Workshop: Oil Painting for Beginners

Oil painting is often considered to be the “ultimate” way to paint as well as mysterious and incredibly messy.  Oils are both forgiving and challenging and are loved by many artists.  This beginner’s class will introduce you to basic techniques that will help you get off on the right foot and give you the opportunity to experience these wonderful paints without a lot of expense or struggle.  You will learn the basic techniques using the safest oil paint products on the market today.  These are real oil paints, not water-soluble oils (which are a different product and require different materials and handling).

On Day 1, we will cover the differences among painting surfaces, variations in different oil paint companies, toxic vs non-toxic paints and solvents, and different kinds of oil brushes.  We will discuss, demonstrate, and practice both blending and impasto painting, using a palette knife, how and why (or why not) to stain your surface, define terms like “fat over lean,” and how to get your composition blocked out quickly.  We will also learn how to clean and store your brushes properly.

On Day 2 we will cover the differences in available mediums, color mixing, and students will have the opportunity to use their stained surfaces to paint an actual painting. We will discuss transporting your wet paintings and how to store your completed paintings as well as studio organization and safety tips.

Materials/Supplies List

Paint:  Will be supplied by instructor.  DO NOT bring paint or medium to class.

Palette: Any wooden or glass palette will work, the instructor prefers a tempered glass palette for her own use and keeps it in a Masters Stay Wet Box normally used for acrylic painting without a pad. Paper or disposable pallets are discouraged as they do not allow for proper mixing of oil paints.

Panels:  8x10 or 9x12 – one Amersand Gessobord, two canvas covered boards with acrylic gesso any brand, one stretched canvas (preferably with oil ground, but gesso okay).  Do Not pre-stain.

Brushes:  All long handled:  Princeton brand is good for beginners, look for synthetics good for oil and acrylic.  Will discuss different brush manufacturers and brush fibers in class.  Long Filberts: 10, 8, 4, 2 and Brights (short or long fibers) 8,4.  One small round or a rigger.

Palette knife:  look for one with a 2” blade that is flexible about ½” wide at the base.

Cotton rags:  torn up sheets, torn flannel shirts, old tee-shirts.  Have these torn up int 8” squares before coming to class.  Fill a plastic grocery bag with them.

Solvent:  Will be provided.  Do not bring solvent to class.

Canning Jars:  Bring two with lids.

If you want to learn to stretch a small canvas over a lunch break, bring a small set of stretcher bars, a length of canvas large enough to cover stretchers with a two inch over lay, and a staple gun.  Instructor will bring stretcher pliers and other tools to show.  With small canvasses, special tools are not normally needed.