In this section on Oil Painting | Technical Aspects Defined…

in addition to defining different oil painting techniques in this article; in many of the articles I write about oil painting,  I give examples of how I use these techniques  to achieve the colors & textures that are necessary to have the outcome I am seeking. Everyone has what they consider to be a degree of  ‘detail’  that represents to them  what defines whether an oil painting & the elements that comprise it;  look ‘real’.  For myself,  the degree of realism I need to achieve is quite high; (with regards to the amount of detail I use),  and is related to the point at which I am willing to accept when an element of the painting is ‘finished’.  I continue working on each element of an oil painting until I feel confident that I have addressed each one until I feel that I cannot find any part of it that can be improved upon.

Oil Painting : Technical Aspects Defined… List of Articles

The following links will take you to previous articles I’ve posted on this site, which include  my interpretation of different Oil Painting Techniques:

“Anatomy of An Oil Painting“ –  Outlines the details of the process I use from ‘start to finish’ of  an oil painting…  from considering the aspects of  “Photo Selection” ,  understanding concepts of Color & ‘Value’,  Shading & Highlighting,  utilizing the  methods & techniques listed below, (all are previously posted articles on different artist techniques); that I use to achieve a successful outcome.

“1st Time Oil Paint & Brush Use” – Attempts to give those who have previously never painted with oils… ‘step-by-step’ instructions on where to get started; from the initial placing the pigments on a palette to applying paint to the canvas for the 1st time. 

“Painting Details in an Oil Painting“ –  Addresses many aspects of the details contained in the elements of an oil painting’s primary subject, as well as in other important components .

“Blending Elements in an Oil Painting“ –  An important step, since all elements are made up of more than just a shape & color.  These elements have texture,  which affects how you apply paint in order to create them.  Even smooth textures require the right technique to give them that quality.

“Oil Painting Shading Techniques“ – Are necessary to bring a 3-dimensional  or  ‘life-like’ quality to the objects in a painting.  Without shading & highlights, a painting would look as flat as the canvas it is painted on.

There are  many oil painting  techniques…

that are necessary to use in order to render a quality painting… the ones listed above are the ones most used.  I will be providing more examples & their definitions in future articles.  There are also other resources you can check out online…and  in books & videos on oil painting.  Taking classes in oil painting at a local art association is a great way to learn by the teacher’s instruction & even by watching other artists. Often times you can find classes that are offered by artists in your area.  Here on my website you can view instructional oil painting videos.

Below you will find articles on various subjects related to art & artistic design, including:

Click On An Article In One Of The Categories Below To View :

Oil Painting Techniques:

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• Technical Aspects Defined
• Photo Selection
• Composition
• Composition… again
• Anatomy of an Oil Painting
• List of Oil Painting Materials
• 1st Time Oil Paint & Brush Use
• Brush Selection & Techniques
• Mixing & Blending Oil Paints
• Shading & Highlighting Techniques
• Painting Details in an Oil Painting
• Watercolor vs. Oil Painting

Resources For Artists:

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• From An Artist’s Perspective…
• So You Want To Be An Artist
• Learning About Art, Artists, & Their Work
• Introducing Your Artwork

Resources For Web Design:

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• Web Development Company
• Web Design Themes & Templates
• Website Report Card
• Web & Logo Design
• Telling Apart Good vs. Bad Web Design
• The Difference Between a Web Designer & Developer
• Creating Visually Appealing Website Design
• Today’s Graphic Art Software
• From Oil Painter to Digital Artist
• GIMP Edited Photos

Articles are added regularly… check back often to see what’s new!

If you’ve been oil painting…

you’ve been working in a medium in which you are continually able to add layers of pigment to achieve desired results, and if it doesn’t appear exactly the way you expected; you can completely cover over it… or if the area you’re not happy with is still wet; you can even wipe off anything you don’t ‘like.

The opposite is true when you work with watercolors…

Watercolor painting uses different techniques of applying paint, & it requires that you have to learn to think  ‘subtractively’, a complete departure from what you are used to doing when you are using oil painting techniques, (where using ‘under-painting’ as well as relying on previous layers; are elements that are used to create depth).

Artist Painting Techniques : Highlights

The artist painting techniques involved in achieving highlights differ greatly in watercolor painting vs. oil painting.  In oil painting, the darkest ‘values’… or hues; are placed 1st, then gradually lighter ones are added; especially when creating shadows & highlights. For instance, when executing the elements that make up a fold in an article of clothing; the artist blends these hues together gradually, while still maintaining the colors and values which create the different parts, making it recognizable as a ‘fold’.

Artist Painting Techniques : Watercolor

In watercolor painting…

the lightest or ‘highlighted’ areas, are achieved by either leaving the watercolor paper ‘blank’ or by applying a material known as ‘masking’, which is brushed on, allowed to dry, and then later removed. This leaves the paper underneath completely untouched by other paints, and ready for you to apply a lighter color;  (or if necessary… no color at all).  It is in this way, that the lightest highlights in the painting can be accomplished.

Another major difference between artist painting techniques  using oils or with using watercolors,  is the fact that with watercolors; the artist cannot remove the paint that was applied. This means that careful planning beforehand, is necessary in order to prevent making ‘costly’ mistakes that could have been forseen and used to avoid ruining an otherwise successful painting.  Imagine creating your idea of a ‘perfect’ watercolor, and at the very end having one bad element destroy all the effort you’ve put into it.

Artist Painting Techniques :  Applying a ‘Wash’

Other noticeable differences in artist painting techniques  include; the use of watercolor techniques in which you apply water to the paper before you add paint known as a ‘wash’ , There are different types of washes, including: ‘flat’ and ‘graded’. A ‘flat’ wash is the basic form of this method, where the pigment is added right out of the tube, whereas in ‘graded’ washes, the pigment is diluted before adding it to the previously wet surface.

Artist Painting Techniques :  ‘Glazing’

is another technique used in watercolor painting, which is similar to a wash, however; instead of the paper being wet before you apply the glaze… a thin, transparent layer of pigment is applied over previously applied layers; which were allowed to dry completely.  It is crucial to resist the temptation to try to re-work an area that is already drying, in order to avoid having a major disaster happen to your painting.  With glazing,you can apply as many layers that  you feel are necessary; in order to get the effect you are trying to achieve.

Artist : Painting Techniques | Dry-Brushing

Another popular watercolor technique that is used in watercolor painting,  is referred to as  ‘dry-brushing’.  With this method, the paintbrush is loaded with paint that contains & is diluted with very little water. The paper is completely dry when the paint is applied, and the brush strokes create sharp & crisp types of shapes with hard edges.

Artist Painting Techniques :  Differences between these two Techniques 

Lastly, & probably an obvious difference…

regarding a watercolor vs. oil painting, is most noticeable when comparing drying times.  Oil painting affords the artist nearly indefinite amounts of working time, whereas; with watercolor painting, you have much less time in terms of how long you have to work with your pigments.

Artist Painting Techniques :  Resources

There are more painting methods than those I have discussed here in this article, and many resources available to anyone interested in really pursuing either of these mediums; such as books, & web-based articles or videos.