Foundations of Classical Oil Painting: How to Paint Realistic People, Landscapes and Still Life

by Lea Wight

Overview

Professional painting instructor Lea Colie Wight demystifies the formulaic process of oil painting into a simple approach to help you paint confidently and accurately in full color. Develop a core foundational skill set to develop your paintings and discover a signature way of working from life that can be applied to figure painting, portraits, landscapes and still life. Though the focus is on oils, the methods in this book can be applied to all painting mediums including as acrylic, pastel and watercolor.

 • Informative lessons and simple exercises help to build confidence and lay the foundations for successful oil painting
 • Learn a straightforward system for painting realistically with a focus on accurate color.
 • 4 full-length step-by-step demonstrations show how to paint a figure, a portrait, a still life and a landscape

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440352423
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/25/2018
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.40(d)

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

VALUE and COMPOSITION

A good composition is essential to a good painting, and a strong composition is achieved through value. Since the two go hand-in-hand, this chapter will focus on both.

When you are walking through a gallery, what pulls you toward a particular painting? Once you're standing in front of the painting, you can appreciate all the beautiful detail, but it is the powerful composition that draws you close enough to see it. And what creates powerful compositions? Values.

Composition tells the viewer what to focus on — the important elements in the painting. It leads the viewer through the painting, lingering on certain areas before moving to the next. It can be energetic or calm. The areas of different values create this. A pinpoint of light within a dark mass draws your eye in, while a strong sweeping arc of dark carries your eye along it. A dark strip of land within a field can convey isolation, whereas a busy jumble of contrasting values can show the excitement and activity of a city street. However, even a hectic scene still needs focal points to guide the viewer.

Study the Old Masters — they understood the value of composition. And the next time you're walking through an art museum, really think about what it is that draws you to certain paintings.

VALUES

The ability to show correct value relationships is one of the most important components in painting. Remember, if your value isn't right then your color isn't right.

The prevalent painting system throughout this book is based on macro to micro for all skills, and that holds true for values.

The basic rule of nature is that when there is a single light source there is a clear division between things in the light and things in the shadow regardless of color. A single light source can be an artificial light shining on your subject, the sun outside or light coming in through windows on only one side of a room. Nothing in the light will be as dark as anything in the shadows. Squint at your entire composition. Expect to see the division between light and shadow and you will most likely see it.

To simplify the study of values it's easier to take color out of the equation. That's why most basic value illustrations are in shades of gray.

Begin with simple setups. Make sure there is one light source so you have a minimum of atmospheric light affecting your subject. Begin your setup exercises using a middle value backdrop and bottom surface for your object.

Make sure you have clear, simple plane differences in your object. Do this by adjusting the angle of your light.

Move to more and more complex compositions as time goes by.

EXPANDED VALUE RANGES

The illustration below shows a more complex object broken down into values. In most painting compositions there will be many more values than just the ones present on a simple single object.

SIMPLIFYING VALUES

When dealing with a complex subject, start with simple value relationships.

FABRIC STUDY

This painting illustrates a complex value composition. It is necessary to find the separation between light and shadow during the block-in stage of a painting dealing with so many close values. Squint to confirm the shadow and light separation.

AFTERNOON LIGHT

Complicated subjects like this will be easier if you make sure that your light and shadow separation are locked in first. In this case, the strong shadows present at the end of the day made the values clearer. There is a very close relationship between the bottom lantern in shadow (A) and the box wall behind it (B). Notice the value difference at the bottom of the painting — a cool blue shadow versus warm green light.

VALUES AND COLOR COMPARISON

In this comparison of value and color, some extremely close relationships in many spots make it challenging to accurately see the values. The roof of the far building (A) is very close in value to the walkway in shadow (B). Set the lightest and darkest values and the areas closest to the division between light and shadow first.

COMPOSITION STUDIES

The most effective way to understand composition is to study the compositions of others. Spend some time looking through books of paintings and visiting museums and galleries. Here are some things to consider when composing a painting:

• Abstract balance: A main element in composition is the balance and clarity of value masses.

• Direction: The direction of the model's gaze has an influence on the balance of the composition. If your model is placed on the right side of the canvas and her eyes are also looking to the right, the viewer will most likely follow her gaze right out of the canvas without lingering on any other elements in the painting. If, however, the gaze is turned toward the left and into the painting there are opportunities to direct the viewer around the body of the painting.

• Rhythm and focal points: Consider the balance between areas of detail, increased value, color differences and relative quiet. If a musical composition called for all instruments played at the same volume and tempo, there would be no rhythm. The same is true in painting. You may intend for a high-energy painting or a quiet composition. There are many choices.

By planning out your composition ahead of time, you determine how you want your painting to be balanced. You should always plan your composition, not be surprised by it. All of these elements — rhythm, balance, direction — come together to produce the effect you desire.

Paint sketches of compositions that please you. Use only three to five values in your sketches in order to keep the compositions as clear as possible. Doing composition sketches brings the added benefit of strengthening your simplification skills. Bring your full focus to this exercise and you'll find confidence in your ability to develop strong compositions.

VALUE STUDIES

An excellent way of discovering what makes a strong composition is to make thumbnail value studies of master paintings. The illustrations below are a few studies that I did.

Look at a good, comprehensive book on various painters or search online for museum collections. Execute thumbnail paintings like these studies, keeping them very simple. Spend only about 20 minutes or so on each to avoid getting too mired in detail.

COMPOSITIONAL STUDIES

Before you actually begin painting, it's best to first visualize the painting on your canvas and do some sketches of possible compositions. After deciding on your general composition, do some quick studies. The following images are all examples of preparatory studies I did for my painting, Lauren, on the previous page.

CHAPTER 2

ANATOMY

A familiarity with human anatomy is essential for any artist who's interested in painting or drawing people. This is equally important whether you're working with a nude or with a clothed subject, whether a cropped portrait or a full figure.

This chapter will give you some basic anatomical information, but it really just scratches the surface. There are many excellent books and videos dedicated solely to the study of anatomy, and I strongly recommend using them. I also suggest taking an écorché sculpture workshop, which focuses on the study of the human form from the skeleton through the muscles.

In addition to these resources, you have one right at hand — your own body! Feel your bones and joints to see how they work. Move, stretch and bend to identify your muscles. Then use this knowledge to relate to what you're seeing when you are with your model. Without this basic knowledge and understanding of anatomy, it's easy to make a blunder that will compromise an entire painting.

ANATOMY & PLANES OF THE HEAD

An understanding of the skull is essential to a good portrait. All of the beautiful rendering of the features won't correct it. Without a good understanding of the shoulder girdle and that the neck is an extension of the spine, it's pretty hard to pull off a good portrait.

It's important to know, too, that what happens on one side of the body affects the other. When a person bends to the side, that side is compressed and you will see folds. The other side is extended and stretched. The body works in unison. When a neck is turned, the muscle running from the base of the skull to the clavicle stretches and shows clearly, while the same muscle on the compressed side is hidden.

ANATOMY & PLANES OF THE BODY

I've seen many portraits where the shoulders extend out to oblivion or simply aren't there at all. A believable painting of a person should show, for instance, the correct point at which the leg joins the torso. If the artist isn't sure of this, the result could easily be that the leg joins sort of somewhere at the bottom of the torso rather than at the hip joint. Lack of knowledge about the human skeleton and muscles will show in a clothed figure as clearly as in a painting where form is exposed. It's easy to see whether there are shoulders under the shirt and whether the clavicles meet in the middle.

MUSCLES

If you're worried about remembering the technical names of each landmark or muscle, don't worry. The most important thing is to recognize them for what they are and how they work — to know a muscle from a fatty area, and to know the difference between what a flexed muscle looks like compared to one at rest.

BONY LANDMARKS

As an artist, it's necessary to understand what you're seeing and to be able to simplify the complex form into clear structure. There is a lot of important information hidden under the skin, and there are universal landmarks on each human body. These landmarks occur at fixed skeletal points where bone is close to the surface.

HANDS & FEET

The only way to become accomplished at painting hands and feet is to set it as a goal. Just do it! You'll get tired of always painting hands in pockets and people at the beach in boots.

The best way to approach hands is to look at their overall shape as mittens. Don't think about the individual fingers. Remember that the hand is an extension of the arm and look for the long lines from the wrist to the tips of the fingers. From there, build your hand by looking for the next most obvious thing you notice when you squint. Eliminate any information you don't see, even if you know it's there. Only put in what you see at a glance.

Approach feet in the same way.

CHAPTER 3

GESTURE and GRISAILLE

This chapter deals with the building stages that are critical to a successful realistic painting. These stages form a natural progression and are the same regardless of the subject matter or your timeline.

• The Gesture: This is where you make your first marks — a few swift lines that capture the very basic shape or movement of the subject.

• Open Grisaille: In this stage you begin massing in shadows and adjusting light areas.

• Closed Grisaille: Here you are working with just enough paint to shape the forms, and you will begin developing the values.

Becoming skilled at the individual stages takes practice and repetition, but in time, you'll see marked improvement. The more time you spend building a painting, the less time you'll spend correcting it later on.

GESTURE

The first step in building any painting or drawing should be a strong gesture taking in the entire subject. This should be few quick action lines taking no more than 10 seconds — too fast for indecision.

If your subject is living, a human or animal, an energetic gesture captures their movement and essence. Imagine that you're a choreographer and you're taking notes of movements to recall later on. Your goal is to capture the essence of the dancer's motion, not his eyebrows.

If your subject is a still life or landscape, do a very fast compositional gesture. Don't worry about the exact measurements or detail. All that will come as the paining is developed. Have confidence in your ability and try to build up from the simplest things you see.

Demonstration

CAPTURE GESTURE

Follow the steps to practice capturing gesture. Try several variations of poses. Have your model change poses every 30 seconds. Keeping the poses short can feel really nerve-wracking at first, but the idea is to work so quickly that you don't second guess yourself. When the model changes poses, wipe the gesture off and start the new one. When the model takes a break, use the time to give your canvas a really good wipe down. Keep only the gestures you're happy with and think are good examples.

1 BLOCK IN THE MAIN GESTURE LINES

Dip your brush in your solvent and wipe it well to take off most of the moisture. Pick up a little Burnt Umber or black with the tip of the brush and move it around on your palette until it's not thin enough to be runny and not thick enough to be clumpy. The amount of paint you need on your brush will change as you paint because of repeated cleaning, so keep an eye on it.

Avoid completed shapes where the lines end at a specific point and new lines begin. The idea of open lines crossing each other gives the artist the feeling of freely adjusting rather than deciding an exact spot. Straight lines, curvy lines or arcs — experiment to see which approach feels the most natural to you. The important thing is to be loose and energetic, and to find the simplest interpretation of the pose from top to bottom.

2 DEVELOP AND CORRECT THE GESTURE

Once you have a good strong energetic gesture, stand back and study the subject and your canvas. Carry your vision back and forth and make a judgement as to the largest division you see. In a standing pose it may be the waist, but remember that every pose is different. Let your eyes calmly, without rush, look back and forth, back and forth. Soon you will see the areas where adjustment and development are needed.

Keep moving forward in this way, building up and refining the gesture until you have the basic shape and proportions of the figure in place.

SUGGESTED EXERCISE

Head outside and do some quick sketches of people going about their day. Grab their gestures as quickly as you can because they could move at any moment.

DIFFERENT SUBJECTS, SAME PROCESS

Whether you are painting a figure, a portrait, a still life or a landscape, your approach for capturing the gesture should be the same regardless of the subject. When you're beginning a still life or landscape, envision your composition on the canvas before you pick up your brush. Try to see the largest gesture. No amount of detail will correct your painting if the biggest statement is wrong.

Start with big shapes, taking in the entire composition. It is very important to stand back and judge these lines and shapes. As with a portrait or figure painting, look for the most apparent adjustment you see and make that correction. Keep working this way until you don't see anything to correct.

OPEN GRISAILLE

Now let's explore the open grisaille stage as a further step in a developed painting. Open grisaille is the process of massing in your shadow areas. It is called "open" because you leave the areas in light clear, without paint.

Continue to work simply and generally, just as you did in the gesture and adjustment stages. The longer you work on this stage, the more precise your painting will become.

The goal is to simplify your composition into a dark and light pattern. This is the beginning of your value stage. This process makes it easier to see proportions and sets your painting up for the next stage in development.

Following are examples of open grisaille at various levels of development because of the different goals and amount of time each one took.

THE PROCESS

In the two examples below, you see another variation of open grisaille painting. They were not intended to be developed further, but to be only open grisailles. This method involves spreading a light layer of grisaille mixture over the canvas first, then building the gesture on top of that and massing in the shadows. The leftover paint that is in the light areas is shaped and wiped with a paper towel, cloth or brush to show the light planes.

Demonstration

OPEN GRISAILLE — MASSING SHADOWS

Follow the steps to practice massing shadows in the open grisaille stage of a painting.

1 BEGIN THE GESTURE

Squint to identify your dark values using just one neutral color. By using only one color you are able to build and shape without the additional task of deciding color relationships. Once again you are building from the simple to the complex.

In some compositions the dark and light patterns do not involve shadows. A landscape on an overcast day may involve "local" values like a dark building against a light field instead of strong shadows caused by sunlight.

2 ADJUST AND DEVELOP

Dip your brush in your solvent and wipe it well to take off most of the moisture. Grab a little Burnt Umber, or a simple, neutral color to your liking, and move it around on your palette until it is the correct consistency. It should brush out on your canvas, allowing it to be controlled. The amount of paint you need on your brush will change as you paint because of repeated cleaning so keep an eye on it.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Foundations of Classical Oil Painting"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Lea Colie Wight.
Excerpted by permission of F+W Media, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION, 6,
MATERIALS, 8,
Chapter 1 VALUE & COMPOSITION, 10,
Chapter 2 ANATOMY, 28,
Chapter 3 GESTURE & GRISAILLE, 36,
Chapter 4 COLOR & LIGHT, 60,
Chapter 5 FIGURES & PORTRAITS, 76,
Chapter 6 STILL LIFE & LANDSCAPES, 110,
CONCLUSION, 138,
INDEX, 140,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, 142,
DEDICATION, 142,