Monday, May 23, 2016

The Main Oil Painting Techniques Used In Modern Art

By Christine Ward


Oil painting produces some of the most magnificent pieces of art. The technique has been in existence for centuries and used pigments obtained from various types of seeds. Examples of these seeds include linseed, poppy seed, safflower and walnut among others. It is possible for the artist to prepare the oil paints themselves or to buy them from art supply stores. We will look at examples of oil painting techniques that are commonly used.

Layering is one of the commonest techniques employed. It is a technique in which different colors are applied in an overlapping fashion. The colors in the background must be left to dry first before those in the foreground are added. Ensure also that you use lighter colors for the background and denser ones for the objects in the foreground. The method is best suited for paintings that have to be finished with a lot of detail.

Glazing is another popular technique that is easy to apply. It entails the addition of a transparent paint on top of an opaque one with the aim of modifying some aspects. Such may include texture, chroma and hue among others. It is possible to create the impression of a transparent glass using this technique. This done by using a pure transparent color against a background of dark contrast so as to create an impression of density.

Color intensification can be easily achieved using oil paints. The idea is to create different shades of the same color. This is achieved by diluting the paint in various stages. The background contains the most diluted density such that it contrasts with the denser objects in the foreground.

As is the case in other types of painting, color blocking can be done. This is achieved by using diluted brush strokes to repaint the outlines of objects so as to emphasize them. This eliminates the need for extra paint to be used for the same purpose. It is important that one uses the same color that has been used to paint the inside of the object for color blocking.

Chiaroscuro is a method that will be seen in many different types of paintings inducing those that are oil based. It is a technique that is used to demonstrate the effect of light on objects that have been included in the painting. Light and dark contrast has to be used to indicate the general direction of light. The shadows should be painted using a completely black color.

Monochromatic painting is a feature that can be easily applied here. Some subjects are only brought out by a single color. You can dilute the color chosen severally so as to achieve as many shades as possible. White paint may be helpful in adding volume and relief through the emphasis of white shades. This is done by applying thick white paint over the lighter shades. Be cautious not to overuse the white paint.

Different brush strokes can be adopted to bring out different effects. While long strokes are preferred when painting the background, shorter strokes are mainly used for the foreground. Non-representational strokes may be used to enhance the color of objects within the painting. Dots of varying sizes are also used to create various impressions.




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