Artist's Question?

Question

Okay, so here's the thing~ I've always been a watercolor girl but I really wanna get into oil painting, and like an idiot, I applied all the rules of watercoloring to oil painting = = nd all I got in the end was a smudgy brown blah thing T^T

So are there any Painters, who are experts or at least experienced in oil painting, who could give me some (a lot) of tips? :3 please please!

My usual styles are: postimpressionism, realism (somewhat), surrrealism, and a bit of expressionism and pop art

Usual brushes (are these ok for oil paints?): 3/4 Flat Wash, 8 Flat, 10 Round, 6 Filbert, 6 Flat, 2 Flat

*These are the new paints I got, tell me if they suck nd I could use some suggestions on good oils: Art Studio

No help from non painters please! (Kyle, this means you lol)

Thanks to anyone who actually took the time to read all that stuff

Answer 1

First of all in watercolors you work generally speaking from light colors to dark. You should apply light colors like yellows, light reds and tans first and after they are done you apply the darker colors, dark browns, dark black and other dark colors. You can also blend down the colors into a light tint.
In oils, one is to work in the opposite way, working from darks to lighter colors. First one is to draw with a mixture of dark browns or black and browns or light blues (whatever you want) mixed with a medium of linseed oil. ( or you can buy a premade medium) this way you can blend down your paint so it's not so thick and one can draw with it. If your uncomfortable with drawing with a brush then pencil in your drawing and then paint int the colors starting with dark colors first working towards the lighter colors.
Personally, I paint my dark colors and then wait a day for them to become tacky then I paint in my lighter colors. When i over lay the lighter colors that is when I blend my lighter colors with the darker colors i have already applied to the canvas. This way I blend the paints and get some volume to the figure I am painting.
As far as paint brushes one is ok with any type of material for the paint brush, I just learned that the only reason they have different mediums for different brushes is because of the lenght of the wooden handle. You should be ok as long as you clean the brushes right after you finish painting with turpentine or paint thinner and then wash them with soap and water. Continue doing this until you get most all the paint out from them so you can use them again. As far as paintbrush sizes that's up to you and might I suggest you get a few big brushes to begin with and some medium sized and one or two smaller sized ones. I would stick to something inexpensive like bristle brushes that won't cost so much, since these are beginning painting and you don't need expensive stuff since you won't start out painting a masterwork.

Answer 2

I don't get it. If you applied those rules you should not end up with a muddy puddle. Use a paletknife to remove color/paint you don't want and don't keep modifying it. Just like in water color that does not work.

I have just one tip: Look at somebody painting who knows how to paint.
Take a look at some Bob Ross vids ( you can even find some on youtube) Not that I suggest you copy his style but he sure knows how to handle paint. It will give you a pretty good idea what you can do with oil paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmv2FniH7_A

Answer 3

-don't use black out of the tube, it will look unnatural b/c very few things in life r actually black,it'll also make anything u mix it with 'dirty' make ur own black
-refrain from using too much white when u depict reflections because nothing in nature has a white reflection

when it comes to oil paint (i don't really know too much about water color)it only takes a tiny bit of one color to change the appearance of another so when u mix paints don't feel like u need to add a lot of a certain color 4 ur desired effect, there is an infinite number of subtlties when mixing oil paint.
um i don't know if any of that was helpful to u, but these were things i realized after a while, and were definately helpful to me.

Answer 4

1. need stiff brushes -water colour brushes are too weak to hold the paint
2. need to use white spirt to clean your brushes and water wont cut through oil ...but im guessing you have already worked that out!!
3. Lindseed oil can be used to help the paint dry quicker, agiv body to the paint - alo aids the spreading of the paint and mixing
4. apply light colours 1st then build upon them getting darker etc..
5. always have tissue on hand. you can just wipe off the oil you dont want and re-apply the couor you do want
6.use CANVAS. on board or sheet. normall paper simply sucks up the oil giving you painting a 'halo' affect' and ruining oils properties..which is what we use them for in the 1st place!

and lastly...dont be scared of the paint! it is easily correctable..just wipe off using a bit of tissue and white spirit. or leave to dry then go over the top. oils can take minimum of a week to dry...but even longer depending on thickness of the paint!!
enjoy!!

they are great i used them once and never have looked back!

Answer 5

OK, number one, do not use your watercolor brushes for oils. The oils will ruin them for watercolor. You need to buy stiffer bristle brushes for oil. Though the filbert is probably okay.

And, as you noticed, you will approach oil painting differently than watercolor. You'll be building up the lights instead of the darks. But just play around with it, I'm sure you'll adjust.

Answer 6

I too, was into acrylic and watercolor but decided to move on to oils. But before i did, i went to my local library and checked out as many ''how to'' books on oils. From them i learned what i actually needed and the basics of oil painting. I've been at it for about three years now and i'm still learning but i'm having alot of fun plus making a little money.The one important tip i will give you is, take time and really learn the basics and know your tools, it will save you a tremendous amount of headaches as you move along. My work can be checked out at hellosanantonio.com under artist name ''Guerro'' in the local artist section.

Answer 7

Oil paints are extremely versatile. They can be used thickly in impasto or extremely thinly in glazes; they can be opaque or transparent. Here are a few tips to help you get the most from your oils.

Oil Painting Tip 1:
Always lay your oil paints out on your palette in the same order so that, with time, you'll be able to pick up a bit of a color instinctively.

Oil Painting Tip 2:
The proportion of oil (medium) should be increased for each subsequent layer in an oil painting – known as painting 'fat over lean' – because the lower layers absorb oil from the layers on top of them. If the upper layers dry faster than the lower ones, they can crack.

Oil Painting Tip 3:
Avoid using Ivory Black for an underpainting or sketching as it dries much slower than other oil paints.

Oil Painting Tip 4:
Pigments containing lead, cobalt, and manganese accelerate drying. They can be mixed with other colours to speed up drying and are ideal for under layers. (Student-quality paints usually contain cheaper alternatives to these pigments, generally labelled hues.)

Oil Painting Tip 5:
Use linseed oil for an underpainting or in the bottom layers of any oil painting done wet-on-dry as it dries the most thoroughly of all the oils used as mediums.

Oil Painting Tip 6:
Avoid using linseed oil as a medium in whites and blues as it has a marked tendency to yellow, which is most notable with light colours. Poppy oil is recommended for light colours as it has the least tendency to yellow (although it does dry slower).

Oil Painting Tip 7:
Don't dry your oil paintings in the dark. This may cause a thin film of oil to rise to the surface, yellowing it. (This can be removed by exposure to bright daylight.)

Oil Painting Tip 8:
If, as the paint on your palette dries it forms a lot of wrinkles, too much oil (medium) has been added.

Oil Painting Tip 9:
If you're not sure whether a bottle of mineral or white spirits is suitable for oil painting, put a tiny quantity on a piece of paper and let it evaporate. If it evaporates without leaving any residue, stain, or smell, it should be fine.

Oil Painting Tip 10:
If you want to clean away a layer of oil paint or oil varnish, use alcohol, which is a powerful solvent.

I hope this helps.

Answer 8

Definately British; My top Bands are 1. Oasis, 2. Beatles, 3. Stones, 4. The Who, and love Rod Stewart, The Kinks, etc. BQ: The White Stripes BQ2: Oasis BQ3: Barenaked Ladies BQ4: AC/DC (Australian) BQ5: Bob Dylan BQ6: U2 BQ7: The Black Crowes

Answer 9

water colour is one of the most unforgiving mediums i have been exposed to. i'm a disaster with water colour, but my wife is very good at it.
oil is my medium, and my wife can work well with them, too (she is a very good artist).
if you can watercolour paint, you will catch on to oils in no time, just play around with it for a spell and it will start to make sense to you. for one you can blend colours easier than with watercolour.
oh, and get some oil brushes, they have a longer handle and a stiffer bristle...you will have to play with them also to see what you like....i prefer the china flat and some of the rounds (depending on what i'm doing) and a sable blender.(fan)

Answer 10

Welcome to the wonderful world of oil painting. My basic rule for painting is work "Dark to light, and loose to tight". Works for me.