A Comprehensive Guide to Paint Realism Oil Paintings
- Ahmed Kheder
- Jun 28, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: May 1
Oil painting has been a celebrated medium in the art world for centuries, admired for its rich textures, vibrant colors, and versatility. This timeless art form, which gained prominence during the Renaissance, continues to captivate artists and viewers alike. To create a successful realist oil painting, an artist must master various techniques and understand the fundamental principles that govern this medium. Here, we explore some of the best art techniques for creating Realism oil paintings.
A Guide to Paint Realism Oil Paintings
Surface Preparation
Before beginning an oil painting, preparing the surface is crucial. This involves selecting the right canvas and priming it properly.
Canvas Selection: Linen and cotton are the most commonly used materials for canvases. Linen is preferred for its strength and durability, while cotton is more affordable and widely available.
Priming: Priming the canvas with gesso is essential to create a smooth surface and prevent the oil paint from soaking into the fibers. Applying multiple thin layers of gesso and sanding between coats can achieve a fine, even texture.
Gesso is a mixture of a binder (white Glue which is polyvinyl acetate), a filler which is chalk, and whitening pigment mainly Zinc Oxide powder is used.
Don't apply a thick layer of Gesso because you will make your canvas more liable to cracking.
Plan the Composition
Plan the subject to be painted to appear in an artistic composition. A photographic composition is not the best choice to vehicle your artistic conceptual determinations. Traditional Art used to carry a documentary, conceptual, and emotional aspects. During the 19th century with the invention of the camera, Art lost a big portion of its documentary role leaving the emotional and the conceptual aspects to be the major role of Art.
Spot a single stable source of light on the reference. Painting outdoors or under the natural light is tricky as the light intensity and angel are uncontrolled and unstable.
Choosing Objects
Select objects with varying textures, colors, and shapes to create visual interest.
Lighting
Lighting is crucial for creating realism. A single light source is often used to cast dramatic shadows and highlights, enhancing the three-dimensionality of objects. Natural light from a window is not your best choice because the intensity and the angle of light is uncontrolled.
Arrangement
Arrange objects thoughtfully to create a balanced and harmonious composition. Consider the placement, overlap, and interaction of objects to guide the viewer's eye through the painting.
Arrange the reference objects in a box or behind a wooden frame with the same painting canvas dimensions. Add a mark on the sides of the wooden frame that represents the horizon line. Keep the marks and the horizon line at the same level while you paint to ensure you have the same view angle during painting your setup.
Drawing
Drawing a sketch with a light weight pencil 5H or 6H is the first step in creating a realistic oil painting. The artist specifies the tint and shadow spaces. To achieve the perfect perspective and perception tools like a proportional divider, Ruler and Compasses, and The Camera Obscura.
Underpainting
Underpainting sets the foundation for an oil painting. It involves creating a monochromatic version of the final piece to establish values and composition.
Grisaille: A technique where the underpainting is done entirely in shades of gray, helping to focus on light and shadow.
Imprimatura: A transparent wash of color applied to the white primed surface to tone it down. It can influence the overall mood and harmony of the painting.
Begin by applying a thin, even tone to your canvas. This helps to establish a mid-tone base, making it easier to judge values later on. A mixture of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue, thinned with medium, works well for this purpose.
The medium used as an underpainting should be lean i.e. have a low percentage of binder oil. Also, it should dry fast, so, use high percent of diluent which help dryness of the binder oil by enhancing its oxidation. Another thing to mention, it should be thin in terms of the amount of pigment dispersed in the oil medium.
The medium used to thin the paint should be Turpentine 75%, Linseed oil 25%. Don't use clove oil as a diluent because it is a reducing oil and will delay dryness. Also. The binder oil should be Linseed oil because it dries faster than Walnut oil, Poppy oil, and Safflower oil.
Painting
First blocking in, which involves laying down the basic shapes and colors without focusing on details. This helps in establishing the composition and color harmony early on.
Fat Over Lean: An important principle in oil painting where each subsequent layer of paint should contain more oil than the one beneath. This ensures proper drying and prevents cracking.
Color Blocking: Using large brushes to apply the general color areas, simplifying the forms to get an overall sense of the composition.
Glazing
Glazing is a technique where transparent layers of paint are applied over dry layers to create depth and luminosity.
Transparent Pigments: Choosing pigments that are inherently transparent for glazing. Common choices include Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, and Burnt Sienna.
Mediums: Using mediums such as linseed oil, damar varnish, or stand oil mixed with the paint to achieve the desired transparency and gloss.
Scumbling
Scumbling involves applying a thin, opaque layer of paint over a dry underlayer, allowing the colors beneath to show through slightly. This technique adds texture and visual interest.
Dry Brush: Using a dry brush with little paint to achieve a rough, broken texture.
Circular Motion: Applying paint in a circular motion to blend softly and create a subtle, diffused effect.
Alla Prima
Also known as "wet-on-wet," this technique involves painting in one session without letting the paint dry between layers. It requires a confident and spontaneous approach.
Direct Painting: Applying paint directly onto the canvas, often using thicker, more impasto brushstrokes.
Blending: Blending colors directly on the canvas to achieve smooth transitions and gradients.
Impasto
Impasto is the technique of applying thick layers of paint to create texture and dimension. This can add a sculptural quality to the painting.
Palette Knife: Using a palette knife to apply paint thickly, creating raised surfaces and bold textures.
Brushwork: Employing stiff brushes to create expressive, textured strokes.
Detailing
Once the main elements are established, focusing on details can bring the painting to life. This involves refining smaller areas and adding intricate touches.
Fine Brushes: Using fine-tipped brushes for delicate lines and small details.
Layering: Building up layers of fine detail to achieve realism and depth.
Varnishing
Varnishing is the final step in oil painting, protecting the surface and enhancing the colors.
Retouch Varnish: Applied during the painting process to unify the surface sheen and protect delicate layers.
Final Varnish: Applied after the painting is completely dry (typically six months to a year) to provide a durable, protective layer and enhance the vibrancy of the colors.
For More Information about Varnishing, please check the article below:
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