Oil Painting Basics

 

Learn about Painting materials, How to set up your painting area for the most satisfying results, Brush Care, How and when to thin paint, Using medium, Color mixing, And paint along to create a small painting or two.

* We talk about studio safety, but you are responsible to follow safety practices and read safety warnings on the materials you use.

 

Student Feedback

“I think your oil painting basics class was great!! I felt like your teaching process was really easy for me to connect with, including the computer access and the way you delivered information. If I had to change something, maybe, I’d make it three hours instead of four hours, but that’s arguable because it might not have allowed for conversations. Also, I really appreciate how you are coaching us along. That’s such a wonderful benefit and seems to be very unique to your teaching process.

I would highly recommend your class to anyone wanting to learn about oil painting. You were able to answer a lot of questions about technique and safety. I appreciate how you are able to establish a safe, non-intimidating space to learn new concepts. I also appreciate that I learned a lot without ever feeling overwhelmed.

Thank you so much for the time, thought, and attention that you put into making and teaching this course.”

– Jill Ritz

 

 

General supply list

We will talk about supplies on day 1, so you’re welcome to wait to purchase supplies after the first zoom.

You are welcome to contact me for personalized suggestions for supplies. It’s OK if you use a different brand of paint than I do, or different colors. Just make sure you don’t buy student grade paint – it is much harder to use.

• palette. You can start with disposable palettes until you decide what sort of palette you’d like long term. A palette has a huge impact on your ability to mix paint!
  (I prefer a clear glass palette. If you get a glass palette, get one that’s made for painting, so it doesn’t cut you.)
• lint free paint rags or blue shop towels
• a tabletop or standing easel, or something to put your painting upright on
• small gesso panels or canvas panels (I recommend 8×10”, or no larger than, with standard acrylic gesso (not oil primed if using water miscible oil or acrylic paint)
• a place to dry your wet paintings
• for water miscible oil paint: a container for water (nothing fancy needed)
• for traditional oil paint: if you want to thin your paint (OPTIONAL), invest in an air tight paint brush cleaner / solvent container
• a container for brush cleaning soap (murphy’s oil soap works, or a soap made for cleaning brushes)

Paints

Demos will be with Cobra brand water soluble oil paint. You don’t need the same paint brand or colors I use. If you’re not sure which kind of paint you want, contact me or wait until after the first zoom.

• Primary yellow [OR azo yellow light, cad yellow light or medium, etc.]
• Cadmium Red [OR similar]
• Primary magenta. [OR quinacridone red or rose, rose madder hue, etc.]
• Ultramarine blue [OR ultramarine violet]
• Primary cyan. [OR cerulean blue, manganese blue, etc.]
• Titanium white

Mediums & thinners for water miscible oil paint: 

• WATER is your thinner! If you don’t like splotchy underpaintings, you can buy “solvent-free thinner.”
• fast drying medium” made for water miscible oil paint is nice.

Mediums & thinners for traditional oil paint: 

• OPTIONAL – Odorless Mineral Spirits to thin (in an appropriate container).
• For stiff paint, Gamsol solvent-free gel is nice.

Tools

• Silver Grand Prix long handle filbert sizes #2 and #4, or other filbert bristle brushes
• Long handle #4 or #6 flat bristle brush
• Golden or white taklon 3/4” or 1″ flat brush, or similar
• Golden or white taklon round #1 or #2, or similar
• Mini Trowel or another small palette knife for paint mixing and marks

Note: If you just want two brushes, get the ones above in bold italic.