| Oil Painting with Mediums |
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Before beginning a painting, it is a good idea to have a reference image. I prefer to use the almighty Photoshop for my sketches. For this image, I combined a photo of a water splash, a water line, and a turquoise stone. The main purpose of the sketch is to establish the composition and get an idea of hue and tonal values. Always remember the sketch is the reference, not the completed work of art, so there is no need to spend hours perfecting the details. That will be done with oil paint.
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This painting is about playing with mediums. The base coat is oil paint diluted with turpentine. To preserve highlight areas, I applied straight white paint before quickly working in the darker values of paint mixed with turp. After the area was covered, I dipped the brush in turp and splashed it on the canvas to dissolve wet paint. |
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I liked using turpentine so much I got a little carried away. The bottom doesn't even begin to work with the rest of the painting (though there were very cool effects that I'll use later in another painting), however I do like the darker splashes of paint at the top. The paint splashes compliment the image of a splash nicely. |
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The bottom is MUCH improved at this point. Hues and values blend correctly. Still in keeping with the splashy theme, I've splattered thinned white paint all over the canvas to drip as gravity desires. |
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Time for the details. The turquoise stone is painted alla prima. Keeping the rule of fat on lean in mind, straight paint is used. |
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More details are taking shape. Since the white values of the splash were originally painted in straight paint, I chose liquin to fatten up the glaze. This process is time consuming, but gives the most ideal results, as colors can be layered for a rich, deep look. More splash detail is needed, and it will be established using liquin and glazes. |
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