25 Replies to “Basic Oil Painting Techniques : How to Start an Oil Painting”

  1. Vermeer actually invested in the “camera obscura”, Durer invented all kinds of things to get his perspective right…great artists past and present inovate.
    It’s not how you do it but what comes out in the end that counts.
    Photograph are great tools use it….

  2. It’s easy. They are painting from photos, because they don’t know how to paint from the life =)
    ‘camera revolutionized painting “…. very funny. Vermeer, Leonardo and Buonarotti had used Polaroid, no doubt =)))))
    Hey, start to copy Disney and Simpsons in oil. It helps a lot =)))))))))

  3. “How to Start an Oil Painting”

    step 1: throw away all the f*cking photo reference.

    step 2: go outdoor.

    step 3: start painting

    =)

  5. (continued) the proffesionals and all non-crackpot theory proffesors. toning destroys the ability to establish ligning and temperature and value. a majority of people like the one in the video prefer to do a non tone, since they also prefer not to paint the whole canvas black like another certain blackpot theory proffesor.

    Perhaps you Rob liefield physics and colouring may be interested in this though.

  6. There has been even high school students who knows more then those proffesors then, as they seem to teach the incorrect things. most photographs tend to not flatten contrast and details but rather sharpen them, both proffesional and less proffesional. toning the canvas is bad as there are many things that are pure white, and toning destroys how to figure out the temperature, not helping it. most people find it easier and actually work with non toned paper, as showned in this video. or at least-

  7. (continued)
    –tone their paper. It’s not harder to paint with a toned background at all. It helps you establish the lighting and temperature. Some people prefer it, and others don’t. I just find a majority of people do tone is all.

  8. I’m speaking based on what I have been taught from my professors. Most photographs tend to flatten the contrast and details. When I’m talking about photographs, I am not talking about professional photographs but ones anyone can take.

    I should clarify: I’m not saying to use toned paper, but rather toning the canvas beforehand. Nothing is actually pure white, and toning the paper will help you figure out the temperature of the piece. I just find most people find it easier to work when they–

  9. I dont understand why people paint on what they THINK they are painting, comparing to whats actually there, the magic and flow comes from painting from photographs and other paintings to UNDERSTAND how it works and if one wants to change and evolve.

    dont make the misstake of wasting time and effort, take the advice and accept constructive criticism oubermann1, instead of whining when your beliefs of painting from life is questioned. your paintings are shit compared to these guys until you do.

  10. Actually, it is totally correct. you seem to be tottaly incorrect that a photograph is only 2d, photographs are always or most of the time 3dimensional, no difference unless its 2 cm away from your face. I recommend learning how photography and art works, and for you to take constructive criticism well, instead of whining when you had all your beliefs turned upside down. also, you should not have used tonedpaper with lightblue, use white background entirely, its harder to paint.

  12. hmm these videos really are crap. He tells you no techniques.. like what you should use… and how you should use the paints… he just says how he’s going to paint that painting, which is totally irrelevant.

  14. I completely agree, it needs to be in the moment of the life or you can’t pass on the same life energy to the painting or drawing.

  15. Josh I’m with you, SO frustrating to not have a simple numbering system. Expert village needs an expert on how to post.

  16. God.. I kind of wish I could block all Expertvillage videos from my searches.. Does Expert village have a website that has more than 1 minute (2 minutes if you’re lucky!) videos?

  17. Of course you’ve never had any formal training, otherwise you would know that the camera revolutionized painting in the late 1890’s, especially in terms of figure and movement. Nothing is wrong with sketching from a photo; painting from a photo is good exercise if you’re a beginner and have no understanding of figure. Hey, that rhymed!

  18. This is totally incorrect when it comes to accuracy. A photograph tend to be flat, and thus it’s always better to use a real reference. Also, he should have toned the paper down with a light blue entirely because when you compare everything to the white background, it’s harder to paint. You will start comparing all the colors to the white.

    All he seems focused on is putting what is in the photograph on the canvas, but he totally disregards the temperature of the paints and the lack of contrast.

  19. I don’t understand people who try to paint from photographs….

    They do not understand that all of the magic of painting comes from working directly from nature.

    Do not make this mistake yourselves, save yourselves some time and accept some advice from elsewhere.

    Your paintings will be nothing but crap otherwise.

  21. Wow. Every how to i look up, i always end up hearing from expervillage. LOL. anything from, photoshop, to illustrator, to cooking, to painting. The know it all XP
    Thanks expervillage. haha

  25. Good techniques. You should check out my roommate’s painting. He’s a fledgling artist but I’d say he’s pretty good. Search “2astronauts”. Good video again, peace.

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