How to paint flowers in oils for beginners. Oil Painting Basics

A week ago, Yulia Skripnik, editor of the MYTH.Creativity platform, sent me a message: “Nastya, hello! Can you do an article next week with an exercise in Classical Painting Lessons?” I answered that I would, and a thousand and one fears of a creative person began to swirl in my head:

“I don’t know how to paint in oils. I'm in last time I picked up oil paints several years ago, and I can’t say that this experience was successful. “What if I can’t do anything at all and I’ll just ruin the canvas.”

Putting aside my fears, I began to study the book. Of course, in paper form, simply because its smell itself is inspiring.

The book is divided into 4 chapters and each of them has several lessons. I planned to read the book before last page and then choose which lesson I will do. However, there was so much new knowledge and inspiration that already on page 48 I took oil paints and thinner out of the box and climbed into the wardrobe in search of an old, outdated T-shirt. What does this have to do with the T-shirt? Read on 😉

Lesson 2, which we will study with you, is devoted to imprimatura with wiping. I also didn’t know what it was until I started reading the book, and that’s okay.

Imprimatura(from Italian imprimatura - first layer of paint) - a term used in painting: color tinting of the surface of a ready-made white primer.

You've probably seen work done using this technique.

Materials:

• Drawing materials- paper and pencil, or charcoal if you are going to draw directly on the surface
• Primed surface- wooden surface or canvas
• Palette
• Oil paint natural umber. You can use natural sienna or earthy green - experiment with colors
• Titanium white or quick-drying, such as alkyd. They are convenient because they dry overnight
• Linseed oil(optional)
• Cotton rag- a torn T-shirt will do (it is not recommended to use paper napkins)
• Large bristle brush

Above I have listed the materials recommended by the author of “Lessons in Classical Painting” - Juliet Aristide. I didn't follow all of these recommendations. The “same” material may not always be at hand; you shouldn’t give up creative experiments because of this.

First stage: staging a still life

Then it's time to start drawing. I did it directly on canvas with a pencil, however, the author recommends doing it on paper first and then transferring it using tracing paper. And this good advice, because trying to use an eraser on the canvas risks creating “dirt.” I also didn’t focus on the drawing because the goal of this lesson is tonal underpainting.

Before you begin to imprimatura with wiping, it is worth checking how the surface of the canvas or wood panel absorbs paint. Some types of cheap acrylic primer hold paint well; it will be difficult to wipe it off until the color of the surface is achieved. If you come across such a soil, you can first coat the entire surface with a very thin layer of linseed oil.

Now comes the fun part! You need to cover the canvas with a thin layer, intensively blending the paint with a hard, fairly large bristled brush. The author recommends not to be afraid of too dark a color and not to dilute the paint, because otherwise the layer will come out too thin, but I thought that my paints had been lying idle for a long time and had thickened, so I added a solvent, and this really was a mistake.

Advice from the book: If the picture is too large and complex to complete in one session, the process can be divided into stages (for example, the first half in one day, and the second in another)

Let's start wiping. The outline of the design shows through the layer of oil, so it’s not difficult. You need to constantly change the rag to use clean parts. For large areas it is convenient to wipe off the paint index finger, and for small elements I wrapped a rag around an orange stick.

The wipe-off underpainting can be completed after stage 4, but adding dark and light accents gives the piece a more finished look. Therefore, using the glaze method, I added white and dark color deepened the shadows.

The work is ready! Several obvious mistakes were made, the jeans were stained with paint, but the main thing was that I got incredible pleasure from conquering my fears.

I used to be afraid of books about classical painting, it seemed to me that they were created at least for students of specialized universities, but it turned out that this is not at all the case.

I urge you not to be afraid either! Try something new, go beyond the usual materials and techniques.

1. Draw are common contours so that they fit into canvas. Then draw the petals and leaves in detail. Please note that the approximate and more detailed outlines are written in different tones.

2. Label paints general color scheme petals and leaves.

3. Write the background compositions.

4. Using more quantity colors, as well as mixing paints on canvas, give flowers and leaves additional shape and volume.

5. Accentuate highlights, midtones and shadows.

6. Small round brush write down the smallest details.

Finished painting 255 x 215 mm

Hibiscus 510 x 510 mm

Flower written on an enlarged scale, and this is a very interesting task. The very size of the flower attracts our attention. When we paint flowers larger than in life size, That once again we are convinced that you need to look at the flower very carefully, noting all the subtleties of color and compositional solutions.

Buddleia 510 x 405 mm

This is the flower that butterflies really love. They were the center of the composition. First, flowers were painted for the background, then the paint dried, and then the artist walked over them with a dry brush, softening their contours, achieving blurriness. The main thing is to wait until the paint dries a little: it should not be completely dry or still damp.

Still life

There are no special laws for painting a still life. The main thing is that the parts of the composition are balanced and look beautiful.
Here are some tips.

Don't clutter still life details. Don't write too much at once different colors. Try to select them in one color scheme. Flower stems should look as natural as possible.
Choose a vase that is similar to the flowers in shape and color. The vase must match the flowers correctly. Remember: if the vase is too elegant, attention will shift to it.

Provide strong one-sided lighting: this will create an effective contrast of light and shadow. Don’t forget to maintain proportions: the smaller the vase with flowers, the more background there is in your composition.

still life photo

1. Work first with a pencil or small brush. Draw light, rough outlines onto the canvas. At this stage you should adjust the overall scale of the composition to the size of your canvas.

2. Now very faintly draw the outlines of the flowers and leaves themselves. Don't go into too much detail in your sketch.

3. Paint over the dark background, avoiding the outlines of the colors. Then paint the table and vase and finally the largest leaves.

4. Now paint the outlines of the flowers themselves. Work quickly and without details: now you need to decide approximate form and the color of the composition elements.

5. Paint over the central parts of the flowers and smaller leaves. Now the entire composition consists of color fragments.

6. Mixing paints directly on the canvas, lighten or darken individual areas. Apply small strokes of white paint to illuminated areas, strokes of ultramarine paint to shaded areas. This is one of the advantages of oil painting: while the paint is still wet, we can change its tone as much as we like.

7. At this stage, you mix paints directly on the canvas, creating some tones off the palette. Experiment with different brushes trying to change the texture of the painting. First work on the smallest fragments, moving on to larger ones, adding details, and somewhere softening the tones using a dry brush. This is the stage where your personal style is developed.

8. Finally, with a small round brush, paint in the details of the small colors, adding small strokes on top of the larger ones. Knowing how to stop in time is as difficult as finding a place for the first stroke.

Sunflowers and rudbeckias 305 x 345 mm. This is the finished picture.

Anemones in a decanter 405 x 330 mm

The anemones pulsate with delicate, exquisite colors. A transparent glass decanter emphasizes the elegance of the composition: it should be remembered that water refracts the image of the stems. It will be especially difficult to paint a transparent decanter - for this you need to very carefully study all the reflections and light and shade. To begin with, you can put a single flower in a decanter and copy all the tonal transitions, reducing them to simple forms if possible.

Daisies and their shadows 405 x 330 mm

The compositions include both sides of the spectrum - warm (butterfly) and cool tones

Noel G. Painting flowers with oil

The greatest masterpieces were painted with oil paints; masters of painting and art still give their preference to them. famous artists. But working with such paints has its own unique features and peculiar differences in techniques. Therefore, many beginning artists have some difficulties in painting. In this article we will try to figure out how to draw oil paints what they are, and also consider several techniques in oil painting.

In specialized stores, oil paints are presented in a large assortment; there are many brands under which such art products are sold. What is special about oil paints?

The composition includes various pigments: mineral, organic, synthetic and earthen. The same components are present in other types of paints, be it acrylic or watercolor.

Oil paints differ from others in the binding component - linseed oil. It is this that gives the brightness and saturation of color, and it is because of it that such paints take a long time to dry.

But a fresh layer of oil applied to the canvas can be changed, that is, you can repeatedly adjust the drawing and apply new layers on top of the old ones.

Another feature of oil paints is that they are diluted not with water, but with a special solvent, which also uses vegetable oil. This thinner is sold in art stores, just like the paints themselves.

What types are there?

• In every specialized store you can find three types of paints: Highly artistic.

• These are paints that are purchased by professionals in their field. They consist only of high-quality components, and therefore have a high cost. But for a good painting you need good paints that will not lose their shine or change color over time.

• Studio.

They are no less in demand than the first option and behave well on canvas. Suitable for both professional and beginner artists. Sketchy. They are more suitable for beginners in the art business, since at a low cost you can purchase a sufficient number of paints and choose your own application technique.

Manufacturers of oil paints are located in many countries around the world. Experienced artists have already selected for themselves the options that are suitable for the job. Many people combine their sets from different companies , which is also acceptable. Oil paints are also divided into transparent and opaque. The latter are denser in structure and therefore do not allow light to pass through them.

Each package must have special markings. For example, the designation “*” indicates the durability and longevity of the paint on the canvas. The more such symbols on the paint, the longer the finished canvas will last. The most

best paints have a lifespan of more than 100 years. The symbol in the form of a filled black square indicates that the paint is not transparent; if it is half-transparent, it is translucent. The pigments that give paint a particular color can be divided into organic and inorganic.

The first type gives brighter shades, and the second gives natural colors. At good value Manufacturers of pigments achieve beautiful and high-quality shades. For the production of oil paints, imported linseed oil is usually used, since flax, which does not grow on the territory of, thanks to which art paints have their own unique quality characteristics.

On video: how to choose paints for oil painting.

About drawing techniques

Preparing for creativity does not take much time, especially since in modern art stores you can purchase everything you need for work. Already stretched and primed, canvases can be found in any size - from the smallest to the largest.

A picture painted with oil paints looks very impressive. The strokes applied by the artist look as if they are separate from each other. Many people think that oil painting is a fairly simple activity, but this is absolutely not the case. Let's try to figure out how to learn to paint with oil paints.

Each master has his own drawing technique, which has its own characteristics. The standard ones are:

• multi-layer overlay;
• alla prima - one layer.

Performing multi-layer application is a very complex technique in which you need to be as careful as possible, knowing all the properties and characteristics of oil paints.

It is necessary to work in the same style and not dilute the paint in order to finish the job faster. A diluted composition may appear more matte and dull on the canvas than other parts. With this technique, the whole job will take more than one or two tubes of paint. When applying one layer, be aware that the paint may shrink and cracks will appear in the painting. In this case, artists let the first layer dry completely and paint the second.

Many craftsmen use this technique more often, since the material consumption is lower.

Basic Rules

1. So, let's learn how to paint in oils. What rules must be followed:
2. A prerequisite for painting any picture is light. Only properly set lighting can achieve the desired effect.
3. Artists begin their work with the outline of the future painting. Coal works well for this. It can be easily wiped off with a rag and the failed element can be re-drawn. The lines that are drawn with charcoal must be fixed on the canvas.
4. In a painting, all the tones and shadows are obtained by constantly mixing colors. You need to clearly understand what colors need to be mixed to achieve this or that shade.
5. Once the basic sketch is done, you can move on to drawing. But you shouldn’t focus your attention on one element. It is necessary to gradually use the entire canvas.
6. Artists recommend using white in much larger quantities than paints of other colors, since they are used more often.
7. The finished painting takes three days to dry, so you can make adjustments to the canvas the day after the work is completed. The missing area can be removed with a spatula. This will not harm the canvas or the entire painting as a whole. The work will remain just as solid.
8. For beginning craftsmen and amateurs, using professional paints is not profitable, since beginners will mostly draw sketches.
9. For oil paints, you need to prepare a special storage place. What you need for painting (paints, brushes, canvas, palette) should be in one place, and at the first need they can be taken and used.
10. After the canvas has completely dried, do not wipe the surface with a dirty rag or touch it with your hands. It can hurt appearance general drawing.

Step by step painting with oil paints looks something like this.

Artists who can boast of a large number of canvases will tell you how to paint your first paintings correctly. There are certain painting techniques for oil painting on canvas. A novice artist needs to start working under the supervision of an experienced teacher. As soon as the painted drawings begin to work out and your techniques are identified, you can paint in oils yourself.

Sellers at art supply stores can also tell you what to write on with oil paints and how to start painting. There are many schools where people of any age learn to paint. Learn to draw only from good masters of painting!

Master classes on oil painting (2 videos)

Paintings step by step (23 photos)

Have you long dreamed of trying to paint with oil paints, but don’t know what you need for this? We have collected 28 tips to help beginners understand this matter. We wish you inspiration!

1. The main set of oil paints consists of the following colors: alizarin crimson, cadmium yellow, yellow ocher, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, Martian black. From these shades it is possible to create any other color.

2. Buy white with a reserve. When mixing paints it will be used up very quickly.

3. For an enjoyable painting experience, invest in quality oil paints and tools.

4. For your first painting experience, it’s enough to buy a couple of brushes different types. For example, you can purchase round, flat and bristle brushes in different sizes.

5. You can use old rags and cans to clean your brushes.

6. It is not necessary to buy a palette for paint; it is enough to use a board or cardboard.

7. When painting with oil paints there is a rule: thick to thin. For the first layer, buy a solvent. Apply a thick layer over it.

8. Draw in a place well lit with natural light. Otherwise, the colors may then differ from what they appeared to be in a specific light.

9. The easel is adjusted according to your height and position so that you can sit without discomfort or difficulty.

10. Oil paints are difficult to remove from fabric. Therefore, wear things that you don’t mind.

11. To begin, place a sketch in pencil or charcoal on the canvas. Build a composition.

12. To make the drawing more realistic, determine where the light source will be. This way you can easily depict darkened and illuminated areas, shadows, penumbra, and highlights.

13. Light color is obtained by adding white, shadow - by adding black.

14. To prevent the paint from being so thick, mix it with turpentine or linseed oil. Add them to the paint little by little to get exactly the consistency you need.

15. Take your time to apply the second coat. Let the paint dry. Usually this is 3 days.

16. Learn to mix paints. Add layers of paint so that adjacent paints can be mixed with a flat brush. The stroke should go in the direction of mixing.

17. To make the glaze, you will need 1/3 linseed oil, turpentine and oil varnish. Mix them and you get transparent color, which can be mixed with other paints to create a glaze.

18. To create the effect of a more transparent figure, you can use a brush with natural bristles. Apply dots onto the canvas with a brush at a 90 degree angle.

19. Use a palette knife to create a thick layer of paint. Smear the paint onto the canvas with a knife. This is the best medium for conveying movement and drawing landscapes.

20. Paints dry for about 3 days. Take this time to critically evaluate the drawing. You can correct the picture or completely erase the details.

22. Clean your brushes with turpentine and an old rag. Scrub the paint until the water running off the brush becomes clear. If the paint dries on the brush, the tool is unlikely to save anything.

23. Paintings take 3 or more months to dry. Until then, leave your creation in a well-ventilated place where the painting will not be disturbed.

24. After your painting has dried, it should be varnished. You will protect your picture and colors from fading.

25. Try not to use the color “Black Ivory” for background coatings, because it takes a very long time to dry.

26. Linseed oil is not used for light paints. Otherwise they will turn yellow.

27. To remove oil paint from your hands, use another oil (baby oil or olive oil). Wipe off the paint with a rag and don’t wash your hands until you’ve completely scrubbed it off.

28. Apply paints to the intended areas, and then use a brush to mix them until you get a gradation that satisfies you.

Nowadays, many people choose handicrafts or crafts as a hobby. various options artistic creativity. With the market filled with mass-produced goods, the demand for handmade souvenirs is increasing. Photographs or computer illustrations are printed multiple times. You can create an exclusive thing by learning how to write for beginners. It is quite possible for even a beginner to master this painting technique. This way you will make a wonderful gift or interior decoration. Even if you try to repeat exactly the same plot twice, you still won’t get a perfect copy. This determines the uniqueness of original works of art.

Preparation of materials

To create oil paintings for beginners, you will need the following:

• base (canvas or fiberboard);
• paints;
• brushes;
• solvent (white spirit) and a small container for it;
• palette for mixing colors.

Professionals also use palette knives - special flexible metal spatulas with a wooden handle, which they use to apply paint to canvas. For a beginner, it’s enough to master brushes. In addition, professionals paint pictures on an easel or a special sketchbook, if they go out into nature to paint pictures from life for novice artists - the plot is quite complex. It is better to make them from your imagination or using a photograph. It will be easier.

From the point of view of professionals, it is more convenient to work on an easel, since it is easier to step away and evaluate the result from afar. In your first experience, you can also practice on a table surface, although it is better to take some kind of plywood and place it on your lap or place it on a chair at an angle. Such a review of your work allows you to better assess its quality and notice errors in time. Although for the first experience you should do what is convenient and comfortable for you, so as not to be distracted from the main thing.

Please note that the paints are used unevenly, so for a beginner it is better to purchase them separately. The release form is offered in various volumes. White paint disappears the fastest, but black paint is used in very small quantities. It makes sense to first decide on the plot, and then purchase paints in the appropriate shades. For you you will need one set, and for summer landscape- another. In order not to waste money on unnecessary colors, it is better to buy only the necessary ones in approximately the required quantities. Although in fact all shades can be obtained with only three primary colors (yellow, red, blue), as well as white and black.

Which foundation should you choose?

Traditionally, oil painting is done on canvas, but for a beginner this can be difficult as the fabric needs to be stretched over a stretcher and primed. However modern technologies have made progress in this direction. Specialized stores sell ready-made bases onto which paints are immediately applied. They are not cheap, but they are just right for a beginner, as they make the work much easier.

Another option is to use fiberboard. Every man's household has scraps of this material stored after repair work. It’s easy to find it by asking friends, relatives or acquaintances. Someone has definitely used it and keeps some leftovers in the pantry just in case.

The texture of the fiberboard sides is different; one looks absolutely smooth, while the other looks rough, vaguely reminiscent of a woven structure. You can use both, but it is better to apply more layers of primer to a rough surface, otherwise the color may appear dull in the future, since the paint will seem to sink into the structure of such a “canvas”.

If you decide to try the oil painting technique for beginners for the first time, you can use a ready-made fiberboard base with a primer already applied. They are also sold in specialty craft stores. It is better to take a small sheet size, no larger than landscape. Once you have gained some experience, purchase or prime a format of any size yourself.

You can immediately order a frame for your future painting. Once decorated, any canvas looks elegant and complete. However, most often the baguette is selected according to color and width to match the finished work. This is also an interesting and creative process. Seeing the same image in different frames will help you understand how different the canvas makes an impression. Even oil paintings by novice artists look exquisite in a good frame, but poor framing can ruin a professional’s painting. So this stage must also be treated very carefully.

If you still decide to prepare the DPV base yourself, a simple and cheap way is to use regular gelatin; you can add PVA glue to it to make the color white. This primer should be applied in several layers, allowing the previous one to dry first. Three times will be enough. You should feel that the surface has become different. When the base is prepared, you can move on to

Types of brushes

To work with oil, use bristles or synthetics. Their fibers are hard, elastic, and interact well with the paint composition. To begin with, you can buy two or three pieces. A thin one, for example No. 1, will be needed to work out the details, wide ones are needed to create large background surfaces in the case of a landscape - the sky, grass, water, draperies in a still life. Do not use squirrel brushes for oil painting. They will spoil. After each use, especially if you are going to take a long break from creative process, thoroughly wash the tools with solvent so that the paint does not dry on them.

Oil paintings for beginners step by step

Considering that you have prepared the materials and base, creating a canvas, regardless of the plot, consists of the following steps:

1. Apply to canvas line drawing with a simple pencil or just paint.

2. Distribute shadows and highlights - the darkest and brightest areas of the image, respectively.

3. Complete the background and all large objects.

4. Draw small details.

Remember to constantly step away from the picture, assessing the result from afar. As you work, try to mix different shades of colors on your palette. The finishing touch The painting will be framed.

Subjects

To make simple oil paintings for beginners, choose an appropriate theme. The easiest way is to make a still life, that is, a composition of household items, a vase with flowers. If you are working from life, and you will need a lot of time the first time, use objects that will not change in a week. You may have to complete the painting in several steps, so when composing a still life for the subject of an oil painting for beginners, it is better not to use flowers. They may change color, wither, or new buds will bloom. The perception of the composition will change. It will be difficult for you. The easiest way is to work with a photograph or copy an easy image you like. Don't take stories from big amount details. It is very difficult to paint a portrait.

How to make a landscape?

If you want to decorate your wall with a nature painting done by yourself, it is better to use a tutorial on how to paint oil paintings for beginners step by step. It is quite possible to do this using ready-made instructions. The main thing is to understand what elements the image consists of, and it is better to start working from the background and general space, moving sequentially to more small details, located closer to the viewer.

Let's go plein air

Painting oil paintings in nature is very pleasant, but you need to work quickly, since the weather can get worse, and the sun is constantly moving, changing the direction of light and shadows. Beginning artists can use a camera to photograph the initial painting. If you get tired of working for a long time the first time, then you can finish the painting at home.

How to draw flowers?

If you want to decorate the interior of a room with an oil painting with a bouquet in a vase, it is better to choose asters as your first experience. Asters are perfect. They are not difficult to make, as they are a simple elliptical shape, and the small petals are easy to do with separate strokes in a circle. Also suitable are daisies, sunflowers, lilacs, lupins, mimosa - in a word, choose those with inflorescences or individual elements of a simple, clear shape that can be created in one stroke, drawing several details later. Your task is not to convey the photographic accuracy of the object, but to create a beautiful impression of what you see.

So, you have learned how to create oil paintings for beginners. Choose the story you like, buy necessary materials and begin the exciting creative process.