Paint Along May 2020 - Oil, start to finish.

If you follow this blog, you have seen previous posts about this Paint-Along I began using a friend's reference photo of the blossoming tree in her back yard. 

She usually works in acrylic but wanted to learn more about oil paint so we began the painting with an acrylic foundation while waiting for her shipment of oils to arrive. If you search labels for "Paint Along with Me May 2020" all posts should show up to show how we started as well as the reference photo I used.

When the oil paints she ordered arrived we moved on to painting with oil on top of the acrylic foundation. Note: I use a medium called Archival Odorless Lean with my oil paint. As I mix a color, I dip the tip of my brush in a little medium and mix it in. It makes the paint dry faster and I like the change in viscosity of the mix. 

Here are the steps of the oil painting with the completed painting at the bottom.

On the acrylic foundation, paint the sky and the grass. 
Grass is cool light in the background
and more yellow (warmer) in the foreground.

Block in the darkest red for the pink and white blossoms on the tree. 

Add the lighter pinks and white.
The dark red foundation makes the lighter colors pop.

"Cloud Tree," oil, 12x9 inches ©2020 Barbara Benedetti Newton
Reference photo courtesy of Barbara Cloud

Paint Along May 2020 - Mixing our colors

Here are the oil colors I'll be using for this paint-along:
Titanium White, Cad Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cad Orange, Cad Red,, Alizarine Crimson, Ultramarine Blue and Viridian Green.

Here are the sample swatches from the reference photo and the suggested colors to mix to get the specific hue. This will take some trial and error and your mixtures may vary a little from my suggestions. Note the top color (pale lavender for the sky) is white with just a touch of the other two colors. It might take a couple tries to figure out what a "touch" is. Start with white.

Paint Along May 2020 - Color Swatches

This is the reference photo (courtesy of Barbara Cloud) and the colors we will be mixing in oil. We will be working in oil paint over our acrylic block-in of this scene.

This is what the acrylic foundation should look like.

The next post will be about how to mix the colors as shown in the swatches above. Note the color of the sky...a very light lavender. Also note that I have included a swatch of pure black. Next to it is the darkest value I lifted from the reference photo. It is a very warm dark color. We won't be using black straight out of the tube but may enrich it with a warm (Alizarine Crimson) or cool (Ultramarine Blue or Viridian Green).

Paint Along May - Perspective

Just a word about perspective. Always check your vanishing point in your preliminary sketch. In drawing, a vanishing point is the point at which lines converge or meet at the horizon. It is a fundamental concept of composition.

Paint Along May 2020 Step 2

Step 2 - Blocking-in large areas

1. Mix Alizarine Crimson, Ultra Marine French Blue and some of the green from your palette and block in the dark areas. Use a large brush #8. Once again, note that I have dry-brushed or thinned my paint with water for some areas of lighter value.

2. With a #8 brush and white acrylic, block in the sky softening edges of the trees.

3. Mix Cad Yellow and Ultramarine blue. Add white for a lighter value, add blue or some of the dark mixture on your palette for darker area. Block in the grass and distant trees. 

Paint Along May 2020 Step 1

 Step 1 Supplies and Line Drawing

This paint-along will be done in oil but for the line drawing and underpainting I will use acrylic.

Canvas panel holder: Years ago I made various size holders...this one is for my 12x9 canvas panel. I glued 3 pieces of 3/16 thick foam core onto a larger piece of black 1/4" gator board. I slip the canvas panel down into the slot. Works great.

Reference photos: In color, printed on glossy photo paper, and in grayscale, printed on plain paper.

Masterson Sta-Wet palette: The sponge keeps acrylics wet. Close it up for overnight. Here's a link to it on Amazon but it is less expensive from Dick Blick, Jerrysartarama or Cheap Joes.

Acrylic paint: I have a variety of paint. All brands from student to professional. These just looked good for the photo. Cad Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Cad Red, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Titanium White and Burnt Sienna.

I mixed Ultramarine Blue and Cad Yellow to make green. Using a #6 flat acrylic brush, I interpreted the scene using the reference photo as my guide. 

The red lines: 

1. Make sure your vertical or horizontal lines are correct. The front of the planter box around the tree is straight with the edge of the canvas. 

2. The tree in the left background relates to the edge of the planter box. 

3. In this view of the scene, the  base of the green tree at right is even with the back of the planter box. 

4. In the reference photo, the horizon line appears to run downhill from left to right. More interesting than a straight horizon.

5. When you paint the tree, try to follow a branch all the way from trunk to sky. Be gestural, use big movements of your arm for rhythm. We don't want a stiff, tight tree. Note, some indications I made are with a pretty dry brush and not much paint. 

A New Paint Along - You're Invited

I started this paint-along with my friend, Barb Cloud using her reference photo. Now, Barb has invited you to paint along with us and she is hoping you'll share your results. You have her permission to use her reference photo.

Here is the photo, take a screen shot and print it out or email me (Bina Designs at Comcast dot net) and I'll email the jpg to you. Thank you Barb Cloud.

Photo courtesy of Barb Cloud

A New Paint-Along 5-1-2020

I'm starting a new Paint-Along with a friend. We'll be using her reference photo. I'll be painting on Centurion Deluxe Oil Primed Linen, 12 x 9 inches, panel.

1. Draw lines on your reference photo. I printed my reference on 8-1/2 x 11 inch glossy photo paper as a 7x5 inch image. I drew my white lines in PhotoShop but a Sharpie pen will work directly on the photo.

2. Draw the same lines LIGHTLY in graphite pencil on your stretched canvas or panel. LIGHTLY is key. If lines are too dark, lift off excess graphite with reusable adhesive.

Watch for the next step.