Articles on oil painting instructions and similar artsy things.

So let's get started! These Oil Painting Instructions are a short cut version of the seven layer technique that utilizes all of its strong points yet shortens the process a bit to help you achieve a wonderful painting fairly quickly.

Day 1: You should already have a prepared ultra smooth canvas to paint on. Smooth because it always better fine details in the final layer.

You should also already have a simple subject selected, like a single apple, pear, or a couple of eggs. Draw your subject first in pencil, then in ink because your first layer of paint will wash away the drawing.

Once the ink has dried, I mix my first wash (imprimatura) using acrylics!  This first under painting simply tones the canvas with an olive hue (burnt umber, yellow ochre, white, black) that is close to the average brightness of your subject.

How do you figure how light or dark this really is? Here's a little secret. Squint your eyes while viewing the subject and match it to the tone of your mixture.

Using a large brush quickly apply the paint and once the whole canvas is covered, then using a large mop brush, gently brush across the surface of the canvas and the visable brush strokes in crisscross patterns to eliminate any visible brush strokes.

Keep your brush clean by wiping off excess paint frequently. The dry mop brush will not lift a lot of paint but will smooth out the surface to hide the brush strokes.

Your finished washed imprimatura will be a very uniform color and tone with your ink drawing showing through. Allow this to dry. Use a hair dryer to speed that up.

Now you're ready for the Umber Under Layer. Using only burnt umber and medium (like Liquin an Alkyd dryer) begin painting using dark (more paint) in the shadow areas, and light (thinned heavily) paint in the areas in half shadow. Using a small round to do this.

Well lit areas require no paint application at this time.

And here's another secret.

While painting use this technique.

• Apply paint with one brush (a round). 
• Use a 2nd brush (dry) to correct, move paint, blend or soften the edges (this is usually a filbert for me).
• Finally, utilize the dry mop blending brush to lightly stroke the surface which will soften all edges and eliminate brush strokes leaving a uniform tone and slightly out of focus painting. Your painting should look like a completed Sepia watercolor. Allow the painting to dry overnight.

Day 2: The next step of these oil painting instructions is called the Grisaille (gray or dead layer). Of all my oil painting instructions, this is your most important and should take your best effort.

You need to mix 3 to 5 intermediate tones of gray and have a white and a black.

The white should not be open, but white with a touch of gray. Again, using Liguin as an overnight dryer to add to your mixtures to speed up your process.

• Repaint over the previous layer but pay attention to the half shadows the most. Also add your larger details, defects on the fruit, stems, holes etc. Apply paints to your lights, then half shadows, then deep shadows will all be applied with the gray mixtures.
• Your painting will resemble a rough paint-by-the-numbers painting example as you block in your paint.
• Using your dry blending/correcting brush, smooth and blend areas that transition from light to dark. Keep your sharp edges where needed.
• After the correcting brush, use the dry mop blending brush to soften the entire painting and leaving you with a slightly out of focus black and white (gray scaled) painting. Allow to dry overnight.

Day 3: This is your color day! Again, use an alkyd dryer to mix with your paints.

Mix your colors for you subject. Have a dark and a light tone for each color. Apply each color in only the well lit areas, and deep shadows.

Don't apply paint to the half shadows.

Then using the correcting brush soften areas that are in transition to the half shadow allowing the half shadow (gray) areas to show through. The same for the dark areas.

Finally use the mop brush to soften the entire painting. Most of your fine details will be included in the layer. (But not texture!) Allow the piece to dry.

Day 4: Didn't I tell you that you can do this painting in 5 days or less! Well, today you will finish your painting. (Day 5 of these oil painting instructions is to put a re-touch varnish on only).

This is your finishing layer. You will add only your brightest brights and darkest darks here. Especially around your focal point and points of interest.

Highlights on dew drops, highlights for window reflections, and deep shadows are completed here.

Apply the paint with your sharpest brushes and use very little if any correcting, blending, or mop brush blending.

Don't forget your signature! Did I mention Dew Drops? I have a wonderful quick lesson using only 2 brushes, 2 colors, and 5 strokes to create one. Details in the resource box.

Day 5: Make sure the whites are dry and apply a re-touch varnish to deepen your dark areas and protect the paint film. You're all done!

Do you need photo examples? Sure you do. In painting, words just can't describe any method without a visual aid!

My oil painting instructions are chock full of photo examples for this entire process. And the best part! It's FREE.

Artist Delmus G. Phelps has been painting in oils for over 30 years. His latest website is dedicated to educating artist hungry to find answers to painting problems. Join us at http://easy-oil-painting-techniques.org/free-art-lessons.html for some crazy easy tips and techniques for oil painters!

Back to top of Oil painting instructions and articles