Sunday, May 29, 2016

Commonly Used Oil Painting Techniques

By Christine Ward


Oil painting has been with us for many years and remains one of the main techniques used in modern art. The pigments used are extracted from various seeds that include, among others, walnut, safflower, poppy seeds and linseed. The artist can develop the paints themselves or can obtain those commercially available in art stores. If you are venturing into this area, there are a number of oil painting techniques that you may wish to know of.

Layering is one of the commonest techniques employed. It is a technique in which different colors are applied in an overlapping fashion. The colors in the background must be left to dry first before those in the foreground are added. Ensure also that you use lighter colors for the background and denser ones for the objects in the foreground. The method is best suited for paintings that have to be finished with a lot of detail.

Glazing is another popular technique that is easy to apply. It entails the addition of a transparent paint on top of an opaque one with the aim of modifying some aspects. Such may include texture, chroma and hue among others. It is possible to create the impression of a transparent glass using this technique. This done by using a pure transparent color against a background of dark contrast so as to create an impression of density.

Color intensification can be easily achieved using oil paints. The idea is to create different shades of the same color. This is achieved by diluting the paint in various stages. The background contains the most diluted density such that it contrasts with the denser objects in the foreground.

Color blocking is a technique that is used to emphasize the outline of objects appearing on a work of art. In an oil painting, it can be achieved using diluted brush strokes. This will ensure that the desired effect is achieved without adding too much paint to the object. It is generally recommended that one uses a color similar to that used for the object.

Chiaroscuro is a unique technique that has been used for a long type in this type of art. Its major role is to bring out the volume of objects. It is achieved by demonstrating the direction of light movement. Dark and light contrasting is applied to the objects depending on the source of the light. A neutral color should be chosen for the background and shadows painted in a completely black paint.

Monochromatic painting is a technique that makes use of just one color. Usually, the color is diluted to different degrees so as to obtain a wide range of shades of the same color. To increase the available option, white color is also used in addition to the base color. Its main role is to add volume and relief and to emphasize the lighter shades of the chosen color.

Different brush strokes can be adopted to bring out different effects. While long strokes are preferred when painting the background, shorter strokes are mainly used for the foreground. Non-representational strokes may be used to enhance the color of objects within the painting. Dots of varying sizes are also used to create various impressions.




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