Painting Techniques

Painting Techniques:

As you know there are many different ways and materials to use when painting. Were going to have a look at the different mediums of painting, and in this way, you will have the

knowledge to further your training as to what medium of painting you want to work with.

These are the mediums we are mainly going to concentrate on in painting techniques, as they are the most used. Sure.... you can go forth later and see all the wonderful different paints and mediums that have been developed. There are paints for painting on glass for instance. But I want to teach you about the most traditional and the most used.

Oil Painting

Painting techniques such as oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil, this is my favourite medium when painting. Oil painting dates in the West to at least ancient Roman times. So it is one of the oldest.

Water Color

Painting techniques such as water Color is a paint which are made of pigments suspended in a water. You can buy water color in a tube, or dry in pallets. Where you can dip your paint brush into water and then wipe the brush onto the dry paint cubes.

Watercolor painting is extremely old as well, dating perhaps to the cave paintings of Paleolithic Europe, and has been used for manuscript illumination since at least Egyptian times, especially in the European Middle Ages.

You probably have seen it in the most beautiful paintings done in books. As most books then were hand written and painted (mainly by monks) when only the rich were able to buy books, before the printing press.

"The essential of painting is that something, that 'ethereal glue,' that intermediary product which the artist secrets with all his creative being and which he has the power to place, to encrust, to impregnate into the pictorial stuff of the painting." - Yves Klein (1928-1962).

Water colors are what they say, being based on water, they are translucent in a way, their application onto paper can vary in such degrees.

That a painting can almost be done just with one color and the same color paint. By the amount of water added to the paint.

Some say that it is harder to master water colors than oils. Sure, you need to apply different painting techniques in order to use water color. But don't let that scare you off using water color. It is also a cheaper medium of paint, and easy to buy.

Acrylic Painting

Acrylic paint is fast-drying paint containing pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Now these paints are also diluted in water, which is good. Though you will find that once dry; the paint becomes water-resistant. Acrylics don't have a

long history, they were first made commercially in the 1950s. You probably see many turning over to acrylics when house painting, as they dry fast, and don't have that paint stink, stinking out the house for days.

Now because this paint dries fast, you might think this is good,In some ways it is. Yet, you don't have the flexibility that you do with oils.

And this is probably why I like oils the most. Because you will find that you don't have much time to blend your colors. Often having to layer your paints, to achieve the mixed in look.

"By the way, my subscribers to "Pet Art Newsletter" get more advise on what medium best suits their individual talent.

So you will have to work faster, though depending on what sort of style you choose to do for your painting. Say more modern art. Where you don't have to blend in the colors so much.

To achieve the natural traditional look. Acrylics can be great to work with. And being fast drying, you don't have to worry about waiting days before you have a finished article ready.

Artist - Sue Wall

Oil Pastels

Pastels is an art medium in the form of a stick you could say..... consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder. So in painting techniques such as this, you are not using a brush, a bit like drawing in a way...

• Soft pastels -  Now this is the most widely used form of pastel. The sticks have a higher portion of pigment and less binder, resulting in brighter colors. The drawing can be readily smudged and blended with your finger or a blender (paper stub), it does result in a higher proportion of dust. Drawings made with soft pastels require a fixative to prevent smudging. You will find that you can buy a fixative from art shops, or, what I used to do is use ordinary hair spray.

   

• Hard pastels - These pastels have a higher portion of binder and less pigment, producing a sharp drawing material that is useful for fine detail. Now they can be used with other pastels for drawing outlines and adding accents, which is a good idea if you want more detail. However the colors are less brilliant than with soft pastels.  Its a choice you need to make.

   

• Pastel pencils- These are pencils with a pastel lead. They are useful for adding fine details. Probably less messy, though I find it a good idea to use all these pastels together.

   

• Oil pastels— These have a soft, buttery consistency and intense colors. They are slightly more difficult to blend than soft pastels, but do not require a fixative.

   

• Water-soluble pastels— These are similar to soft pastels, but contain a water-soluble component, such as glycol. This allows the colors to be thinned out using a water wash.

My thoughts are that you can mix and match with these mediums. One way to save money though, is if you know you want certain colors for detail. Just buy the more detailed colors separately. A good way for the start, until you see if this medium is right for you.

Pen and Water Color

Here you can use water color and ink to together. I have found this style very rewarding. With painting techniques such as this, you can crate fine detail with the ink pen and coloring over the drawing.

Or do it the other way; do the water color first and then fill in where you want to put the detail. You will find that this style can make some beautiful drawing-paintings.

Just remember that when using pen-ink and water color together. Let the watercolor dry first. Or you could tear or grain on the surface of you paper.

Artist - John Hoar

These are the main painting mediums we are going to concentrate on mainly on this site. We will go into more detail on how to use these mediums and what you can do with them.

You may choose to try a few painting techniques to see what is best for you. It just takes time to find out, and you will also

find that you will be more comfortable with some mediums than others.

Experimentation is the only way to find out. And the more knowledge you find out about each medium, the better you will be equipped to choose.

You might be surprised just how versatile, each medium can be. Its all an exciting road to be on.

You just need to give me time to put all this information on for you. As there is so much to go through.

Oil Painting Techniques
Oil Painting Instruction
Watercolor Lessons
Art Paint
Watercolor Painting Instruction
Watercolor Painting Lessons
Pastel Art
Painting with Acrylics
How to Sponge Paint
How to Oil Paint
Silhouette Paintings
How to Paint with Pastels
Learn how to Paint Depth
How to Paint on Canvas with Background Effects
How to Paint with Acrylics
Painting Lessons with a Brush
Painting Tutorials without a Brush
Painting how to Paint Disappearing Colours
Ideas for Silhouette Art Painting
Different Watercolor Painting Techniques


 

 Return from Painting Techniques to Home