together when the "mosaic" is completed. This mosaic layer is then left to dry
before applying details.
Artists in later periods, such as the impressionist era, often used this Wet-on-wet method
more widely, blending the wet paint on the canvas without following the Renaissance-era
approach of layering and glazing. This method (Wet-on-wet method) is also called "Alla
Prima." This method was created due to the advent of painting outdoors instead of inside
a studio. While outside, an artist did not have the time to let each layer of paint dry before
adding a new layer. Several contemporary artists use a blend of both techniques, which
can add bold color (wet-on-wet) as well as the depth of layers through glazing.
When the image is finished and has dried for up to a year, an artist often seals the work
with a layer of varnish that is typically made from damar gum crystals dissolved in
turpentine. Such varnishes can be removed without disturbing the oil painting itself, to
enable cleaning and conservation. Some contemporary artists decide not to varnish their
work, preferring that the surfaces remain varnish-free.
Chapter- 12
Portrait Painting
WT
The official Chinese court portrait painting of the empress and wife of Song Dynasty
emperor Qinzong (1100–1161)
Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual
appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate
objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait. In addition to portrait painting,
portraits can also be made in other media such as marble, bronze, ivory, wood, ceramic,
etching, lithography, photography, even video and digital media.
The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists create
their work by commission, for public and private persons, or are inspired by admiration
or affection for the subject. Portraits are often important state and family records, as well
as remembrances. If an artist portrays him- or herself, the result is called a self-portrait.
Historically, portrait paintings have primarily memorialized the rich and powerful. Over
time, however, it became more common for middle-class patrons to commission portraits
of their families and colleagues. Today, the portrait painting is still commissioned by
governments, corporations, groups, clubs, and individuals.
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Technique and practice
Anthony van Dyck, Triple portrait of King Charles, 1635-1636, shows profile, full face
and three-quarter views, to send to Bernini in Rome, who was to sculpt a bust from this
model.
A well-executed portrait is expected to show the inner essence of the subject (from the
artist's point of view) or a flattering representation, not just a literal likeness. As Aristotle
stated, "The aim of Art is to present not the outward appearance of things, but their inner
significance; for this, not the external manner and detail, constitutes true reality." Artists
may strive for photographic realism or an impressionistic similarity in depicting their
subject, but this differs from a caricature which attempts to reveal character through
exaggeration of physical features. The artist generally attempts a representative portrayal,
as Edward Burne-Jones stated, "The only expression allowable in great portraiture is the
expression of character and moral quality, not anything temporary, fleeting, or
accidental."
In most cases, this results in a serious, closed lip stare, with anything beyond a slight
smile being rather rare historically. Or as Charles Dickens put it, "there are only two
styles of portrait painting: the serious and the smirk." Even given these limitations, a full
range of subtle emotions is possible from quiet menace to gentle contentment. However,
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with the mouth relatively neutral, much of the facial expression needs to be created
through the eyes and eyebrows. As author and artist Gordon C. Aymar states, "the eyes
are the place one looks for the most complete, reliable, and pertinent information" about
the subject. And the eyebrows can register, "almost single-handedly, wonder, pity, fright,
pain, cynicism, concentration, wistfulness, displeasure, and expectation, in infinite
variations and combinations."
Portrait painting can depict the subject 'full length', 'half length', 'head and shoulders'
(also called a "bust"), or ‘head’, as well as in profile, "three-quarter view", or "full face",
with varying directions of light and shadow. Occasionally, artists have created portraits
with multiple views, as with Sir Anthony van Dyck's "Triple Portrait of Charles I". There
are even a few portraits where the front of the subject is not visible at all. Andrew
Wyeth's Christina's World (1948) is a famous example, where the pose of the crippled
girl with her back turned to the viewer integrates with the setting in which she is placed
to convey the artist's interpretation.
WT Pierre-Auguste Renoir, On the Terrace, 1881
WT Gilbert Stuart, Portrait of George Washington, c.1796
Among the other possible variables, the subject can be clothed or nude; indoors or out;
standing, seated, reclining; even horse-mounted. Portrait paintings can be of individuals,
couples, parents and children, families, or collegial groups. They can be created in
various media including oils, watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, pastel, and mixed
media. Artists may employ a wide-ranging palette of colors, as with Pierre-Auguste
Renoir's On The Terrace (1881) or restrict themselves to mostly white or black, as with
Gilbert Stuart's Portrait of George Washington (1796).
Sometimes, the overall size of the portrait is an important consideration. Chuck Close's
enormous portraits created for museum display differ greatly from most portraits
designed to fit in the home or to travel easily with the client. Frequently, an artist takes
into account where the final portrait will hang and the colors and style of the surrounding
décor.
Creating a portrait can take considerable time, usually requiring several sittings. Cézanne,
on one extreme, insisted on over 100 sittings from his subject. Goya on the other hand,
preferred one long day's sitting. The average is about four. Portraitists sometimes present
their sitters with a portfolio of drawings or photos from which a sitter would select a
preferred pose, as did Sir Joshua Reynolds. Some, such as Hans Holbein the Younger
make a drawing of the face, then complete the rest of the painting without the sitter. In
the 18th century, it would typically take about one year to deliver a completed portrait to
a client.
Managing the sitter's expectations and mood is a serious concern for the portrait artist. As
to the faithfulness of the portrait to the sitter's appearance, portraitists are generally
consistent in their approach. Clients who sought out Sir Joshua Reynolds knew that they
would receive a flattering result, while sitters of Thomas Eakins knew to expect a
realistic, unsparing portrait. Some subjects voice strong preferences, others let the artist
decide entirely. Oliver Cromwell famously demanded that his portrait show "all these
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roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a
farthing for it."
After putting the sitter at ease and encouraging a natural pose, the artist studies his
subject, looking for the one facial expression, out of many possibilities, that satisfies his
concept of the sitter's essence. The posture of the subject is also carefully considered to
reveal the emotional and physical state of the sitter, as is the costume. To keep the sitter
engaged and motivated, the skillful artist will often maintain a pleasant demeanor and
conversation. Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun advised fellow artists to flatter women and
compliment their appearance to gain their cooperation at the sitting.
Central to the successful execution of the portrait is a mastery of human anatomy. Human
faces are asymmetrical and skillful portrait artists reproduce this with subtle left-right
differences. Artists need to be knowledgeable about the underlying bone and tissue
structure to make a convincing portrait.
WT Portrait study by Thomas Eakins
For complex compositions, the artist may first do a complete pencil, ink, charcoal, or oil
sketch which is particularly useful if the sitter's available time is limited. Otherwise, the
general form then a rough likeness is sketched out on the canvas in pencil, charcoal, or
thin oil. In many cases, the face is completed first, and the rest afterwards. In the studios
of many of the great portrait artists, the master would do only the head and hands, while
the clothing and background would be completed by the principal apprentices. There
were even outside specialists who handled specific items such as drapery and clothing,
such as Joseph van Aken Some artists in past times used lay-figures or dolls to help
establish and execute the pose and the clothing. The use of symbolic elements placed
around the sitter (including signs, household objects, animals, and plants) was often used
to encode the painting with the moral or religious character of the subject, or with
symbols representing the sitter's occupation, interests, or social status. The background
can be totally black and without content or a full scene which places the sitter in their
social or recreational milieu.
Self-portraits are usually produced with the help of a mirror, and the finished result is a
mirror-image portrait, a reversal of what occurs in a normal portrait when sitter and artist
are opposite each other. In a self-portrait, a righted handed artist would appear to be
holding a brush in the left hand, unless the artist deliberately corrects the image or uses a
second reversing mirror while painting.
WT
Jacques-Louis David, portrait of Madame Récamier (1800), Musée du Louvre, Paris
Occasionally, the client or the client's family is unhappy with the resulting portrait and
the artist is obliged to re-touch it or do it over or withdraw from the commission without
being paid, suffering the humiliation of failure. Jacques-Louis David celebrated portrait
of Madame Récamier, wildly popular in exhibitions, was rejected by the sitter, as was
John Singer Sargent's notorious Portrait of Madame X. John Trumbull's portrait "General
George Washington" was rejected by the committee that commissioned it. The famously
prickly Gilbert Stuart once replied to a client's dissatisfaction with his wife's portrait by
retorting, "You brought me a potato, and you expect a peach!"
A successful portrait, however, can gain the life-long gratitude of a client. Count
Balthazar was so pleased with the portrait Raphael had created of his wife that he told the
artist, "Your image…alone can lighten my cares. That image is my delight; I direct my
smiles to it, it is my joy."
20th century
WT
Umberto Boccioni, Self-portrait, 1906
WT
Francis Picabia Ridens, c. 1929, gouache and watercolor on cardboard, 104 x 74 cm,
private collection
Other early 20th-century artists also expanded the repertoire of portraiture in new
directions. Fauvist artist Henri Matisse produced powerful portraits using non-
naturalistic, even garish, colors for skin tones. Cézanne's relied on highly simplified
forms in his portraits, avoiding detail while emphasizing color juxtapositions. Austrian
Gustav Klimt's unique style applied Byzantine motifs and gold paint to his memorable
portraits. His pupil Oskar Kokoschka was an important portraitist of the Viennese upper
class. Prolific Spanish artist Pablo Picasso painted many portraits, including several
cubist renderings of his mistresses, in which the likeness of the subject is grossly
distorted to achieve an emotional statement well beyond the bounds of normal caricature.
Expressionist painters provided some of the most haunting and compelling psychological
studies ever produced. German artists such as Otto Dix and Max Beckmann produced
notable examples of expressionist portraiture. Beckmann was a prolific self-portraitist,
producing at least twenty-seven. Amedeo Modigliani painted many portraits in his
elongated style which depreciated the "inner person" in favor of strict studies of form and
color. To help achieve this, he de-emphasized the normally expressive eyes and eyebrows
to the point of blackened slits and simple arches.
British art was represented by the Vorticists, who painted some notable portraits in the
early part of the 20th century. The Dada painter Francis Picabia executed numerous
portraits in his unique fashion. Additionally, Tamara de Lempicka's portraits successfully
captured the Art Deco era with her streamlined curves, rich colors and sharp angles. In
America, Robert Henri and George Bellows were fine portraitists of the 1920s and 1930s
of the American realist school. Max Ernst produced an example of a modern collegial
portrait with his 1922 painting "All Friends Together".
WT
Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych, 1962, 2,054 cm × 1,448 cm., (809 in × 570 in), Tate
Gallery, London. Andy Warhol (1928-1987), made several portraits of Marilyn Monroe
and other celebrities during the 1960s and throughout his career
A significant contribution to the development of portrait painting of 1930-2000 was made

by Russian artists, mainly working in the traditions of realist and figurative painting.
Among them should be called Isaak Brodsky, Nikolai Fechin, Abram Arkhipov, Lev
Russov, Nikolai Baskakov, Alexander Samokhvalov, Piotr Buchkin, Engels Kozlov, Oleg
Lomakin, Boris Korneev, Piotr Belousov, and others.
Portrait production in Europe (excluding Russia) and the Americas generally declined in
the 1940s and 1950s, a result of the increasing interest in abstraction and nonfigurative
art. One exception, however, was Andrew Wyeth who developed into the leading
American realist portrait painter. With Wyeth, realism, though overt, is secondary to the
tonal qualities and mood of his paintings. This is aptly demonstrated with his landmark
series of paintings known as the "Helga" pictures, the largest group of portraits of a single
person by any major artist (247 studies of his neighbor Helga Testorf, clothed and nude,
in varying surroundings, painted during the period 1971–1985).
By the 1960s and 1970s, there was a revival of portraiture. English artists such as Lucian
Freud (grandson of Sigmund Freud) and Francis Bacon have produced powerful
paintings. Bacon's portraits are notable for their nightmarish quality. In May 2008,
Freud's 1995 portrait Benefits Supervisor Sleeping was sold by auction by Christie's in
New York City for $33.6 million, setting a world record for sale value of a painting by a
living artist. Many contemporary American artists, such as Andy Warhol, Alex Katz and
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Chuck Close, have made the human face a focal point of their work. Warhol's painting of
Marilyn Monroe is an iconic example. Close's specialty was huge, hyper-realistic wall-
sized "head" portraits based on photographic images. Jamie Wyeth continues in the
realist tradition of his father Andrew, producing famous portraits whose subjects range
from Presidents to pigs.

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Chapter 1 - How to Paint

Chapter 2 - How to Stretch a Canvas

Chapter 3 - How to Paint a Painting

Chapter 4 - How to Oil Paint

Chapter 5 - How to Create an Abstract Painting

Chapter 7 - How to Paint With Watercolors as a Novice

Chapter 8 - How to Clean a Paintbrush

Chapter 9 - How to Paint the Evening Sky

Chapter 11 - Oil Painting

Chapter 12 - Portrait Painting

Illustrate a dream you’ve had before.

When painting with watercolor, always work from lightest to darkest.

Things You'll Need

How to Stretch a Canvas

WT Your masterpiece, ready to be created

WT Pull tightly. Pliers will help.

Work towards the corners.

...hold the spot...

Canvas stretching pliers

Things You'll Need

How to Paint a Painting

Things You'll Need

How to Paint a Picture

Things You'll Need

How to Oil Paint

Things You'll Need

How to Create an Abstract Painting

 Yellow + red = orange.

o Traditionally warm colors include yellow, orange, and red;

Things You'll Need

Shading - Details the curves and/or shape of an object through the

Color - Adds a new dimension to a piece. Contrast, blending, saturation,

Tools - Different shades of pencils (HB,2B,3B,4B...), using a sharp point,

Draw Familiar Shapes

How to Paint With Watercolors as a Novice

Things You'll Need

How to Remove a Painting from a Frame

WT Crushed frame needing replacement

Sometimes it is necessary to reframe a painting due to its value, uniqueness or in order to

WT Torn canvas with 2" vertical tear

Supporting stretcher bar on back of huge 4' x 8' canvas

Note which staples go to which part of the assembly.

Gently pull staples

Carefully wedge in the screwdriver to get a grip on the spline.

WT Spline coming out of track that holds canvas

Long staple going through canvas and into outer frame

If transporting, carefully roll up around a foam cylinder and place in sturdy

Things You'll Need

How to Clean a Paintbrush

Things You'll Need

• Used paint brush

How to Paint the Evening Sky

WT Basic crayon drawing prior to painting

Things You'll Need

Chen Hongshou (1598–1652), Leaf album painting (Ming Dynasty).

WT Georges Seurat (1859–91), Circus Sideshow (1887–88)

Aesthetics and theory

WT Honoré Daumier (1808–79), The Painter