I have had roughly 2 lessons on how to paint. Both for Oil. The first one I had was about the paint and what to use, the second was how to actually map out your image and how to use colours. The rest of my knowledge is by self-education. 

 

Using oil paints can be scary, not just from the solutions involved but from the fact it is completely different from acrylic and water colours. You can use many diluents for oil paint, I like to use liquid, white spirit and/or linseed oil. mixing these products with oil paint will thin the paint and make the painting dry quicker.

 

The first step many people think to do before anything is to draw out your image first. This took some time for me to get used to. One of my A-level teachers always told me off for it because its basically colouring in. Now I've had more experience with paints I can definitely agree with her.

 

On the images on the right, you will see my attempt to recreating 'The Milkmaid' by Johannes Vermeer. In the first image is the very early steps I take to creating an oil painting. I Sketch out my image in very diluted grey. (Luckily my teacher did not see, so I didn't get told off hehe) Next, you can see some indication of colour in the brown background and blue on the hand. Before I start painting I like to study the image I am referencing. I like to really look closely and understand colours you would not think are there. For example, I found a blue tone within the pouring milk. When starting to paint I dilute the basic colours I can see. This acts as a base, when it dries these colours can show through and it really adds to the end looks with detail. 

 

When adding detail there is a tip I always like to remember; "Thin paint always sticks to thick paint" Thick paint I like to think is stubborn but is really helpful when coming to blending. Its more dry than diluted/ thin paint so doesn't leave obvious paintbrush marks and gaps in the paint. When blending I love to use a DRY & CLEAN round brush, but one without a point (image below) it really buffs out grain.