Painting realistic curly fur is definitely not for the faint of heart. Painting straight white fur is hard enough, but conquering the twists and turns of realistic curly fur is a challenge that can level up your skills as an artist. I’ll share everything I learned while painting this Bichon Frise portrait with all his luscious locks so you can approach your own curly portrait paintings with confidence.

In this painting tutorial, I’ll cover the following topics:

1. Understanding the Anatomy of Realistic Curly Fur
2. Choosing the Right Materials
3. Preparing the Canvas
4. Sketching the Subject
5. Laying Down the Base Colors
6. Building Texture with Layers
7. Adding Highlights and Shadows
8. Finishing Touches and Fine Details
9. Tips on Drying Time

1: Understanding the Anatomy of Realistic Curly Fur

Understanding the anatomy of curly fur is an important part of painting it in oil. Realistic curly fur often has a lot of texture and volume, with small groupings of hair twisting and turning in different directions. Additionally, it can reflect light in unique ways, creating bright highlights and deep shadows.

1: Start the curls by adding a few random twists with a medium/dark color. 2: Add darker strokes to start building dimension. 3: Blend in subtle highlights on top of the lighter strokes to create form. 4: Subtly add complementary color to create visual interest. 5: Add small, bright highlights on top the lighter colors and blend.

To capture the texture of realistic curly fur, you need to pay attention to the general direction of the hair. Curly fur tends to have a lot of volume and movement in different directions. Carefully study of the subject and making notes by drawing directly on top of a copy of the reference photo is helpful in recreating this texture in paint.

In this reference photo, I added the dark blue background digitally along with a grid. I also got a feel for the direction of the fur by making marks on a copy of the photo.

Once you start to get the hang of it, you will feel a sort of rhythm when painting the strokes. Be careful to create variation in the size and angles of the fur groupings. You want there to be a random feeling to the placement of the curls. If everything is too evenly spaced in an identical way, it won’t look natural.

Note: Some of the links on the supply list are affiliate links to Amazon, which means if you use the link, I will get a small commission. This, of course, is at no additional cost to you. Using these links allows me to keep this website running. Thank you so much for supporting a fellow artist.

2: Choosing the Right Materials

To paint realistic curly fur, you will need a few key materials, including:

• Oil paints
  • Burnt umber
  • Yellow ochre
  • Ultramarine blue
  • Titanium white
  • Lead white – optional, but recommended
  • Alizarin crimson
• Brushes in a variety of sizes, including fine detail, small, medium, and large brushes
• Canvas or canvas panel
• Gesso
• Palette knife for mixing paint
• Linseed oil or another medium
• Gamsol for thinning paint and cleaning brushes

For a comprehensive list of materials, please visit my supply page. I’ve included links for your convenience.

3: Preparing the Canvas

Consider the Surface for Painting Curly Fur

To start, you’ll want to choose a canvas that is appropriate for oil painting. Canvas is available in a variety of textures and weights, so choose one that suits your painting style and preferences.

I prefer working on primed linen panels, but used stretched canvas for this painting. If using a stretched canvas, make sure that it is stretched tightly over a sturdy frame. This will prevent the canvas from warping or buckling as you paint.

Adding Gesso

Many stretched canvases are pre-primed with acrylic gesso. However, I find that these canvases have too much texture, so I modify them by adding a couple more layers of gesso.

Gesso is a type of primer made from chalk and binder. It creates a smooth, non-porous surface that helps the paint adhere properly and prevents it from soaking into the canvas fibers. Apply gesso to the canvas using a wide, flat brush, making sure to cover the entire surface evenly.

For this painting, I added two additional layers of gesso and sanded the layers down with fine sandpaper to get a smoother surface. It is much easier to achieve realistic results with portrait painting when you use a smoother surface. When adding gesso, make sure each layer has dried completely before sanding, and wipe off dust with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Toning the Canvas

After priming the canvas, I usually add a wash of color to get rid of the stark white. Most of the time, I use burnt umber or yellow ochre thinned down with Gamsol. I add the paint liberally with a brush and then wipe away the excess, leaving a stained canvas.

Workspace

Make sure that your workspace is properly set up for oil painting. Oil paints require solvents and mediums for thinning and blending, so make sure that you have plenty of ventilation and are aware of potential hazards when painting in oil. You’ll also want to have a variety of brushes and tools on hand, as well as a palette for mixing your paint.

The initial sketch on a toned canvas.

4: Sketching the Subject

I like to sketch my subject onto the canvas using vine charcoal. I do a very simple, basic outline. This is a rough sketch that captures the overall shape and size, as well as any major details such as the placement of the eyes and nose.

You can draw your subject freehand or use a grid to help you with measuring. I used a simple grid for landmarks. When using a grid, make sure the proportion of the grid on your reference photo is the same as the grid on the canvas.

Once the rough sketch is finished, I refined the drawing by adding more detail. The sketch was continued using a little burnt umber oil paint thinned down with Gamsol.

I started to sketch the curly fur using burnt umber thinned with Gamsol.

I paid close attention to the direction of the fur, and used light, feathery strokes to indicate the fluffy texture. Take the time to study your reference photos and observe the way that light and shadow play across the surface of the fur. This helps to create a more realistic and dynamic painting.

As I sketched my subject, I made sure to start indicating the value structure. Taking the time to sketch the subject carefully and thoughtfully, creates a strong foundation for a successful painting.

5: Laying Down Base Colors for Realistic Curly Fur

Laying down base colors is a crucial step in painting curly fur. This involves applying the initial layer of color to the canvas, which will provide the foundation for the rest of the painting.

When it comes to painting realistic curly white fur, the last thing you want to start with is white. White is reserved for the very end of the process since you can’t go brighter in value than white.

White is the lightest value, so when painting white curly fur, you need to start with darker values.

In this painting, I looked for some of the darkest colors in the white fur. I mixed some darker yellow, red, and blue tones and painted them with a little Gamsol to keep the paint thin and transparent. This also allowed me to remove paint easily with a clean brush, so I could start to get a sense of the curly fur.

Indicating direction using brushstrokes helps to create the beginnings of realistic curly fur.

It’s important to pay attention to the direction and movement of the fur. Using shorter, circular strokes helps create the look of little curls.

The Indirect Method

I decided to paint this portrait over a longer period of time, allowing the layers to dry in between sessions. This is known as the indirect method in oil painting. Painting glazes of transparent colors over dried, opaque colors creates an optical effect of luminosity.

Adding the first layer of color.

6: Building Texture with Layers

Once you’ve laid down your base colors, you can start adding additional layers to create more depth and dimension. Layering your colors is an important technique for creating a realistic-looking painting, as it allows you to add shading, highlights, and other details that help bring your subject to life.

Once the underpainting is dry, it’s time to begin building texture by adding layers. This creates more depth and dimension. I like to keep my shadow areas thin or less dimensional and use thicker, heavier strokes where the fur is most defined and textured. Not only will this have an optical effect of adding dimension, but it literally creates a 3D effect depending on how thick your paint is.

Starting to create texture.

Experiment to Create Realistic Curly Fur

Experimenting with different brushes and techniques creates different textures. For example, a stiff bristle brush can be used to create a rough, textured appearance, while a soft brush can be used to create a softer, more subtle effect. At the very beginning, I used a stiffer brush to wipe off paint in circular strokes to start creating a fur pattern. I used softer, synthetic brushes as I began to feather in the curly fur later on.

When layering, pay close attention to the way the colors and tones interact with each other. Use different colors and shades to make it look like there is more depth and volume. Don’t be afraid to mix colors together to create unique, customized shades.

Be Patient, Realistic Curly Fur Takes Time

Building texture with layers takes time and patience. Allow each layer to dry before applying the next. Using a medium like Liquin can help speed up the drying process if you are in a hurry. There are also mediums that slow down drying time. I go more into detail on mediums in this article.

Adding in a dark blue background color will create contrast with the white fur.

Painting the Background

Before I continued adding layers, I decided to paint the background. I used burnt umber, ultramarine blue, a touch of white, and a little yellow ochre to create the colors. Once again, I am subtly using warm and cool tones next to each other to create visual interest. Painting a very dark blue background created a dramatic contrast to the white fur. When I’m painting simple head and shoulder portraits, adding drama through contrasting colors helps the painting command attention.

7: Adding Highlights and Shadows

Steps 6 and 7 took the most time because there was a lot of back and forth between adding highlights and reestablishing shadows. I wanted the focus of the portrait to be on the face, so the center of the painting contains the most detail. Because of this, the curly fur on the body further away from the face was painted in a more abstract, less realistic way.

Secret Tip for Creating Realism

Painting areas surrounding the focal point doesn’t take away from the overall realism of the portrait, it actually increases it. Human eyes can only focus on the center of what it’s looking at. Everything around the focal point becomes more out of focus. If you have areas that are out of focus on your painting, they will encourage the onlookers eye to move back to the sharper details. Pretty cool, huh?

Be Aware of the Source of Light

I examined the reference photo closely to determine where the light source was coming from. In this portrait, the light was coming from the upper left side. The parts of the fur that the light directly hit had lighter shades added to them. Those areas included the tips of the fur and parts of the face where the fur was most prominent.

Creating the initial texture of the fur.

Adding highlights and shadows is a crucial step when painting realistic curly fur. I used smaller brushes to paint the highlights on top of the curls. However, I wasn’t using the brightest white yet.

Darker brown and blue shadows were added where curls overlapped or twisted away from the light.

The darker shades were created by combining different amounts of burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and yellow ochre. They were added to the areas of the fur that were in shadow, which included the right side of the face and body.

Lead White, Curly White Fur’s Best Friend

I used lead white for the first time when painting this portrait. It is quite expensive, which is why I had never used it before. I’m  glad I made the investment because it is absolutely wonderful to work with. Lead white is a much more transparent white than titanium white.

Highlights and shadows bring out the curls. As the paint dries, it can become dull as you can see in the background here.

Because of the transparency, it took many layers to build up the white tones, which was perfect for painting realistic curly fur. I used a mixture of titanium white and lead white to build brighter areas. Use caution when working with lead white though, as it is toxic. Make sure to wear gloves to protect your skin.

Adding highlights and shadows is a subtle art, so take the time needed and practice to get the effect just right. By working slowly and thoughtfully, and observing your reference photo closely, you can capture the complexity of realistic curly fur.

Adding detail to this adorable, curly little face.

8: Finishing Touches & Fine Details of Realistic Curly Fur

Finishing touches and fine details can take painting curly fur to the next level by adding even more depth and nuance. Here are a few tips for adding final touches to a painting:

• Check the Colors & Values:
  

  Before adding any final touches, make sure the colors are consistent and accurate. Step back from the painting and look at it from a distance to make sure the colors blend well together. Squint your eyes to help you see values and make corrections. You can also take a photo of your painting and change it to black and white to see if the values look right.

I made sure to check my values frequently along the way.

• Add Fine Details:

  Use a fine brush and a steady hand to add individual strands of fur, highlights, and shadows. I like to use a mahl stick to keep my hand steady and also have a pair of reading glasses to help me see. I used transparent oil paints to glaze in hints of color, alternating warm and cool tones. Be patient and take your time toward the end of the process. Don’t worry about making everything in the painting perfectly detailed. I only brought detail to the face and then allowed everything else to go out of focus. If I tried to paint every single curl in sharp focus, I would never have finished the painting. It is easy to suggest curls in the areas away from the face with dabs of light and dark paint.

• Sign Your Painting:

  Once you’re satisfied with the final result, don’t forget to sign your painting. Choose a discreet spot in the corner of the canvas and sign your name using a fine brush and color of paint that works with the overall color scheme. If you mess up your signature, you can wipe it off and start over again, or you can paint over mistakes with some background color. My advice is to practice your signature on a scrap piece of canvas a few times and then add it to the painting.

For the final layer, I added the brightest highlights to the top of the curls and reinforced darker areas. The photo above was taken before the varnish was applied.

9: Tips on Drying Time

The drying time for an oil painting can take anywhere from a week to a year, depending on what pigments and mediums were used and how thick the paint was applied. I’ve found that burnt umber dries incredibly fast, so I use that pigment in thin layers quite often when starting my paintings.

Use Mediums to Speed Up or Slow Down the Drying Time

For quicker drying times, an alkyd medium such as Liquin can be mixed into the paint. Usually, a layer can dry within a day when using this medium. It is important to mix the proper ratio of medium to paint for the best results. I didn’t use Liquin with this painting, so I allowed each layer to dry before painting another layer.

Walnut, safflower, and poppyseed oils take the longest time to dry. For this painting, I used linseed oil, which, when used sparingly and in thin layers, can take only a few days to dry.

Temperature Influences the Drying Time

Oil paint dries faster in warmer temperatures. I have put my paintings in a dust-free area of the garage during the summer to speed up the drying process. I also make sure to not expose paintings to direct sunlight. The sun can bleach pigments that are not lightfast (also known as fugitive colors).

Varnishing Protects the Paint Film

Before adding a varnish, make sure your painting is completely dry and free of dust. Gently wiping the surface with a lint-free cloth can help remove debris. Varnishing the painting will bring back the richness of the color if the paint has dulled during the drying time. This is always an exciting step when finishing a painting. In addition to restoring the color, the varnish protects the paint film, which is important for preserving the work over time.

Are You Ready To Conquer Curly White Fur?

To wrap things up, painting curly white fur in oil requires a combination of technical skill, creative vision, and a whole lot of patience. By understanding the anatomy of the fur, choosing the right materials, using the right techniques, and taking a lot of time, anyone can learn to paint curly white fur successfully. The real question is, are you up for the challenge?

Thanks For Stopping By The Online Studio

I hope you found this tutorial on drawing a realistic bird helpful. If you want to stay updated on future tutorials, make sure to join the mailing list at the top of the page. If you want to see other tutorials, check out the links below.

FREE Painting Tutorials:

Click any of the images below to see the corresponding tutorial, or click here for a page previewing all of my tutorials.

Click the image to learn how to paint a sunflower.

If you’d like to learn more about how to paint a dog portrait, click the image above.

Learn how to paint a colorful landscape. Click the image above.

For the full tutorial, click the bird drawing.

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Black fur can be tricky to paint. Click the image above to see the step-by-step article.

The post Painting Realistic Curly Fur in Oil – 9 Tips appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Learning how to draw a realistic bird in color pencil is challenging, but worth the effort. With the right approach and some patience, you can create a stunning piece of art that captures the beauty of these amazing creatures.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to draw a realistic bird step-by-step in color pencil, from sketching the initial outline to adding the finishing touches. Let’s begin!

Note: Some of the links on this supply list are affiliate links to Amazon, which means if you use the link, I will get a small commission. This, of course, is at no additional cost to you. Using these links allows me to keep this website running. Thank you so much for supporting a fellow artist.

Steps In This “Drawing A Realistic Bird” Tutorial:

1. Gather supplies.
   

2. Sketch the outline of the bird.
   

3. Add in a few darker anchor points.
   

4. Begin building a light base color layer.
   

5. Create texture with cross-hatching, stippling, and layers.
   

6. Add depth and polish with burnishing.

7. Add highlights and finishing touches.

1. Supplies Needed To Draw A Realistic Bird In Color Pencil

Click here to check out my supply list page for easy reference. The colored pencil section is near the bottom of the page.

Paper Selection Is Very Important

You will need sturdy paper for colored pencil drawings. While you can practice on less sturdy paper, I would strongly recommend buying at least a small pad of hot press watercolor paper.

I started on inferior paper scraps that I had laying around my studio. This led to a lot of frustration because those types of paper could not stand up to the multiple layers of colored pencil needed to create a realistic effect. You will want a smoother, heavier paper that is 100% cotton. The paper needs to have some tooth to it for the colored pencil to adhere properly.

I used a variety of colored pencil brands to draw this bird.

The best surface I have found to draw on with colored pencils so far is hot-pressed watercolor paper. There are other surfaces artists like to work on, such as pastelmat, sanded papers, and drafting film. I haven’t ventured into that arena yet, as I have plenty of paper to keep me busy.

The Best Pencil To Draw A Realistic Bird In Colored Pencil

So far, I haven’t found an overall “best” pencil. The reason for that is there are a lot of fantastic colored pencils on the market, each having different characteristics. The variety of colored pencils to choose from is huge.

If you are just starting out and want to see if you like colored pencils, try a small box of Prismacolor. I had some of these pencils already and got started with them. Prismacolor pencils are wax-based and have a soft consistency. Many artists love working with these pencils, so you may find that this is all you need.

The Pencils I Used For This Bird Drawing:

I was interested in using watercolor colored pencils so I could have an opportunity to “paint in” my first layer. However, I didn’t wet the colored pencils in this drawing. I’ll write about watercolor pencils in a future article. What I did was use a variety of colored pencils, mixing watercolor pencils, wax-based pencils, and oil-based pencils.

The pencils I love the most are Faber-Castell Polychromos (oil-based, harder lead), Caran d’Ache Luminance (wax-based, softer lead), and Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle (water-soluble, soft lead). I also used a few Derwent Studio pencils for fine details (wax-based, hard lead). Most colored pencil artists have a little bit of everything on hand. Many of these colored pencils can be bought individually, so you can build up a collection without committing to an entire set.

Set Your Expectations

It takes a very long time to create a realistic drawing in colored pencil. A drawing can take several hours to several days or weeks to complete, depending on its complexity. If you are impatient or want immediate results, save yourself the headache and try a different medium.

I was interested in using colored pencils again, as I had used Staedtler Mars colored pencils many years ago and liked the soft texture of the pencils compared to the waxy Prismacolor pencils. I also wanted to do more drawing, so I thought this would be a win-win.

What was surprising to me was how long it took to achieve the look I was going for. The approach for creating realism with colored pencils is to go slow with very light pressure and build layer upon layer. By adding layers upon layers, you can mix the colors together on the paper. You don’t need to have hundreds of pencil colors to get good results. It is fun trying out and collecting different pencils, though.

2. Sketch The Outline For The Bird Drawing

Finding Good Reference Images of Birds

The first step in creating a realistic bird drawing is to choose a reference photo. You can find reference photos online or take your own photos of birds in the wild or in captivity. When choosing your reference photo, make sure it is clear. Look for a photo with good lighting and sharp details that will help you capture the bird’s features accurately.

Sketching The Basic Shapes Of The Bird

Once the reference photo is chosen, start sketching the basic shapes of the bird. Use very light strokes to create an outline of the bird’s body, head, and wings. Focus on capturing the overall shape of the bird and its proportions. This will help you create a strong foundation for your drawing.

A very light sketch was done with watercolor pencil.

Many colored pencil artists will transfer or trace their sketch onto the paper. Tracing keeps you from having to do a lot of erasing. The more you erase, the more the paper breaks down. If you already have a drawing of a bird, you can use a lightbox or window to trace your initial image onto the surface you will be working on. You can also use transfer paper.

Application Thought Process

In the image above, you can see that I did a very light sketch with a sepia-colored pencil. My thought process was to start out with a watercolor pencil, blend it out with water to “erase” mistakes, and add wax and oil-based pencils on top after it was dry. I didn’t actually do this for some unknown reason. The reason I thought about it this way is because oil painters paint fat over lean.

However, I don’t see any hard and fast rules about application procedures in the colored pencil universe, so this strategy may not be valid. It doesn’t hurt to try this approach if it makes sense to you. A painting strategy that does carry over to colored pencil drawings is using light layers, similar to glazing with oil paint.

3: Add A Few Darker Anchor Points On The Bird

After sketching the basic shape, I added darker anchor points to the drawing. I used a darker colored pencil to add more defined lines to the bird’s body, head, and wings. When drawing your own bird, pay attention to its feathers, eyes, and beak, and closely examine the reference photo to help you assess those details accurately.

Adding detail little by little.

Pay Attention To Values

If you’ve followed any of my painting tutorials, you know I talk a lot about the importance of values. Shading is an essential part of creating a realistic bird drawing.

It’s a good practice to allow the pencil strokes to follow the direction of the feathers. I used light strokes to create a soft and subtle shading effect. Applying a tiny bit more pressure helps to establish darker shades and shadows, creating form.

Keep Track Of Highlights

It is important to know where the highlights will be at the beginning of the drawing so you can leave them untouched. For example, you can see in the bird’s eye that I left a couple of white areas of paper showing through. I also did this for lighter details on the wings as I continued drawing the bird.

4: Add The First Layer Of Base Colors

What Exactly Is Layering With Colored Pencils?

Layering is the process of putting on multiple layers of the same or different colors on top of each other to create a smooth effect.

In this drawing, I started by applying a light layer of a lighter color, then added another color on top. Doing this repeatedly gradually builds up the color as you draw.

I chose the base colors for the bird’s feathers and put them on the drawing with a light touch. Shades of yellow, green, grey, and brown colors were used for the first layer. I made sure to use a light touch and vary the pressure to create subtle changes in color.

Adding a light first layer of color. What a sickly looking little bird. Poor thing. Hang in there, little buddy.

To choose the base colors, I looked closely at the reference photo and picked out the lightest color I could see, then applied the first layer with those colors. The drawing looks pretty disappointing at this stage, but hang in there. There are many, many more layers to come.

5: Building Texture With Layers

To create the appearance of texture on the bird’s feathers, I used a variety of techniques, such as cross-hatching, short strokes, and stippling. I also started with small circular strokes to cover the larger area on the back of the bird with yellows and oranges.

This is about the 5th or 6th layer on this bird. You can see I’ve started creating some texture by varying the colors.

It’s OK if your pencil tip is less sharp for laying color down in larger areas. Another layer was added on top of the base layer, with my strokes following the direction of the feathers.

A good rule of thumb is to start with the lightest colors and work your way down to the darkest colors. This, of course, is exactly the opposite approach to what I do when painting in oil. It caused havoc in my mind at first, but it is one of the hazards of trying new things. It’s worth it, though. I like to mix things up to keep the creative part of my brain on its toes.

At this point, I’ve lost count of the layers. It’s a lot, though. You can see that slowly building the colors is creating a nice effect.

6: Create Depth With Darker Colors & Burnishing

To create the illusion of depth in the bird’s feathers, I used a darker color to shade the areas where the feathers overlap. It’s a good idea to pay attention to the direction of the feathers and use short strokes to create a realistic texture.

By blending and layering colors together, burnishing is a way to make a smooth, polished finish. This technique is reserved for the very end of the drawing since it would be nearly impossible to correct any mistakes.

I started burnishing colors to create a more polished look.

Burnishing involves applying a great deal of pressure with the pencil, which compresses the pigment and fills in the tooth of the paper to create a smooth, almost glossy effect. I started burnishing some of the darker colors in the wings with a dark brown. You can also burnish with a colorless blender or a white colored pencil.

Burnishing can be very helpful when drawing things that are shiny or reflective, like the eyes and beak. In my experience, wax-based colors will create a glossier finish than water- and oil-based colors.

It’s important to note that burnishing can also make the colors appear darker, so testing the technique on a scrap piece of paper before applying it to the final artwork is recommended.

7: Add Highlights & Final Details

Highlights

When the layers of the drawing are shaded and burnished, highlights can be added to create a more realistic effect. I used a white pencil along with an electric eraser to create highlights on the bird’s feathers and body. It may be hard to get really bright highlights with a white pencil or eraser at this point if you have accidentally colored in the highlight areas. I did a lot of practicing on scrap paper to make sure I would get the effect I wanted.

There are a couple things that can be done if this happens. First, a Slice tool can be used to very gently scrape away the colored pencil and then add highlights. I’ve also used a white Caran d’Ache Neocolor II Watercolor Crayon to get bright highlights. I simply dipped a fine point brush in water, got a little of the white crayon onto the end of the brush, and painted in a highlight.

Fine details are added in the last stages of the bird drawing.

Fine Details

To create the fine details of the bird drawing, I used a very sharp colored pencil on the bird’s eyes, beak, wings, and feet. I really studied the reference photo to capture the bird’s unique features. The Slice tool can also be used at this point to create various feather details by scraping off color.

The final stages of the bird drawing.

Evaluation & Adjustments

Once the details are added, I walk away from my work and come back with fresh eyes to see if any value adjustments need to be made. A clue that the values are off is that the bird looks unnatural in some way. Another good method for evaluation is to take a picture of the drawing and view it very small on your phone’s screen. This makes it easier to spot differences when compared to the reference photo. I do this with my paintings as well.

Practice Makes Perfect When It Comes To Drawing Realistic Birds

Creating a realistic bird drawing takes a lot of time, practice, and patience. Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t turn out as expected. Keep practicing and experimenting with different techniques and styles until you find the approach that works best for you.

The one thing I didn’t cover on this bird drawing was how to use solvents to blend the oil and wax pigments. I didn’t use solvents on this bird. It is, however, a common practice with colored pencil artists and can give a very smooth, realistic effect when done properly. I have used water with the watercolor pencils to create a wash and blend colors with a great deal of success in other drawings. I’ll make sure to include this with my next colored pencil drawing tutorial.

The finished bird.

Key Takeaways For Your Own Realistic Bird Drawing

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to draw a realistic bird in colored pencil:

• High-quality color pencils and paper are very helpful in creating a professional-looking bird drawing.
• Begin with a very light sketch of the bird’s basic outline, then make adjustments with a kneaded eraser.
• Layer and blend the lighter base colors using light, even pressure.
• Practice using different pencil techniques to create a variety of effects and textures.
• Create a sense of depth and polish using burnishing techniques.
• Add highlights and fine details at the end, remembering to keep the pencil tip sharp.
• Experiment with different reference images to improve your skills, and practice, practice, practice.

Thanks For Stopping By The Online Studio

I hope you found this tutorial on drawing a realistic bird helpful. If you want to stay updated on future tutorials, make sure to join the mailing list at the top of the page. If you want to see other tutorials, check out the links below.

FREE Painting Tutorials:

Click any of the images below to see the corresponding tutorial, or click here for a page previewing all of my tutorials.

Click the image to learn how to paint a sunflower.

If you’d like to learn more about how to paint a dog portrait, click the image above.

Learn how to paint a colorful landscape. Click the image above.

Black fur can be tricky to paint. Click the image above to see the step-by-step article.

The post How to Draw a Realistic Bird in Colored Pencil Step-by-Step appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Rembrandt’s self-portraits have been fascinating artists for over 400 years. But, what makes Rembrandt’s self-portraits stand out from the rest? What is it about his paintings that have allowed them to endure the test of time?

Self-portraits have been a prominent part of art history for centuries, with many famous artists throughout history choosing to paint themselves.

Among these artists, the Dutch master Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, stands out as one of the most prolific and masterful self-portraitists of all time. Rembrandt’s self-portraits are not just art selfies – they are deeply personal and profound expressions of his life, emotional intensity, and artistic mastery.

Where It All Began For Rembrandt

Everyone agrees that Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is among the top artists of all time. He was born in 1606 in Leiden, the Netherlands. During the 17th century, the country was economically prosperous and was a major center of global trade.

Rembrandt self-portrait 1628

The Dutch Golden Age is when the arts began to flourish. Famous painters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Hals made some of their most famous works during this time.

Rembrandt painted numerous portraits, landscapes, and biblical subjects throughout the course of his life. Most notably, he was recognized for his skill in depicting emotion through his work.

Rembrandt with Gorget, workshop of Rembrandt, c. 1629, Mauritshuis, The Hague. For many years, scholars believed that this painting was a self-portrait of Rembrandt at 23 years of age. However, careful  research revealed that it is a very good copy of one of Rembrandt’s self-portraits made by one of his students. The original painting is in Nuremberg.

Early Influences

From his schooling, Rembrandt’s style was heavily influenced by his introduction to Caravaggio and other Italian Baroque artists. After he started using new methods like chiaroscuro (contrasting light and shadow), his art became more dramatic, making them more emotionally charged.

Self-portraitRembrandt 1629, Alte Pinakothek

During his early twenties, Rembrandt had already established himself as a prominent artist in Amsterdam. His reputation as a skilled artist grew, leading to numerous requests for portraits and other works.

Rembrandt – Clowes self-portrait, 1629

Rembrandt’s “Unusual” Self-Portraits

Currently, it is common to see artists using their own likeness as the subject of their work. However, self-portraits were not a typical form of painting in the 17th century – they were actually quite unusual. Portraits during this period were only done for people of means to show off their status and wealth.

Self-portrait in oriental attire with poodle, by Rembrandt 1631

Today, people might view Rembrandt’s self-portraits as an artist selfie, an expression of vanity, or an attempt to promote himself. While there was certainly an aspect of self-promotion, there is more to Rembrandt’s self-portraits than meets the eye. Currently, close to 80 self-portrait paintings and drawings have been identified as being done by Rembrandt.

Rembrandt Self-portrait, 1632

As a collection, these works offer a unique and insightful view into the mind of one of the greatest artists in history. They also are a reflection of Rembrandt’s artistic and personal journey.

Self-Portrait with Shaded Eyes, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1634, The Leiden Collection, New York

The Artistic Genius of Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits

The techniques Rembrandt used in his self-portraits were innovative and departed from the conventional style of portraiture.

While self-portraits were still a relatively new genre in the 17th century, Rembrandt’s groundbreaking approach served to legitimize them.

Rembrandt Self Portrait at the Age of 34 (detail)

In addition, the flexibility with which Rembrandt depicted himself in his self-portraits reflected the spirit of his time. The Dutch encouraged artists to experiment with new forms of artistic expression. This was key for Rembrandt, giving him the freedom to explore new artistic territory and develop his artistic genius.

Rembrandt self-portrait 1636-38

Exploring Life Through Self-Portraits

Rembrandt’s self-portraits also demonstrate exceptional insight and self-awareness that was uncommon in art at the time.

Not only did he paint himself as a self-assured young artist, he also painted himself as an aging man with wrinkles and gray hair. The latter certainly would be no expression of vanity. If Rembrandt were alive today, I’m sure he would not be using filters for his selfies.

Self-portrait at 34 by Rembrandt, 1640

Difficulties & Controversy In The 1600’s

Rembrandt was seen as a controversial figure in many ways. He also was a man who dealt with personal tragedy, which was undoubtedly reflected in his work. Below is a breakdown of his challenges and controversies:

Artistic Technique: Rembrandt’s style was considered avant-garde and was different from what Dutch painters did in the 1600s. He used loose brushstrokes and strong contrasts of light and dark, both of which were unusual at the time, to create a sense of depth and mood. Some people thought his style was a little odd, and a few of his peers were not fans at all. (I’m thinking they were a little jealous).

Rembrandt self-portrait Wearing a Hat and Two Chains, 1642-43

Subject Matter: Rembrandt was known for painting unusual subjects. Instead of the grand historical and religious scenes that were popular at the time, he often chose to show the everyday lives of regular people.

Religious Views: Rembrandt lived in the Netherlands during a time when there was a lot of religious change. He was known for using biblical stories and allegories in his work, but he also often showed religious figures in a more human way, which some people thought was heretical. He even painted his own face into a few of these works.

Rembrandt – self-portrait, staring

Tragedy: The loss of his beloved wife, Saskia and three of his four children were among the many tragedies Rembrandt endured throughout his lifetime. These losses were devastating and he never fully recovered from them. If you look closely at his later self-portraits, you can see the loss reflected in his eyes.

Financial Struggles: Rembrandt was known for his extravagant lifestyle, and he lived beyond his means, leading to financial difficulties and eventual bankruptcy in 1656. This was seen as a sign of moral decay by many, who believed that financial prosperity was a reflection of a virtuous life.

Rembrandt, Self-Portrait in a Flat Cap, 1642, Royal Collection of the United Kingdom

Personal Life: Rembrandt’s second wife, Hendrickje Stoffels, was a maid in his household and became his common-law wife after Saskia’s death. This relationship was not approved by the conservative Dutch society, since it was seen as immoral and violated traditional social norms.

The Psychological Insight of Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits

Rembrandt’s self-portraits provide insight to the artist’s mind and heart at various points in his life. His self-portraits progressed as he did as an artist and a person. Rembrandt’s capacity to reflect on and reveal truths about himself through his art evolved over time, allowing us to learn more about the man behind the masterpieces.

His early works are full of young energy and bold brushwork. Conversely, his later works are more introspective and mature – even a bit solemn in nature.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn – Self-Portrait 1652

Defying Convention

Rembrandt also questioned the norms of his time in these introspective works. He defied the conventions of Dutch Golden Age self-portraiture by painting portraits of himself that were unfiltered, authentic, and full of emotion. They provide fresh insight into the human condition and invite all of us to examine our own feelings about life and death.

Rembrandt’s emphasis on age and mortality is especially noticeable in his later self-portraits. However, he also paints a spirit of fortitude and acceptance – recognizing the cycle of life and the certainty of its end.

Atelier van Rembrandt – Portrait van Rembrandt van Rijn (1655)

Reflections Of The World Around The Artist

Rembrandt’s self-portraits are not just a representation of his physical appearance, but a reflection of his surroundings. Through his self-portraits, he explored the universal themes of life and death, wealth and poverty, love and loss, and the passage of time.

He was also interested in the relationship between the individual and society, and used his self-portraits to comment on the political and social issues of his day.

Influences on Rembrandt’s art during his life were:

• Theater: Having a passion for the stage, Rembrandt infused several of his paintings with dramatic flourishes. His creative use of chiaroscuro reflects his fascination with the dramatic effects of light and dark.
• Rebellion: Even though Rembrandt was a committed Protestant, he frequently dealt with controversial topics related to faith in his art. He was criticized for this, which added to his reputation as a controversial artist.

Rembrandt_self_portrait 1659

• Science: Rembrandt’s passion for science stems from his dual nature as an artist and scientist. Numerous works by him show that he was interested in anatomy and the natural sciences. He was also known to do dissections and draw anatomy, which was very unusual for an artist at the time, raising a few eyebrows.
• Artistic Influences: Rembrandt’s artistic influences were diverse and ranged from the work of Caravaggio and Titian to that of his contemporary and close friend Jan Lievens. He also was inspired by the works of Renaissance masters like Raphael and Baroque masters like Michelangelo. It is easy to see these artist’s influences in his work.

Rembrandt van Rijn – Self-Portrait (1659) detail

• Politics: Rembrandt was a political liberal who opposed the authoritarian control of the Dutch government during his lifetime, despite his religious beliefs. Some of his artworks reflect this political viewpoint by featuring outcasts like street people and prostitutes.
• Technology: Rembrandt’s use of mirrors in his self-portraits allowed him to capture unique angles and play with reflections, allowing him to play with the effects of light and shadow in innovative ways. Many of his self-portraits showcase his mastery of this technique.

Rembrandt – Little Self-Portrait

What Can Artists Today Learn From Rembrandt’s Self Portraits?

Rembrandt’s self-portraits have a lot to teach artists today, both in terms of how to paint and how to think about art. I see many artists on Instagram using the techniques of Rembrandt in their own work. I’m sure he would be amazed by how many artists he has inspired over the last 400 years.

Key Lessons To Learn From Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits:

• Experiment: Rembrandt’s self-portraits show that he was fearless when it came to trying out new techniques. He was always pushing the limits of what was possible in his art. Also, instead of getting stuck in a rut, he tried out different poses, costumes and expressions.
• Be Authentic: Rembrandt’s self-portraits stand out because they are real and tell the truth. He wasn’t afraid to show himself as he really was. The same certainly cannot be said of “selfies” today.

Rembrandt van Rijn Self-Portrait 1660

• Amplify Emotion: Rembrandt’s masterful use of light and shadow resulted in self-portraits that were not only striking to look at, but also displayed powerful emotional depth. His use of contrast to amplify emotion is one of the most powerful lessons artists can use today in their own work.
• Pay Attention to Detail: Rembrandt was known for his ability to capture the subtle nuances of the human face. Artists can use this technique by studying the details of their own facial features and expressions and trying to replicate them in their self-portrait.
• Use Symbolism: Rembrandt often included symbols and allegorical elements in his self-portraits. Artists can use symbolism to add depth and meaning to their self-portrait, for example, using props or background elements to represent different aspects of their own character or experiences.

Self Portrait with Two Circles, c1665-1669 by REMBRANDT Van Rijn

3 Reasons Why Artists Should Paint Self-Portraits

First, it helps the artist learn more about themselves. By painting a self-portrait, an artist can explore their appearance, emotions, and personality. This self-awareness undoubtedly will be mirrored in other artistic creations.

Second, artists can improve their technical skills. Whether it’s of yourself or someone else, making a portrait is challenging and requires a lot of skill and accuracy. By painting a self-portrait, an artist can improve their ability to show facial features and expressions as well as their understanding of lighting and shading.

Self-Portrait as the Apostle Paul (Rembrandt – Rijksmuseum Amsterdam)

Third, a self-portrait can be a compelling way for an artist to express who they are. It enables the artist to show what they think and feel deep down. This can be especially helpful for artists who may have trouble finding other ways to express themselves.

BONUS: no modeling fees. Let’s face it, hiring models or taking photographs suitable for portrait painting can be expensive and time consuming. If artists have a mirror and a single source of light, then they are all set to start painting.

Last Self-portrait by Rembrandt 1669

Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits – A Living Legacy

After 400 years, both the art world and popular culture continue to be influenced by Rembrandt’s self-portraits.

He used the medium to explore his own identity and emotions, creating works that convey a profound sense of introspection and humanity.

In addition to having a long-lasting effect on the evolution of the self-portrait genre, his work is also widely researched and admired by art enthusiasts, museum visitors, and private collectors every day.

Thanks For Stopping By The Online Studio

If you enjoyed reading about Rembrandt and would like to learn more about how to paint a portrait yourself, check out these articles:

How To Paint A Realistic Portrait – Avoid These 11 Mistakes!

Painting Wrinkles And Grey Hair – 12 Tips & Tricks

7 Portrait Painting Tips From The #30faces30days Challenge

How To Paint A Digital Portrait – Step-By-Step With Pictures

Learning How To Do Fine Art Painting Using Procreate And ArtRage

Why Paint Upside Down? 15 Helpful Painting Hacks

The post Why Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits Are More Than Just Artist Selfies appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Painting a sunflower in oil is a great way to practice your painting skills while being inspired by nature. Today, I will guide you through my process for painting a sunflower in oils incorporating the elements of design. I’ll also give you a supply list, so you can find any necessary supplies you need easily. If you prefer to watch this sunflower come to life on video, this link will open in a separate tab on your desktop.

Steps to create a sunflower painting using design elements overview:

1. Supplies needed
2. Using directional lines for sketching
3. Creating shapes with the first layer
4. Building layers and creating texture
5. Creating contrast by reestablishing darks
6. Adding details with texture and pattern
7. Painting the finishing touches

Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you use them to purchase items. By doing so, you are supporting a fellow artist. I’m so grateful for your support.

Some of the supplies I used for the painting.

1. Supplies For Painting A Sunflower

Here is a general list of the supplies I used for this painting. You certainly don’t need to have the exact same supplies I have. This is only to give you an idea of what you would need.

***Please use caution when disposing of materials to avoid fire hazards. Also, always work in a well ventilated area.

• Canvas – you can use any type and size. I used a 5″x7″ primed linen panel.
• Vine charcoal – using vine charcoal for the initial sketch on the canvas allows for easy revisions.
• Gamsol – this is an oderless mineral spirit used for thinning paint.
• Linseed oil – linseed oil can be used to improve the flow of stiff paint.
• Oil paint – I mostly used Gamblin Artist oil paints, but have other brands as well. Feel free to use what you have on hand.
  • Burnt Umber
  • Yellow Ochre
  • Cadmium Yellow Light
  • Cadmium Red Light
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Alizarin Crimson Permanent  (Gamblin) or
  • Alizarin Crimson in photo above (Lukas)
  • Titanium White
• Brushes – I used a variety of sizes. Lately, I’ve been using more synthetic oil brushes and love the results.
• Painting palette – I’ve used disposable paper palettes with great success. I now use a glass palette. You could get some glass dishes from the thrift store for a budget friendly option.

I use a glass palette with a neutral color under the glass. It’s easy to scrape off paint for a clean surface.

These supplies are optional:

• Liquin impasto – Liquin impasto is a heavy body medium that helps create more dimensional brush strokes.
• Palette knife – I use a palette knife to mix paints.
• Mahl stick – I use an aluminum mahl stick to steady my hand while painting. A wooden dowel could work as well.
• Kneaded eraser – I use a kneaded eraser to refine my charcoal sketch. Alternatively, you can wipe the charcoal with a soft cloth.
• Scraper – If using a glass palette, a scraper is very helpful for removing paint.
• Gamblin Artist Oil Set (has most of the colors listed above and is a great value when on sale.)
• Lead White – Lead white is more transparent and less overwhelming than titanium white. However, it is expensive and should only be used with gloves as lead is toxic.
• Nitrile gloves – I use these gloves as a precaution with lead white and cadmium paints. They also keep my hands clean.
• Cobalt teal – This isn’t a must have, but cobalt teal a great complementary color to yellow hues. It’s great for portraits too.
• Shop towels or thick paper towels – try to get lint free towels or use old T-shirts. Viva paper towels are excellent.
• Oily waste can – It is very important to dispose of paper towels correctly by placing them in a proper waste can. I also poor water onto my discarded paper towels when I throw them into the can to help prevent combustion from the oil residue oxidizing on the towels.

Freehand sketch onto 5″x7″ linen panel.

 2. Directional Lines Can Help With The Initial Sketch

In a lot of my tutorials, I sketch in my subject using a grid and a toned canvas. For painting this sunflower, I simply sketched the flower in freehand with vine charcoal. The canvas was pre-primed linen and I chose to keep the canvas white, which I rarely do.

I made sure that the drawing followed a strong diagonal line (see below) which helped to create a more dynamic painting. Using design elements can help you to construct simple and powerful compositions.

Making use of design elements help to create engaging compositions.

A few design elements to consider when painting:

Reinforce the charcoal sketch with thinned burnt umber.

Reinforcing the sunflower sketch

After I’m happy with my charcoal sketch, I thin down a small amount of burnt umber with Gamsol and paint over the lines. You can allow the burnt umber sketch to dry and then erase leftover marks with a kneaded eraser or wipe them off with a soft cloth.

Tip: If you don’t have burnt umber, but do have ivory black and cad red light, you can make a burnt umber color by mixing the two.

3. Creating Shapes In The First Layer Of The Sunflower Painting

Most of the time I do a monotone underpainting, using thinned out burnt umber to create a value structure. However, I had planned for this little painting of a sunflower to be painted with a less structured approach. I wanted to have a little more freedom and fun while painting this study.

In the first layer, I painted in thin layers of cad yellow, yellow ochre, cad red and most likely a little alizarin crimson.

A note on fugitive colors

As you may have noticed, I recommended getting a permanent alizarin crimson in the supply list. This version of alizarin crimson is more lightfast meaning it doesn’t fade as much over time. Alizarin crimson that is not labeled permanent or lightfast is considered to be a fugitive color, meaning it fades. Permanent alizarin isn’t a must have, so don’t let that stop you.

Starting to add the first layer to paint out shapes.

Two ways of using shape

For this part of the painting, the design element of shape is considered in multiple ways. One obvious way was to create and paint the individual shapes of the petals and stem. The less obvious way was the overall triangular shape of the flower shown below.

An inverted triangle makes up the overall shape of the sunflower.

Triangles are very common shapes found in art. Traditionally, triangles have been used with the two pointed base at the bottom and single point on top. When used this way, the triangle creates feelings of stability and certainty. However, the overall triangle of this sunflower painting is upside down.

Upside down triangles signal uncertainty and the idea that something could fall over and break. Of course, when we see a flower with a stem, we assume it is attached but the inverted triangle in the composition creates more visual excitement.

Painting out the rest of the ray florets.

Color – Pushing chroma on the sunflower petals

First, what is chroma exactly? Chroma is the degree to which a color is saturated in an oil painting. How much of a given hue comes out as clean and unchanged, as opposed to washed out and grayed.

Colors with a high chroma value are very vibrant, whereas those with a low chroma value are more subdued. The use of chroma can give a painting depth, motion, atmosphere and increase emotion or drama.

In the image above, I’m using more of a pure yellow and cad red without mixing it down in value with darker colors. This establishes a brighter base for the petals A.K.A. “ray florets”.

Painting in the stem with ivory black and yellow ochre.

Create contrast by establishing the darkest values in the sunflower painting

The darkest values will be seen in the stem and parts of the center of the sunflower. I mixed the dark green color using yellow ochre, ultramarine blue and burnt umber.

Ultramarine blue and burnt umber mixed together create my darkest values and are used instead of adding ivory black to my palette. You could achieve a similar color if you mixed yellow ochre and ivory black.

Creating contrast with light and dark colors adds visual interest to the painting. Contrast can also be created using varying sizes, shapes and textures.

4. Building Layers & Creating Texture

Once the first pass of the sunflower painting is completed, it is time to go back in and start to add a little more definition to the petals. Below, I am adding darker tones to create dimension and texture in the petals.

Starting to add in shadows on the petals to create a variation of texture.

Creating visual texture

As you may recall, texture is one of the design elements and I want to incorporate that into this painting of a sunflower.

Texture can be created through tonal shifts of lights and darks (contrast) and also by thicker layers of paint that show brushwork. At this stage, I’m using contrast to create texture. The thicker layers of paint will come later.

Adding in a neutral background color.

Adding the first pass of the background to the sunflower painting

Up until this point, I have avoided painting in the background. I wanted this background to be light and neutral rather than have a strong, dark contrast-y background (which is one of my favorite tricks for creating drama in a painting).

While I want the background to be a supporting character in this painting of a sunflower, I also want it to provide a little visual interest without being overwhelming.

Even though the photo above looks like the background is more of a bluish color, it was painted with a warm white using titanium white and small amounts of burnt umber and yellow ochre. I may have added touches of teal blue in at this stage, but that would have been minimal. I’ll talk more about the background later on in the article.

Working with edges for a painterly effect.

Be mindful of edges in the painting

Being mindful of edges in oil painting means paying attention to how the many sections of a painting interact with one another, particularly at their edges. This includes the transitions between colors, values (lights and darks), and textures.

Above, I’m softening the edges on the stem of the sunflower as I don’t want as much contrast to draw focus there. I also want to create a painterly effect.

The different types of edges in painting:

• Hard edges: These edges are crisp and and create distinct boundaries between objects.
• Soft edges: These borders are hazy and vaguely defined. They produce more gentle transitions.
• Lost edges: These edges are completely invisible and create a sense of depth.
• Broken edges: A mix of hard and soft edges that provide a more dynamic and diverse aesthetic.
• Implied edges: These are edges that are hinted at but don’t stand out.

Edges may be used to provide movement and depth, as well as to focus the viewer’s attention to certain areas. Being aware of edges also means knowing which edges are visible and which are hidden, and how they can be used to give the painting a sense of depth and realism.

Increasing the chroma on the petals.

Continue to increase chroma on the sunflower petals

Since I am not using a dark color in the background to create drama through contrast, I’m using stronger yellow tones in the petal florets to add drama with color.

I’ve mixed a variety of yellow shades for this sunflower. The darker yellows are created with cad yellow, cad red, burnt umber and/or alizaren crimson. The lighter yellow shades are created with cad yellow straight from the tube, and also with lead white and titanium white added in to lighten the value.

Even though the photo above is rather flat, you can see how the intensity of the high chroma yellow is helping to create dimension in the petals.

Reestablishing some dark areas to create definition.

5. Create Contrast By Reestablishing Darks

When I release this video, you will see my struggle with this painting. In my mind, I wanted it to be very light in value and more intense in color. But I love contrast and kept going back and forth adding contrast and then taking it out. In this step, I am adding the contrast back in to reestablish my dark areas.

The sunflower has a lot of repeating patterns with the petals, and I could feel myself needing to add a little more separation between the petals by increasing the contrast. If I had wanted to go further away from a realistic palette, I could have chosen a deep violet or blue to reinforce my dark areas. Actually, I wish I would have tried that but I was on a deadline.

Adding darker shades also helps to increase the texture of the flower petals, which I will cover next.

6. Add Details To The Sunflower With Texture And Pattern

I talked a little bit about pattern in the previous step. Below you can see that I’m adding highlights onto the petals, which is creating a pattern within the petals themselves. Sunflowers have a mathematical pattern they follow which is quite fascinating. If you want to know more about sunflowers and the Fibonacci sequence, follow this link.

Adding highlights to the ray floret petals.

The ray floret petals around the outside of the flower and the disc florets in the center of the sunflower automatically set up a pattern we can draw on for our composition. Patterns create a sense of rhythm in a composition.

In the image above, the highlights were made with titanium white and yellow mixed with Liquin impasto. This medium is great for adding body to the paint and creating texture with each brush stroke. Ideally, I would have liked to add even more texture to this painting, but time was getting away from me.

Adding details to the disc florets.

7. Painting The Finishing Touches

As I get closer to completing the painting, my brushes tend to get smaller. This painting was quite small to begin with, so I had to fairly small brushes throughout the painting.

Above I’ve finally made the decision to represent the disc florets in a more realistic manner. At first I wanted to keep the center of the sunflower more abstract, but it just was not looking right. Adding these small details made the painting finally come together in a more cohesive way.

I did not, however, methodically measure out every position of the disc florets in accordance with the Fibonacci sequence. You rarely need to be precise in painting unless you are going for hyper-realism or trompe l’oeil. (I found out writing this post that Alexa has no idea how to spell “trompe l’oeil”. She told me to spell it “trump loy”. I told her she was wrong. Hopefully, she will get her act together.)

Cleaning up my signature.

Singing the painting

Always sign your work, even if you are not sure if it is finished yet. I knew I still needed to do a couple more things on the painting, but needed to take time and figure out exactly what I wanted to add. This is a good time to add in your signature. You can practice your signature on a piece of paper or canvas before you put it on your painting. I have found that no matter how much I practice my signature, I will always mess it up.

It’s OK though. You can always go back in with some background paint and clean it up. I talk about signing your work in this article if you want to learn more.

Not quite finished yet – adding a little texture with Liquin impasto medium.

More texture, please

Of course, I couldn’t leave the painting alone as I had a vision in my mind that the painting would have a lot more texture to it. Maybe I was channeling my inner Van Gogh. Above, you can see that I went back in with Liquin imapsto and a little paint and added another layer.

You can see the texture of the petals in the image below. Honestly, I could have added more but there comes a time when you have to stop. I didn’t want to overpaint the sunflower. It had a loose and painterly look, so I wanted to preserve that.

This close up shows all the different layers of colors and texture in the paint.

Notes on the background

All of the images above were screenshots from a video I was recording. Because of the angle, you couldn’t get a good idea of what was going on in the background of the painting. The screenshots were also tinted a little more blue than the actual painting.

Below is a better representation of the background. I didn’t want the background to just be a flat color. I wanted it to have almost a watercolor effect. The paint was put on thinly and with random brushstrokes. If you look closely, you can see that there is a variation in color going back and forth between warm and cool. It is a very subtle effect, but the warm and cool colors vibrate off of each other and create a sense of movement.

The finished painting drying before getting varnished.

Key Takeaways On Using Design Elements In Painting

Using the design elements of line, shape, contrast, texture, pattern and color can be very helpful when planning a painting. You don’t need all of the elements to have a successful composition though. Focusing on one or two of the elements in your work may be all you need to do. When in doubt, keep things simple.

If you are painting something from nature, chances are most of the design elements will be present. But how you position your subject on the canvas can have a big impact on the overall feel of the piece.

And if you would like to find a photo to paint your own sunflower from, there are a lot of sunflower images available royalty free on Pexels to help you get started.

“Sunflower at Dawn” 5″x7″ oil on linen panel

Thanks For Stopping By The Studio

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more, below are some of my other articles and tutorials. If you want to know when more tutorials are available, make sure to sign up for the mailing list at the top of the page.

How To Paint A Pet Portrait – Limited Palette, Unlimited Possibilities

10 Essential Steps For Landscape Painting In Oil

How To Paint A Puppy Portrait From A Reference Photo

Oil Painting Mediums – A Beginner’s Guide

How To Paint A Realistic Portrait – Avoid These 11 Mistakes!

Painting A Cat In Oil Featuring Prescott, A Gorgeous Maine Coon

What Is The Purpose Of Painting A Still Life?

The post Painting A Sunflower In Oil Using Elements Of Design appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Pet portraits can be a big challenge for artists. In this article, I’ll take you through my step-by-step process for painting a realistic pet portrait using only four colors. Using a limited palette helps to eliminate some of the headaches while painting. This pet portrait is in oil, but I’ve used the same approach in acrylics and even while painting digitally.

I’ll begin with a quick overview highlighting the main steps. I’ve expanded the section on detail (step 10), giving extra tips.

How To Paint A Pet Portrait Overview

1. Prepare The Canvas And Sketch Pet Portrait With Charcoal
2. Reinforce Charcoal Drawing Using Thinned Paint
3. Use Darker Values For First Layer On Pet’s Face
4. Layer In Lighter Colors To Build Form Using A Larger Brush
5. Reinforce Darker Tones To Establish Value Range Of Pet Portrait
6. Add In Warm Tones To Muzzle And Mouth
7. Continue To Block In Medium Tones To Define Shapes
8. Start Using Smaller Brushes For Detail Work After Block In Is Complete
9. Save Your Brightest Tones For Final Stage Of The Pet Portrait
10. Take Your Time Adding Details For A Realistic Result
11. Paint In The Pet’s Whiskers To Finish The Painting
12. Sign The Pet Portrait

Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you use them to purchase items. By doing so, you are supporting a fellow artist. I’m so grateful for your support.

1. Prepare The Canvas And Sketch The Pet Portrait With Charcoal

After you have selected a pet to paint, the first thing you need to do is prepare the canvas. I’ve chosen to use an 8×10 primed linen panel. I prefer working on panels because of their stability and linen for the smoother texture.

I sketched in the pet portrait with vine charcoal on a canvas toned with yellow ochre.

If you have a stretched cotton canvas, I would add a couple layers of gesso, sanding lightly between layers, to create a smoother surface. Smoother surfaces are easier to work with when painting portraits of pets or people.

I toned my canvas with yellow ochre thinned down with Gamsol and allowed that to dry for a bit. Then I measured out a grid and drew it on with vine charcoal. Make sure to have the grid on the canvas measure the same proportions on the reference photo. You can use a grid app to apply grids to your image if you don’t have access to a program like Photoshop.

After all of that prep, the fun begins with drawing in the pet with vine charcoal. This type of charcoal is great to work with and can be erased easily while drawing the portrait.

2. Reinforce Charcoal Drawing Using Thinned Paint

After I’m happy with the drawing, I paint over the charcoal with burnt umber thinned with Gamsol. If you don’t have burnt umber, no worries. You only need four paint colors to paint this pet portrait. This limited palette is known as the Zorn palette and is surprisingly versatile.

After making sure the sketch was accurate, I painted over the charcoal with burnt umber.

The Zorn palette is made up of ivory black, cadmium red, yellow ochre and white. To make burnt umber from these colors, simply mix a little of the ivory black with the cad red.

As you can see below, my tubes have been used and abused. My Gamblin paints came from the Gamblin Artist Oil Color Introductory set. Whenever I see this set on sale, I get one. The set also includes titanium white, which is not pictured below. It is, however, considered part of the Zorn palette.

A limited palette was used for this portrait.

I started off the pet portrait using a warm white instead of the titanium white. Titanium white is a very bright and opaque white. Since this dog is mostly white, I needed to hold back on my values in the white areas and the warm white helped me stay away from adding brighter whites too early on.

You can easily mix up some warm white using titanium white and a small amount of yellow ochre. Even though purchasing warm white is not necessary, it is kind of fun to work with other colors of white paints.

Lately I’ve been playing around with lead white and I absolutely love it. Lead white is more transparent and works great for layering. It is expensive, so it is something you will need to budget for.

3. Use Darker Values For First Layer On Pet’s Face

Painting a white dog isn’t really about painting with white, but painting subtle warm and cool tones of grey. Below you can see I’ve established some of the darker undertone colors on the pet portrait and began blocking them in.

For the first layer, don’t paint a white pet white. Paint darker values to build on.

It’s very important to be aware of the value range in order to make the portrait feel realistic. I dig into values a little more in this article about the number one way to improve a painting.

To see values easily, convert your reference image to black and white so you can see the tonal range. Using a greyscale and value finder is a great way to help you establish values. A color wheel is also helpful and you can get a combo pack here. I love using these tools.

4. Layer In Lighter Colors On The Pet Portrait To Build Form Using A Larger Brush

At this stage of the painting, I like to use larger brushes to build forms and keep shapes simple. In the image below, I’m adding in some lighter values and am using a little painting medium to help the paint flow.

There are a number of painting mediums to choose from, but if you are just starting out, keep it simple and stick with linseed oil. I still have a small bottle of linseed oil I got several years ago. A little goes a long way.

Using a larger brush keeps me from getting too detailed too fast on the pet portrait.

I’ve painted using both direct and indirect painting methods. The direct method is wet-in-wet painting and is sometimes referred to as alla prima painting. Colors can get muddy if you aren’t careful using this process. It’s a lot of fun though and using a limited palette can help to keep the colors clean.

If you are painting over several days like I did with this painting, the layers of paint will most likely dry between sessions. This is considered an indirect way of painting. I’ve been wanting to do more glazing in my work and the indirect method is perfect for that purpose. This method allows for achieving subtle variation in tone, which adds to a more realistic result.

If you need your layers of paint to dry sooner, you can use a medium called Liquin, which will result in thin layers that are dry to the touch the next day.

5. Reinforce Darker Tones To Establish Value Range Of The Pet Portrait

Below I am adding some darker tones to reestablish some of my darkest darks. For this pet portrait, the darkest darks appear in the eyes, nose and mouth. These areas will have high contrast between darks and lights which results in capturing the viewers attention.

Beginning to reinforce dark values on the pet’s face.

All of the other areas of the painting will be in softer focus and will have much less contrast. One of the tricks to painting great realistic paintings is to keep things a little unresolved in the areas that aren’t as important.

Our eyes don’t see everything in focus all at once. So keeping the most important things in sharper focus with higher contrast will direct attention to those things.

6. Add In Warm Tones To Muzzle And Mouth

To add warmer tones to the muzzle and mouth area, I blended some cad red with yellow ochre to get a warm pinky/peach color. This color can be tinted lighter in tone with white or tinted darker with ivory black.

The mouth, nose, ears and eyes will have a little of the pink/peach showing as these are areas where blood vessels are closer to the skin. This isn’t seen as much in black dogs, but is often seen in white dogs with short fur.

Starting to use cad red to warm up the muzzle and mouth area of the pet portrait.

Ivory black in the Zorn palette serves as a very dark blue and it shows a lot of blue when mixed with white. With ivory black really being the blue in the palette, the cad red and yellow ochre round out the three primary colors.

Of course, the black also is used to tint the paint darker and white is used to tint mixtures lighter, resulting in a wide range of values. There are some really great Zorn palette color charts on the internet. The best one I’ve found is by artist Michael Lynn Adams. He does great job showing the entire range of colors in his “how to” chart by simply using only four colors.

7. Continue To Block In Medium Tones To Define Shapes

In the background I mixed some ivory black, and yellow ochre with maybe a tiny touch of white. Only add white if really necessary. The yellow ochre could be enough to lighten the mixture. I keep this color darker on the edges and allow it to get slightly lighter towards the center. This vignette effect keep attention towards the middle of the painting.

Finish blocking in the pet portrait before moving on to detail work.

I use the same colors for painting the tennis ball. This ball was quite dirty and slimy, so I decided to make the ball a little prettier. The darkest area of the ball right under the upper jaw is mostly yellow ochre with a little bit of black. I then added some white to the mix to start creating the sphere of the ball.

Then did a little dabbing of some lighter and darker tones to create the texture on the tennis ball, keeping it relatively abstract.

8. Start Using Smaller Brushes For Detail Work After Block In Is Complete

All of the canvas is covered at this stage, but is still pretty rough. There are details and highlights that need to be added throughout the pet portrait to make everything come together.

Painting a pet’s mouth may seem impossible if you don’t have the right mindset.

One of the areas that I knew would be a challenge was the mouth and tongue. I wasn’t really sure how I was going to paint it, and then I decided to not paint a mouth and tongue, but to paint a tiny abstract painting, because that is what it looked like.

The small photo is the mouth and tongue isolated away from the rest of the portrait. As you can see, it doesn’t really look like anything close up, but when put into context, the brain reads it as part of the mouth. How crazy is that? This is one of the reasons why I love to paint. I’m always surprised by how something so complex can be resolved in a simple way.

9. Save Your Brightest Tones For Final Stage Of The Pet Portrait

Those little teeth were some of the brightest whites in the painting, but I painted them with a slightly warmer tone so that the cool whites in the face would pop forward in the portrait.

Here I’m continuing to build the form of the pet through lighter values.

The cool whites are made with titanium white and a very small amount of black. Some of the tones also include a little yellow ochre in some places and a little cad red as well to create warmer whites. This creates a dance back and forth between the warm and cool tones which is very satisfying to look at.

In the photo above, you can see this dance between warm and cool whites taking place. All of these are layered little by little on top of each other to create the form. It’s almost like creating a sculpture with the most opaque bright whites building up to the top areas. Think of it like a mountain peak. The top areas catch most of the light. All of the other areas are in some form of shadow.

10. Take Your Time Adding Details For A Realistic Result

During this phase of the pet portrait, I’m pretty anxious to finish the painting. However, this is when I try to slow down a bit and think very carefully about each mark I’m going to make moving forward.

I don’t want to over-paint the pet portrait, but I also want to achieve a certain level of realism.

Detail work on a pet’s fur can take time. Relax and enjoy the painting process.

Because I do slow down during this part of the painting, I thought I would break this section down a bit to detail what I’m doing.

Paint In Reflections On The Pet’s Eyes

The eyes are my favorite part of any portrait painting. They bring so much emotion and life when painted correctly. Most of the time I will start a painting and get the eyes finished quickly as they are so enjoyable to look at.

For this pet portrait, I tried to refrain from getting the eyes done immediately. It was really hard, but I waited until almost the end to finish them.

The eyes are the emotional focus and get special attention through details.

For the iris of the eyes, I used yellow ochre with some cad red to make the yellow/orange color. I lightened the area right below the pupil where the light catches. This was done by adding more yellow ochre and a touch of white. Toward the top of the iris, I added a bit of ivory black with a little more cad red. That combination creates a dark brown.

The outer edge of the iris is ivory black that is blended slightly into the iris. In dogs, the whites of the eyes take up little room and are generally a darker grey color. You definitely don’t want the whites of the eyes to be brighter than the highlighted reflections on the eyes.

The highlights are added in layers. First, titanium white greyed down with ivory black is added. This makes a bluish white which is perfect. Think of adding a small rectangular white piece of paper to a ball. This is the general shape you will want to achieve. After that is added, I go back in with pure titanium white to add a few sparkles for the highlights. I also will add a couple of dots of white on the waterline.

Keeping Some Areas Less Detailed Adds Interest And Guides Focus

With the eyes, nose and mouth being sharper in focus, I made sure that everything else was painted with a looser brushstroke. The intentional blurred effect with the ears, body and ball keeps the viewer’s eyes moving back to the higher contrast–more in focus areas.

I’m intentionally keeping the pet’s ears loosely painted to drive focus to the eyes.

For the ears, the fur is painted with yellow ochre and a touch of cad red to create warmer areas. These mixtures are tinted up and down with titanium white and ivory black.

The skin on the ears is mostly cad red tinted with white, a little yellow ochre and greyed down in some places with ivory black. You can see the warm and cool tones playing back and forth in the ear.

Make Corrections To Values By Squinting Your Eyes

Throughout the painting, I’m squinting my eyes while looking at my reference photo to see how my values are matching up on my canvas. Your eyes are one of the best tools you have to help you discern what is important and what isn’t.

Making sure the values are correct adds to a realistic result.

When you squint, your eyelids reduce the amount of information transmitting to your brain. This simplifies the shapes and helps you to see values more clearly.

Beginner painters either paint everything too light or too dark. Sometimes it’s a combination of too light and too dark, which can make a painting look chaotic. The more chaos in a painting, the less focus and harmony it has.

Don’t Paint A Pet’s Foot – Paint Shapes Instead

Just like painting the mouth, if I think about the foot too much as a foot while painting it, it won’t look like a foot. Let’s face it, feet are weird on animals and humans alike. They are hard to paint because they are in the periphery for most of us (unless we are a podiatrist).

Like the ears, I’m painting this pet’s foot loosely focusing on shapes and values.

We think we know what these shapes look like, because we “see” them all the time. But the truth is that we see them through our peripheral vision, which means we only have a concept of what they should look like.

The feet need to be painted loosely anyway, so I’m just going for main shapes with a few strokes of paint. If it can “read” as a foot while your looking at the dog’s eyes, then it’s done. If it is getting too much attention when you are looking at the eyes, then there most likely is a value and contrast problem.

11. Paint In The Pet’s Whiskers To Finish The Painting

When the overall painting is looking like it’s reflecting the right values and is in proportion, it’s time to add the whiskers. I always reserve the whiskers for the end of the process because you never know what will need to be moved or what value may need to be shifted until the end.

The whiskers are painted with a small brush at the end of the painting process.

Whiskers can cause a bit of worry as you need to have a confident stroke when creating them. If you were painting alla prima, then your paint would be wet enough to simply use the end of your brush handle and scrape off the paint. But since my layers of paint are dry, I can’t use that technique.

This is where my mahl stick really comes in handy. As you’ve seen in the previous pictures, I have a metal stick I’m resting my hand on throughout the painting process. Mahl sticks don’t need to be fancy, they just need to be practical. You can use a dowel from the hardware store and make one or buy one online.

What I do is get a small brush, mix some titanium white with a little bit of ivory black and add some medium. I usually use linseed oil as my medium. This keeps the paint thin and easy to apply to the canvas. I rest my hand on the dowel and practice a few motions above the canvas and then give it a go with the paint. If I mess up and get a blob, it’s usually easy to wipe off due to the layers underneath being dry. I get the whisker mostly laid out and then go back in and add a couple of brighter highlights.

12. Don’t Forget To Sign The Pet Portrait

Here is Avie’s pet portrait completed. A painting isn’t really finished until you sign the painting. It’s important to sign your work so your art can be easily identified. Also, people who buy your work like to see the signature. This is a sign of a art made by hand. That has meaning for people.

The signed finished portrait of “Avie”, 8×10 oil on linen panel.

I try to not have big, bright signature visually fight with the subject in the painting. Instead, I like to have it added subtly into a corner. Some artist’s sign on the bottom and some sign on the top. It’s up to you. I used a little yellow ochre with some linseed oil to sign my last name. I also sign the painting on the back with my full name, the date, the name of the painting and also my current location.

Supply Lists For Painting A Pet Portrait

While I do have supplies linked in the text above, I thought I would make a list of essential supplies and optional supplies for your convenience.

Essential Supply List:

• Vine charcoal https://amzn.to/3CLEyIl
• Yellow ochre https://amzn.to/3iDjaya
• Ivory black https://amzn.to/3CLEyIl
• Cadmium red https://amzn.to/3IM6ijI
• Titanium white https://amzn.to/3WcpL0f
• Gamsol odorless mineral spirits https://amzn.to/3QC5Vua
• Linseed oil (not 100% essential, but is extremely helpful) https://amzn.to/3vZRp5Q

Optional Supply List:

• Linen panel (optional if you already have a canvas) https://amzn.to/3khAKIr
• Liquin https://amzn.to/3ZyJKZR
• Gesso if using regular cotton canvas https://amzn.to/3INfWm7
• Greyscale and value finder https://amzn.to/3X6N1Om
• Greyscale finder with color wheel https://amzn.to/3COXp5f
• Mahl stick (not exactly like mine, but similar) https://amzn.to/3ZyJKZR
• Warm white https://amzn.to/3WcpL0f
• Gamblin Artist Oil Set https://amzn.to/3Wb2884
• Lead white https://amzn.to/3X6N1Om

Thanks For Stopping By

If you enjoyed this article on painting pet portraits, be sure to check out some of my other tutorials listed below.

What is Value in Art? The #1 Way to Improve Your Painting

How To Paint White Fur – Painting A White German Shepherd Step-By-Step

What Is Alla Prima? All Your Questions Answered

Pet Portrait Painting: Watch Me Paint A Pug

Oil Painting Mediums – A Beginner’s Guide

How To Paint A Cat In Oil Step-By-Step With Jorge & Nacho

How To Paint A Realistic Portrait – Avoid These 11 Mistakes!

The post How To Paint A Pet Portrait – Limited Palette, Unlimited Possibilities appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Are you ready to take your landscape painting skills to the next level? In this tutorial, you’ll discover essential techniques and tips that both beginner and experienced artists can use for creating stunning landscape paintings.

In this tutorial, I will go through my 10 step process of painting a landscape in oils, from prepping the canvas to sketching out the composition and adding the finishing touches. So get out your paints and brushes, because we’re about to get creative.

Note: some of the links on this supply list are affiliate links to Amazon, which means if you use the link I will get a small commission. This, of course, is at no additional cost to you. Using these links allows me to keep this website running. Thank you so much for supporting a fellow artist.

Step 1 – Prepare The Canvas

Start off on the right foot by priming your canvas before you start painting. I had a 5″x7″ oil primed linen panel ready to go before I started (I like the acrylic primed linen canvases as well). I love working on linen canvases as they have a smoother surface than the cotton canvases you would buy at places like Michaels.

If you only have a cotton canvas, no worries. I would suggest adding another layer or two of gesso and lightly sand between coats to get a smoother surface. Make sure your canvas is fully dry before you start painting.

This linen canvas was already oil primed. I used some art measuring tape to get my guides drawn.

Step 2 – Plan Out A Composition For Painting A Landscape

Ideally, you have a landscape subject for your painting already in mind. For the painting I did, I had the reference photo below I was working from.

What I chose to do was take the image into Photoshop and do a little “tweaking”.

Reference photo for landscape painting.

The first thing I did was increase the saturation of the photo. I was looking at some paintings done by Edgar Payne and used one of his color schemes for inspiration. I would encourage you to look at a lot of landscape paintings done by people you admire so you can get an idea of where you want to go with your work.

After changing the saturation of the photo, I moved some elements around to create a composition that felt more dramatic. In the image below, I increased the size of the rock formation on the left side. This created a “window” for the viewer to look through between the two rock formations.

Make The Golden Ratio Part Of The Plan

The golden ratio, also called the golden mean or the golden section, is a mathematical concept that shows how two numbers relate to each other when the ratio of the sum of the numbers to the bigger number is the same as the ratio of the bigger number to the smaller number. I know, a little hard to explain in words, which is why I’ve added the graphic below.

The golden ratio has a value of about 1.61803398875. If you would like a deeper dive with detail, visit the golden ratio page on Wikipedia.

I used the vertical and horizontal lines shown in red to create my grid.

Used in art, architecture, and design, the golden ratio has an aesthetically pleasing quality. It is used by artists to make compositions that are harmonious and balanced.

The golden ratio is also found in nature, such as in how leaves are arranged on a stem or how the spiral in seashells are formed.

Below you can see how I applied the golden ratio grid to my reference image.

Changes to the composition were influenced by the golden ratio grid applied in Photoshop.

I drew the same grid onto my canvas to help me sketch out the image in charcoal. You must make sure the image you are working from is the same proportion to your canvas in order for your drawing to be accurate. I made my image in Photoshop the same size as my canvas panel.

Using the golden ratio for composition is one of my favorite secrets.

Step 3 – Establish Values Early On

Once you have your composition laid out, you can begin to establish a value structure. Working out your lightest and darkest values helps to give your painting depth and perspective. A grey scale and value finder is an inexpensive and handy tool that really helps when mixing correct values.

The first pass helps to establish values for the landscape painting.

In the photo above, I used burnt umber thinned with a little Gamsol to reinforce my drawing. After that dried, I made a thin red mixture and washed it over the canvas to tone everything with the lighter red color.

You can see where I went back in with a rag and wiped out the area for a cloud. You have a little time to play with the thin layers of the paint and can get a good indication of values this way.

If you’d like more information on mediums to use in oil painting, check out this article.

Step 4 – Begin Blocking In Color

After the values are defined, you can begin blocking in the primary colors of the landscape. There are many ways to approach painting and I like to try different methods when I paint.

For this landscape painting, I started with red tones of paint thinned with solvent. I then started adding, more opaque layers of paint to further define basic shapes. It is best to keep your first layers rather thin using a solvent such as Gamsol and then build up to layers containing more oil to follow the fat over lean principle.

“Fat Over Lean” means putting a layer of paint with more oil on top of a layer with less oil. It has nothing to do with how thick the paint is. If this principle is not followed, you could end up with paint that is cracking or not adhering well.

Beginning to block in more opaque layers on the landscape painting.

Above, I am roughly blocking in the shapes of the trees using a larger brush. Detail work and highlights will be added in toward the end of the process.

Step 5 – Use Color To Create Distance In Landscape Paintings

Part of my plan for this painting was to make use of complementary colors not only for visual appeal, but to create atmosphere. The orange/red hues of the rocks in the foreground of the landscape painting perfectly complement the turquoise blue sky and blue/violet mountains in the background.

This color star chart by Kwamikagami illustrates complementary color on opposite sides of the star.

Cobalt teal by Gamblin has been one of my favorite colors for adding complements to warm tones in both landscape paintings and portrait paintings. It is a “warmer” blue and is gorgeous when mixed with other colors.

Due to the effects of atmosphere, anything in the distance of a landscape painting will take on blue or violet tones. As you move forward in the landscape, warmer tones will become more saturated.

If you keep this in mind when you do landscapes, you will create a sense of distance or atmospheric perspective. Just remember, cooler blue tones push back and warmer yellow/orange tones move forward.

When paint is still wet, you can wipe out color to create cloud shapes.

Since I’ve started to incorporate lead white paint into my palette, I’ve been using nitrile gloves for safety reasons. It’s also great for not having to constantly clean paint off my hands.

Since lead white is more transparent, I will mix the lead white 50/50 with titanium white to increase the opacity. There are no words to describe how beautiful lead white can make a painting. I highly recommend it, but use caution while handling. Lead white is quite an investment, but if you’ve been painting for awhile, it is worth the extra money.

Avoid any titanium white that includes PW4 on the label. The PW4 means it contains zinc, which is not archival. Lead white should be marked on the back with a PW1 while titanium white should have a PW6 on the back of the tube. Lead white, PW1, is the most durable white over time. If you are wondering what the PW’s stand for, it simply means Pigment White.

Step 6 – Use Complementary Colors In Foreground For Visual Interest

In the image below, you will see that I’m adding in a deep plum color which would appear opposite the color wheel from a dark green. While these tones are not highly saturated, they do create a sense of balance and harmony.

Adding complementary colors throughout make a painting more dynamic.

Having a color wheel nearby when you paint can help you to make decision on what color can be used to create visual interest in your work. Color wheels specifically for artists will also show what color you will get when adding different colors.

If you want in-depth information about all aspects of color for oil painting, I would encourage you to check out The Oil Painter’s Color Handbook by Todd M. Casey. It’s a must have for any artist.

Artist color wheel for painting – a very handy tool in the studio.

Step 7 – Carve Out Shapes By Reinforcing The Dark Colors

After I’ve blocked in all my basic colors, it’s time to go back in and reestablish dark areas. I usually begin with larger dark shapes and then work my way down to smaller shapes. A focus on detail will come in a later pass, although it is tempting to start adding details at this stage.

I squint my eyes a lot while I paint, always looking to match values as I carve out the variety of shapes with color.

Each layer of paint starts to create detail. Be mindful of lights and darks at this stage.

Step 8 – Pay Attention To Edges

Edges are important in oil painting because they help define the shapes and forms in a painting. They also create a sense of depth in how the different shapes in the composition relate to each other in space.

You can use hard edges to give the impression of clarity and definition, and soft edges to blend and integrate a subject which creates depth. The human brain is excellent at completing the shape of an object that isn’t fully outlined. I think the use of soft or lost edges in a painting can add a lot of interest and intrigue for the viewer.

Sharp edges add clarity while soft edges create atmosphere in landscape paintings.

By using different kinds of edges in paintings, artists create compositions with a sense of spatial complexity and visual interest. Additionally, edges can also be used to guide the viewer’s eye around the painting and draw their attention to certain parts.

I’m using a combination of soft and hard edges in this landscape painting to create atmosphere and interest.

Step 9 – Take A Break And Then Add Details

One reason to take a break is that it allows you step back and look at your work from a distance. This can help you spot mistakes or areas that need more work.
If you’ve been working on the painting for a long time and are too close to it, this can be hard to do.

Leaving the room completely gives your mind and body a break, which can help you come back to your work with fresh eyes. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re busy working, but it’s important to give yourself time to rest and refuel. I like to set a timer to remind me walk away for a bit. Check out this article for more of my painting tips and tricks.

Adding details to the foliage.

Oil paints usually take a long time to dry, so taking breaks of a couple days or more allows the paint dry between sessions. This is great for working in layers. If you need your paint to dry faster so you can continue painting the next day, using Liquin as a medium can really speed up drying time.

Step 10 – Add Glazes To Darken Areas And Add Harmony

To give the landscape more depth and richness, I used glazes which are thin layers of translucent paint layered over opaque paint. You can create depth and a sensation of light by applying multiple layers of glazes to the painting.

If you look at the image above and then the image below, you will see I’m adding glazes to deepen the shadow area of the rock formations. I used a mixture of quinacridone red and trans red oxide to add transparent layers.

Adding glazes to deepen shadows.

Other transparent paints to use for glazing include transparent orange, phthalo green, pthalo blue, and diaoxazine purple among many others. You can always add more oil to any paint to create glazes. It’s just really fun to play with the more transparent colors straight from the tube. You will find more information about a color’s transparency on the tube or the paint manufacturers website.

The final painting. 5″x7″ oil on linen panel.

Finishing A Landscape Painting – How Do You Know When To Stop?

Knowing when a painting is finished is a matter of opinion. For this little landscape, I wanted to keep things very loose and expressive. I could have added a lot more details, but that wasn’t the goal for this work. I wanted a representational painting that was more on the side of impressionism rather than going for full on photo realism.

For many painters, a painting is complete after they have achieved their ideal composition, everything is in proportion and the colors are working harmoniously throughout.

Other painters will keep at a piece until they are certain that every last detail has been considered. I would suggest starting the painting with the end in mind so you have a good idea of when to put the brush down. Nothing is worse than putting in hours and hours on a painting only to step back and feel like it is overworked. Studying master works really help in understanding what is needed to make a painting complete. Sometimes less is more.

Thanks For Stopping By The Studio

If you liked this tutorial and want to learn more, check out the tutorials and articles listed below. Happy painting.

How To Paint A Puppy Portrait From A Reference Photo

Painting Wrinkles And Grey Hair – 12 Tips & Tricks

How To Paint White Fur – Painting A White German Shepherd Step-By-Step

How To Paint A Realistic Portrait – Avoid These 11 Mistakes!

Pet Portrait Painting: Watch Me Paint A Pug

How To Paint A Digital Portrait – Step-By-Step With Pictures

The post 10 Essential Steps For Landscape Painting In Oil appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Learning how to paint a puppy portrait can be challenging on many levels. In this article, I’ll walk you through the steps I took creating a realistic puppy portrait from a reference photo. I’ll also share my thoughts on how I planned out this painting using composition and color.

First, Evaluate The Reference Photo

I like to get a lot of photos of a subject so I can get a feel for their personality. If there is one photo that the client really wants painted, then I will try to find a way to paint it. That was the case with our subject today.

Making A Plan For The Puppy Painting

The position of this puppy in the reference photo felt very formal, so “formal” was the look and feel I targeted. With that in mind, I decided to simplify the background and make it a deep blue color. Dark blue shades complement the yellow tones in this puppy’s fur.

Dark shades of blue also convey meaning such as importance, stability, confidence, authority, power, and intelligence. All of these verbal cues lend themselves to a formal portrait.

My client asked to show their puppy’s full body in the portrait. Generally, I like to paint the head and shoulders of pets, with the eyes taking center stage. The eyes convey so much emotion, but with the overall tone leaning towards a formal portrait, they didn’t need as much emphasis.

Original reference image. The background was distracting, taking attention away from the face.

Amp Up The Emotion And Direct The Eye With Contrast

As you can see in the image above, the reference photo had a chaotic background. A simplified dark background would create more contrast and less chaos. More contrast adds drama, resulting in higher emotion.

A strong diagonal along the back of the puppy will be a result of darkening the background. Diagonal elements in design create more drama in a composition. A strong design element like a diagonal can make a formal portrait more interesting to look at.

Another aspect of design is that light colors attract more attention. (Could this be the reason why blondes have more fun?) With a dark background, the puppy ends up being the lightest part of the painting, directing the viewer’s gaze to him.

I wanted his face to be the focal point, so ideally that would be where the lightest colors would appear.

Eliminate Visual Elements Leading Off The Canvas

I also decided to change the position of the tail. As you can see in the photo above, that tail is pointing straight off the right side of the photo. This is a painting “no no”.

In order to keep a viewer engaged within the painting, anything carrying attention off the edge of the canvas needs to be addressed. Instead, I decided to have his tail curl in, which would direct attention back into the painting.

Rough sketch for positioning the puppy on canvas. Notice the tail is not longer pointing off the right side.

Using A Grid For Proportions

When I paint portraits for clients, I like to use a grid to make sure proportions are as accurate as possible. Keeping the proportion of the original photo sized to the proportion of the canvas is important. If it isn’t, your drawing will be inaccurate.

I generally make adjustments and apply grids in Photoshop. If you don’t have access to a program like that, there are very useful apps give you very similar tools to work with. One I have used in the past is Art Tools.

Before I had the help of apps and computers, I would mark my grid on a copy of a photo and transfer it to canvas. Of course, a grid is optional. I’ve done plenty of paintings without grids and sketched my subject in freehand.

Preparing The Canvas

Note – some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means I may make a small commission if you use them. Thank you for supporting a fellow artist.

Before the underpainting begins, I usually add gesso to a canvas to smooth out the texture. The gesso can be lightly sanded between layers for a smoother surface.

After that dries completely, I tone the canvas with a warm color. For this painting I applied a light layer of yellow ochre thinned out with some Gamsol. This will dry quickly. Next, if you are using a grid, you can map it out on your canvas with vine charcoal applied lightly. Then, sketch in your composition with the charcoal.

After I’m happy with the sketch, I use a relatively small brush and go over my charcoal drawing with burnt umber thinned with Gamsol. I did this step very loosely when I painted this puppy. Your initial drawing with burnt umber can be as detailed as you want.

The Underpainting – Blocking In The First Layer

The under painting can be done using burnt umber oil paint thinned with Gamsol.

The underpainting helps to see how the painting will look as a whole and make any necessary changes before you start with layers of color.

To get started, paint needs to be thinned with Gamsol or turpentine in the same way for toning the canvas and establishing the drawing.

It’s OK To Take Your Time At This Stage

Until recently, I started most of my painting exactly the way described above. I would speed through the underpainting so I could get to the color layers. I would now advise you to take your time with the underpainting, establishing values and creating a stronger framework.

Additionally, using a black and white version of your photo can help you to get the values established correctly.

Gather More References To Help With Painting The Puppy

If you don’t have a variety of reference images to work from, do a search online. For this painting I looked for a lot of different reference photos of yellow lab puppies.

By doing this, I got an idea of what the puppies fur looked like in different lighting. I was also able to get a better grasp on the structure of the puppy’s body.

Blocking in subtle colors on the face.

Achieving Puppy Softness

Puppies are baby dogs. Just like human babies, their bones and joints aren’t fully developed yet. This is what gives them that soft, round, squishy look.

Different breeds of dogs develop at different rates. This yellow lab puppy clearly had a lot of roundness to his body. I had to take into account that his structure was  softer because his bones and joints weren’t fully formed.

Testing out a strong contrasting background color.

Also, it’s good to keep in mind that puppies have smaller bodies and bigger heads, which can be easily overlooked. Paying attention to how the head, body, and limbs fit together can help you paint a puppy portrait that looks more real and lifelike.

Here is a link to check out an x-ray of puppy bones so you can see how developed a puppies bones are at different ages. You will need to scroll down a bit to find the pictures.

Painting A Puppy – The Importance Of Color

In the planning phase, color choice played a big role in establishing a more formal feeling portrait. I had a good idea in mind of what color blue I wanted, but I also didn’t want the blue to be more attention getting than the puppy itself.

Adding cool tones help the warmer highlights pop.

There is actually a lot of variety in the blue tones in the background. Some warm tones are also mixed in as well. The mixture of warm and cool tones vibrate off of each other, creating a little more visual excitement.

This attention to color can turn a flat, boring painting into something that feels like a living, breathing being. It’s subtle, but makes all the difference.

I carried this same process of playing warm and cool tones off of each other while painting the puppy’s body.

The focal point is the eyes. The strong diagonal created by the contrast along the back help to strengthen the focal point.

Emphasizing Focal Points

You can see in the image above and below how the design element of the diagonal line has worked out very well in drawing attention up towards the puppy’s face.

Humans are programmed to notice eyes. Directing attention to the eyes using design and color creates a painting that appears to flow a little better.

A simple, stoic puppy surrounded by an artist’s chaos.

Puppies have a lot of extra skin to grow into. This is also another reason why they look so soft. Notice how the skin right above his hind leg sort of folds over. In older dogs you would see more of the structure of their muscles and not very much excess skin. Puppies also have big soft bellies, making their overall shape much more round.

Saving The Best For Last

I waited until the very last moment to paint this puppy’s feet. I really wasn’t sure how to approach it so I just ignored it for as long as possible.

The trick to painting puppy feet is to not paint puppy feet.

The feet weren’t going to paint themselves, so eventually I turned my attention to them. I found that the less I thought of them as feet or paws, the easier they were to paint.

It’s easier to paint something thinking about it in terms of abstract shapes rather than what it’s supposed to look like.

You would never know his tail wasn’t curled back in on the reference photo.

I approached all the feet in the same way, painting odd little shapes rather than feet. In the end, they looked like puppy feet. If you have the values correct, it is surprising how abstract you can keep parts of the painting.

The Final Puppy Portrait

It was impossible for me to photograph the final portrait accurately due to the layers of paint and lighting in my studio. The photograph below was taken on my iPhone and sharpened up a lot of the puppy softness I worked so hard to achieve.

I do have  video footage I will post at some point on my YouTube channel that shows the subtlety in color and softness much better.

“Champ” 20 x 24 oil on canvas.

I hope you were able to pick up a few tips on how to paint a puppy portrait in this article. I will have more coming very soon, so stay tuned.

If you would like to see other tutorials, feel free to explore the links provided below.

How To Paint A Realistic Portrait – Avoid These 11 Mistakes!

Painting Wrinkles And Grey Hair – 12 Tips & Tricks

How To Paint A Digital Portrait – Step-By-Step With Pictures

How To Paint A Senior Dog Portrait – Tips & Tricks

How To Paint White Fur – Painting A White German Shepherd Step-By-Step

How To Paint A Corgi – 9 Helpful Dog Portrait Tips

The post How To Paint A Puppy Portrait From A Reference Photo appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Oil painting mediums are used to change the properties of paint. They thin oil paint, make it dry faster or slower, improve the flow, and increase the gloss or transparency. If you’re new to oil painting, learning about different mediums and how to use them will help you create the effects you want in your paintings.

When I started oil painting again, navigating all of the mediums to use had my head spinning. There is a lot to learn but my advice is to start with the most simple method and then build on that as you grow as an artist.

What are oil painting mediums?

Oil painting mediums are additives. They are made from natural or synthetic substances and used for a variety of purposes.

Note – some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means I may make a small commission if you use them. Thank you for supporting a fellow artist.

Common types of oil painting mediums

There are many different types of oil painting mediums, each with its own unique properties. Here are the most common ones:

• Linseed oil: Linseed oil is a popular medium for thinning oil paints and increasing their flow. If you want to keep things very simple, just use linseed oil. Many painters only use this oil and solvent (next on the list). Linseed oil also causes the paint dry slower.
• Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) and turpentine: OMS and turpentine are strong solvents used to thin oil paints and clean brushes. They can create a transparent effect, but be aware that they can also make the paint dry faster. I personally use Gamsol OMS as turpentine has a very strong odor and gives me a headache. I will use OMS at the beginning of my painting to thin down paint and sketch my subject.
• Alkyd mediums: Alkyd mediums like Liquin are synthetic mediums made with resin. Alkyds can thin or thicken paint, increase gloss, and speed up the drying time. They are generally more durable than traditional oil mediums and are less prone to yellowing. I’ve been using Liquin lately in some of my work and I can fully attest to the speedy drying time. I caution you to thoroughly clean your brushes after each session and also clean your palette. This stuff dries very hard and can be difficult to remove from work surfaces.

How to use oil painting mediums

Using a painting medium is easy. Simply mix it into your paint with a palette knife or brush. You can also mix different mediums together to get different effects. Just be aware that adding mediums to your paint will change its consistency and could affect the color, so it’s important to experiment and find the right balance for your needs.

I like to keep a ratio of 1 part medium to 4 or 5 parts paint in mind. Just be aware to start with thin layers and build up to thicker layers so the paint can dry evenly. And always follow the instructions on the label.

Photo by Daian Gan

Tips for using oil painting mediums:

1. Experiment: Each medium has its own unique properties, so it’s important to try out the medium as a test before starting your painting to see how it works.
2. Start small: It’s best to start with a small amount of medium and gradually add more as needed. This will allow you to get a feel for how the medium affects the paint and make any adjustments.
3. Be aware of consistency and color: Adding mediums to your paint will change its consistency and may affect the color. Being aware of this ahead of time will save you headaches later on. Some mediums thin out the paint while other mediums, such as Liquin Impasto, can thicken the paint and hold brush marks.
4. Clean your brushes thoroughly after use: Oil painting mediums can be tough on brushes, so be sure to clean them thoroughly after use to extend their life. More about this later in the article.
5. Store mediums properly: Make sure to store your mediums properly to prevent them from drying out or becoming contaminated. This will ensure that they are effective and ready to use when needed.
6. Follow the instructions: Read and follow the instructions on the label of your mediums to make sure you are using them correctly and safely.

Liquin Detail, Liquin Original and Liquin Impasto are fast drying mediums.

What medium speeds up drying time of oil paint?

1. Solvents: Turpentine and odorless mineral spirits are solvents added to oil paints to thin them and make them dry faster. However, it’s important to use these mediums sparingly, as they can also weaken the paint and alter its properties.
2. Alkyd resin mediums: Mediums like Liquin can be used to speed up the drying time of oil paints and also improve their flow. Made from alkyd resin and petroleum distillate, they create faster drying times. Drying varies between 1-6 days depending on the color and thickness of paint applied.
3. Drying agents: Drying agents, such as Grumbacher Cobalt Drier, are added to oil paints to accelerate the drying process. It works by catalyzing chemical reactions that occur as the paint dries, which helps the paint to dry faster and more evenly. Use them sparingly to avoid cracking.
4. Heat: Exposing an oil painting to heat can speed up the drying process. However, it’s important to use caution as heat can also cause the paint to crack or discolor. During the summer months, I allow my paintings to dry in the garage when it’s dry and hot outside. I put them flat inside a box to keep dust from sticking to the painting (of course, do not allow the box to come into contact with the paint surface). During colder months, I put smaller paintings  in an oven with only the oven light on for heat. Do not heat up your oven. This could result in disaster.

Speeding up the drying time of oil paints can have some drawbacks. Oil paints take longer to dry than other types of paints because the drying process is more complex. The paint must not only dry on the surface, but the solvents in the paint must also evaporate. After that, the paint must undergo a chemical reaction known as “curing.” By speeding up the drying process, you may be sacrificing the full potential of the paint’s characteristics.

Stand oil and linseed oil can be used to slow drying time of oils.

What medium slows down drying time in oil paint?

1. Linseed oil: Linseed oil is a natural oil that is derived from flax seeds. It can slow down the drying time when mixed with paint and improve the paint’s flow. However, use it sparingly as it tends to yellow over time.
2. Stand oil: This is a type of oil that has been heated to a high temperature and then allowed to cool slowly. It has the ability to slow down the drying time of oil paints and improve their gloss and flow. It causes less yellowing than linseed oil. Stand oil is also used to create a glossy, enamel-like finish on a painting.
3. Cold wax medium: Cold wax medium is a paste made from a blend of beeswax, mineral spirits and a small amount of resin. When mixed with oil paints, it can slow down the drying time and create a matte, velvety finish. It can add a variety of textures to a painting and is best used on a rigid surface.
4. Poppy oil: Like stand oil, poppy oil can be helpful if you want to work on a painting for an extended period of time. While Poppy oil also slows down drying time, it can dry more brittle, increasing the risk of cracking.

A general rule of thumb is the more oil you use in a painting, the longer the drying time. While that can be beneficial for many reasons, it can also make the painting more prone to smudging or smearing if it is not handled carefully.

Photo by Mary Cherkesova

What oil paint medium can be used for cleaning brushes?

1. Solvents: Turpentine or odorless mineral spirits, are effective at dissolving and removing oil paint from brushes. However, they can also be harsh on the bristles and may weaken or damage the brush over time.
2. Soap and water: Gentle soap and warm water can be used to clean oil paint from brushes, especially if the paint is still wet. Dish soap or a mild shampoo can work well for this purpose. I always use Murphy Oil Soap for cleaning my brushes. If they are especially dirty, I will let them soak in Murphy’s over night and then clean them.
3. Brush cleaner: Brush cleaner is a specially formulated product that is designed to remove oil paint from brushes. It is made from a blend of solvents and surfactants that are gentle on the bristles and remove paint without damaging brushes. I’ve been using Master’s Brush Cleaner and Preserver with really good results.
4. Oil: Surprise! Use oil to clean oil paint from brushes when the paint is still wet. Simply dip the brush in oil, work it into the bristles, and then wipe it clean with a cloth. This method can be effective, but it can also leave a residue on the brush. I like to make a brush dip out of Gamblin Safflower oil and a few drops of clove oil. After I paint, I wipe off my brush and dip them in the oil mixture so they are ready to go in the next day or two. The clove oil prevents the safflower oil from drying too fast. This is a great method if you don’t have a lot of down time between painting sessions.

What are the hazards of using medium in oil paint?

Hazards happen when mediums are not used correctly. Be aware of:

1. Solvents: Many mediums for oil painting contain solvents, such as turpentine or mineral spirits, which can be harmful if inhaled or ingested. These solvents can also irritate the skin and eyes and may cause allergic reactions in some people.
2. Flammability: Some mediums, such as linseed oil and stand oil, are flammable and should be used with caution. It is important to keep your work area well-ventilated and away from open flames or heat sources to reduce the risk of fire.
3. Chemical reactions: Using mediums in the wrong combination can result in chemical reactions that produce toxic fumes or other hazards. It is important to research the properties of the mediums you are using and to follow all safety precautions when working with them.
4. Allergies: Some people may be allergic to mediums or ingredients used in oil painting. It is important to be aware of any potential allergies or sensitivities and to take appropriate precautions when using mediums in your artwork.

Use caution when using mediums in oil painting and to follow all safety precautions to avoid the risk of accidents. This may include wearing protective gear, such as gloves and a mask, and working in a well-ventilated area.

It is also important to dispose of rags and towels with mediums and solvents in a safe way. Using a proper oily metal waste can like this one from Justrite is a good idea. I also will pour water on top of my discarded paper towels inside the bin to lower the risk of a chemical reaction.

Beginning artists only need odorless mineral spirits and linseed oil to get started.

Does a beginner oil painter need to use mediums?

Nope, although oil painters at all levels may find that using a little odorless mineral spirits and linseed oil is helpful while painting. However, it is not essential for beginners to use mediums. Many oil painters use the paint straight out of the tube. The paint already has a certain amount of medium mixed into it (usually linseed oil). Different brands and colors may have different consistencies though.

Some paint may come out of the tube very stiff and could use a touch of medium to help with the flow of the paint. Student grade oil paints may also contain more binders and fillers, reducing the pigment load. If you are just starting out and are still learning the basics of oil painting, you may find that you are able to achieve what you want with paint and brushes alone.

My suggestion is to have a small bottle of Gamsol and some linseed oil on hand at all times.

Summary: The pros and cons of using oil painting mediums

Pros:

• Thinning the paint: Mediums can help to thin the paint and improve the flow, making it easier to work with.
• Improving the gloss: Some mediums, such as stand oil, can increase the gloss and transparency of the paint, giving it a shiny, professional finish.
• Slowing down the drying time: Mediums such as stand oil and poppy oil can be used to slow down the drying time of the paint, giving you more time to work on your painting.
• Improves the paint’s flexibility: Some mediums, such as stand oil, can make the paint more flexible. This is helpful if you’re working on a large stretched canvas. Using canvas panels offers more stability overall.

Cons:

• Affecting the paint’s color: Adding mediums to your paint can slightly alter its color, so be mindful of this and make any necessary adjustments.
• Drying too fast: Some mediums, such as alkyds, can speed up the drying time. It’s not a problem if you like to work fast. But if you like to work slow and want to paint wet on wet, fast drying is a problem.
• Brittle paint and cracking: Using too much medium and not following the fat over lean rule can make the top layers of paint brittle and crack. If you look closely at paintings in museums, you can see where this has become a problem.

Experimenting with different mediums can help you find the right balance and achieve the effects you want in your paintings.

Time to paint

If you’d like to learn more about how to paint, check out some of my other articles:

Painting Wrinkles And Grey Hair – 12 Tips & Tricks

How To Paint A Senior Dog Portrait – Tips & Tricks

Tips For Painting Silver Objects – Tutorial

What Is Alla Prima? All Your Questions Answered

The post Oil Painting Mediums – A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

I was contacted recently by VoyageKC Magazine to give an interview in their Rising Stars series. VoyageKC’s focus is to shine a spotlight on Kansas City’s local artists, small business owners and entrepreneurs and I feel very fortunate to be included.

The interview includes my background as an artist, the challenges I’ve faced and the things that matter the most to me. It also showcases some of my portrait work. So if you would like to know more about my story, feel free to check out the link below. And if you are here to learn a little more about how I do what I do, I’ll include a few links for that as well.

I’d like to thank VoyageKC for taking the time to share my story. Please spend a little time on their site to discover other local artists, business owners and entrepreneurs. We are lucky to live in such a diverse community of talent. So check out their stories – your support means everything to them.

Below is a link to the interview with VoyageKC Magazine:

VoyageKC article link

Rising Stars: Meet Shelley Hanna

Interested in more artist tips and tutorials? Here are a few you can check out:

The real focus of this website is all about learning new things as an artist. Below are a few of my tutorials featuring portraits of both a human and animal. I’ve also included an article with some tips and tricks I’ve used along the way.

How To Paint A Realistic Portrait – Avoid These 11 Mistakes!

Why Paint Upside Down? 15 Helpful Painting Hacks

How To Paint A Senior Dog Portrait – Tips & Tricks

Just want to see my work? Click the image below:

I love learning new things and painting a variety of subjects. Everything from still life to portraits of pets and people. I also dabble in a little digital work as well. I would love for you to take a look through my gallery. New things will be coming soon!

The post Check out my latest interview with VoyageKC appeared first on Shelley Hanna Fine Art.

Realistic portrait painting has always been my favorite thing to do. However, getting a likeness can be a huge challenge due to simple mistakes. I’ll share with you a couple of the mistakes I made painting this portrait. I will also go over other common mistakes and helpful tips. This will help you to avoid some of the pain of painting portraits.

I’ve drawn and painted portraits of people and pets for as long as I can remember. Fortunately, I’ve been able to capture a likeness with most of my subjects.

The only time I have trouble with a likeness is when I make some basic mistakes. With this realistic portrait of Dr. Claude Pressnell, I started out the painting with an inaccurate drawing. That was my first mistake. I also had

inadequate lighting at the time, which made painting very difficult.

Here is a quick review of the 11 mistakes to avoid when painting a realistic portrait:

1. Drawing Inaccurately
2. Value Study Not Thought Through
3. Painting Surface Isn’t Properly Primed
4. Poor Lighting
5. Making The Whites Of Eyes Too White
6. Painting Lines On Teeth
7. Using Too Much Color
8. Not Matching Values
   
9. Over Blending
10. Adding Too Much Detail Everywhere

Mistake #1 When Painting A Realistic Portrait – Inaccurate Drawing

When I look back at how I started this portrait, it is so obvious to me that I didn’t draw the portrait accurately enough. I was so excited to get this painting started that I rushed through the drawing.

If you are painting a realistic portrait from a live model, sometimes you need to quickly get the sketch in and correct along the way as you paint. I’ve done this many times. However, I was painting from a photograph, so there was no need to rush.

At the time I remembered thinking that the drawing was “close enough”. That was a huge mistake that haunted me through the entire painting. I am an impatient painter and want to get to the actual painting part as soon as possible. This time, my impatience cost me many hours because I had to correct my drawing mistakes.

Tips For Getting The Drawing Accurate On A Realistic Portrait

If you have a reference photo that you are working from, print out the photo at the exact same size that it will be on your painting. This way you can use a method called sight sizing. I talk more about it in this article when I painted a digital portrait. You can also see an example of this when I painted a portrait of Maiden in oil. I used a grid in conjunction with sight sizing.

Site sizing has many benefits. It allows you to measure accurately and you can put your print right next to your canvas so you can quickly dart your eyes back and forth from the image to the canvas, which makes it much easier to see differences. In some of the images below, you can see where I had the photo taped onto the canvas.

If you are working from an image that is smaller than your canvas, then I would suggest using a grid. Draw a grid on your print and then draw a grid proportionally on your canvas. This will give you key points to help you draw in your subject. Having a smaller grid with many boxes is not helpful as it can be too complex. If I use a grid, I keep it simple. You can see how I used a grid when I painted the portrait of Duke. A proportional divider is also a great tool to help you measure accurately.

Mistake # 2 – Not Taking Time For A Proper Value Study

Below, you can see that I started a value study, but I was impatient and went through this step very quickly. Again, this is fine for doing paintings of live models. Perhaps I was thinking I had to paint like I was in a live painting class while doing this. I spent many years in advertising where everything had to be done at breakneck speed. I keep forgetting that I don’t need to do that with painting.

Painting isn’t a race unless you have a deadline or are working against a timer in a live session. Even then, getting the drawing and value study as accurate as possible first will save you so much time fixing mistakes later on. The early stages of a painting are worth investing a little more time in.

For some reason, this is a lesson that is very hard for me to learn.

Mistake #3 – Painting On A Surface That Isn’t Properly Primed

Fortunately, this is a mistake I didn’t make. I used an oil-primed linen panel that was an absolute dream to work on. It was 16×20 inches in size. If you paint on a cotton canvas that is primed with acrylic gesso, chances are you may need to add another coat or two of gesso. If you don’t, the canvas might soak up the oil in the paint rather quickly.

This happened to me while I was painting this portrait of a pug. I thought it was because the room was too hot, but it really was because my canvas was thirsty. Gesso is formulated to allow oil paint to adhere to it even though it is acrylic-based paint. You can paint with acrylics first before you paint with oil, but only in very thin layers.

If you are fortunate enough to work on an oil-primed canvas, you won’t be able to paint with acrylics on top of it. It’s possible to paint oil over acrylic, but not the other way around. I didn’t use any acrylic paint in this portrait.

Mistake #4 When Painting A Realistic Portrait – Poor Lighting

When I started painting again, I was painting in my kitchen which had the best lighting in my house during the day. However, I was painting this portrait in the fall and only had the weekends to paint when it was light out. If the weekends were rainy or cloudy, I didn’t have enough light.

You simply can’t match color accurately without proper lighting. Poor lighting really slowed my progress down dramatically and every time I walked into my kitchen knowing I couldn’t work on the portrait was torture. I could see all the areas I needed to work on, but I knew it would be useless to try and put paint down because it would most likely be wrong and I’d have to fix it later.

I’ve since invested in some studio lights like these box lights on Amazon. I also purchased a ring light that is adjustable and puts out a nice amount of light. I’ll probably be adding more lighting in my studio so I always have enough light to work whether it’s day or night. Check around on YouTube for lighting setups. Some people have been able to make fantastic studio lights using inexpensive lighting from hardware stores.

Mistake #5 – Painting The Whites Of The Eyes Too White

The whites of a person’s eyes are rarely white. The only time you see this is in overly retouched photos on magazine covers. Real people have a mix of colors, shadows, and reflections in the white area of the eye. I always start out with the eye in a darker grey color and then add the form to the eye with lighter colors. The only time I use anything close to white is for a reflected highlight in the eye. And even then, it usually isn’t pure white.

Tips For Painting Eyes

In the photo above, you can see that I have roughly painted in the white of the eye using mostly medium blue-grey tones. Early on in the painting, I don’t worry too much about details and blending. I’m more concerned about getting the right values. Squinting helps me see the values accurately. I also move my eyes back and forth from the reference to the painting while I’m squinting. This helps me to see the differences.

With eyes, there is usually a shadow under the lid, so I make sure that the top part of the eye is darker than the bottom part. I also paint the pupil dark and use the same dark color around the outer edge of the iris. You only need a couple of brushstrokes using a lighter hue to create the color of the iris. In this portrait, it was a blue-grey and I allowed that color to blend with the darker colors. A couple of highlights after the basic components of the eye are painted in can give you a pretty realistic portrait effect.

Mistake #6 When Painting A Realistic Portrait – Painting Lines On Teeth

You don’t see too many portraits painted with big smiles. This is because when portraits were painted in the past, people sat for them and it would be impossible to hold a genuine smile that long.

The “no smile” portrait became the style for a formal portrait. Of course, now that we have photography to work from, smiles are possible to paint but can be very difficult. Most portrait artists I know avoid painting teeth because they can start to look weird really fast. This is because beginner painters are painting what they THINK they’re seeing rather than what they are actually seeing.

Tips For Painting Teeth

When I paint teeth, instead of thinking of each individual tooth, I think of the shape of the upper gums and the shape created by the teeth along the bottom lip. You can take some tracing paper and practice drawing the shape along the gumline and bottom lip. This helps you to see the overall shapes rather than the individual teeth.

Most of the time when I paint or draw teeth, I won’t create a line from top to bottom. In this portrait, I did indicate the individual teeth with a very light grey color. In the image above, I had painted out the teeth and moved them because my drawing was off. They are too light, but the overall shape between the reference photo and painting when you squint your eyes is close. The shadows between the teeth look very dark and will be corrected.

There was a lot of modeling done on the teeth as I painted. Each tooth has its own plane and creates slightly different shadows. Below you can see that I’m adding the form to the teeth by shading on the sides and bottom. I still have a ways to go to make the teeth look realistic.

Lost Edges

Below, I’ve skipped ahead so you can see the mouth near completion. Notice how there are some lost edges on the right-hand side of the teeth. I highly recommend working with lost edges if you are painting teeth. Otherwise, you could end up with a portrait of someone who looks more like a monster. We don’t want that.

Teeth, just like eyes, are rarely pure white. They are very reflective. Many times I work flesh tones into the teeth and only concentrate on shadows along the top and the bottom. Keep squinting when you paint teeth, this will help you to see if they are looking realistic or not.

Mistake #7 When Painting A Realistic Portrait – Too Much Color

If you are wanting to create a realistic portrait, then you will have to get past the urge to use all the paint colors you own. Just because you have twelve tubes of paint doesn’t mean you have to use all of them.

Many successful portrait painters use a limited palette, but the most famous one that I’m aware of is Anders Zorn. His palette consisted of only four colors. Oil paints are expensive, so using only four colors is a cost-effective way to create a realistic portrait.

Zorn didn’t always use only four colors, but there are many examples of his work that do including the two paintings below.

Anders Zorn self-portrait using the Zorn palette

The Zorn palette consists of:

• Ivory Black: Used to decrease value and also used as a substitute for blue. You can always think of ivory black as a very dark blue. Adding white brings out the blue tones.
• White: Used to increase value. I generally use titanium white or a warm white. (However, you can create warm white with titanium white and yellow ochre.)
• Yellow Ochre: This substitutes for yellow on the palette. Most skin tones will not need a high chroma yellow. You can find yellow ochre here.
• Cadmium Red Light: Cad red is the highest chroma pigment in the palette and works extremely well in creating all shades of flesh tones.

When I picked up oil painting again, I ordered the Gamblin Artist Oil Colors Introductory Set on Amazon. It can be a more cost-effective way to go and even comes with a painting panel. If you are more budget-conscious, I’ve heard good things about the student grade set that you can also find here on Amazon. It also comes with a wooden painting panel. With both sets, you get eight tubes of oil color – which include the colors in the Zorn palette – plus a tube of solvent-free gel.

Portrait of Martha Dana by Anders Zorn

As you can see, Zorn has been able to create beautiful portraits with very simple colors. This is an excellent palette to start out with especially if you are a beginner. Color adds complexity to the process while painting. More colors mean more decisions. Using a limited color palette cuts down on the decision making and allows you to focus on value, shape, and composition.

In the image below, I’ve stuck mostly to the Zorn palette, but I did add quinacridone rose to get some of the pink flesh tones. When you start with the basic four colors, it’s much easier to add in one or two extra colors as you work to extend the palette.

Mistake #8 – Inaccurate Values

Value is basically how light or dark paint is on a scale from black to white. If you took an image on your phone and changed it to black and white, you would end up with the tonal values of your subject.

Not getting values accurate is the biggest mistake most artists make. Many artists start their paintings too light and then can never get enough of a value range to work with.

Tips For Painting Values

• Squint your eyes frequently to see the values more accurately. By squinting, this reduces the visual information so you see the larger shapes and tones.
• Print out a greyscale version of your image if you are working from a photo. If you are working from a live model, you can always take a picture of your subject and change it to black and white so you can get a good sense of what the values are.
• Use a Greyscale And Value Finder. This can help tremendously when you are starting out painting. It’s an inexpensive tool that provides a lot of value – literally.

You can find out more information about the importance of value in this article I wrote. Value is a big subject and something artists are continually learning about each time they paint.

Mistake #9 When Painting A Realistic Portrait – Over Blending

As you can see in the Anders Zorn painting examples above, you don’t need a lot of detail to create a realistic portrait. The human brain is very efficient at filling in the blanks for us. Because of this, we don’t need to put every little detail down on the canvas, unless we want to.

John Singer Sargent was well known for his society portrait paintings and is regarded as a “painter’s painter”. Nearly every portrait artist I know would love to have the Sargent sensibility when it comes to creating a realistic portrait. He challenged himself to get as much information in each brushstroke as possible. He knew if he matched values correctly, the viewer’s brain would take over and complete the painting.

John Singer Sargent self-portrait

I like to paint with the end result looking “realistic” from a distance, but then look like a painting up close. It’s one of the hardest things to do for me because I love adding detail. Knowing when and where to add detail to direct attention becomes an art in itself.

In his self-portrait above, you can see the economy of stroke that Sargent uses to create this portrait. Up close it looks more like a mess of paint, but from a distance it is brilliant. Sargent was known to continually stand far back from his painting, mix his colors accurately, and then walk up to his painting and lay down a stroke in a bold and confident manner.

Mistake #10 – Adding Too Much Detail Everywhere On A Realistic Portrait

This is similar to mistake number nine, but I wanted to make a distinction. You can over blend areas and not have a lot of detail.

Sometimes artists can get too caught up in realism and not see the forest for the trees. When you focus too much on details too soon, you can end up with a great looking nose that you spent a lot of time on, but it is out of place.

Nothing can be too precious on your painting that can’t be moved. In this portrait of Dr. Pressnell, I had made the mistake of not getting my drawing done accurately, which meant I was moving facial features around A LOT. If you compare the picture above with the picture below, you can see there are differences, but they are very subtle.

If I had painted in his features too detailed, I would have not wanted to move them later on because I spent so much time on them. Keep your paintings as loose as possible and only add detail at the very end when you know you have the likeness down.

Mistake #11– Adding Background Too Late

You can see during the progression of this painting that I started to add in the background around the head fairly early on. I had a feeling I wanted this portrait to have an “unfinished” look, so I only added a small amount of background.

If you don’t add in the background color, the values of the skin tones can be way off. You don’t have to have your final color placed, but you should have the value established so you can figure out your tonal range.

In my pet portrait of Duke, I made sure to establish a darker value background. However, I ended up changing the color at the end. You can see the progression of Duke’s painting here.

3 More Tips On Painting A Realistic Portrait

Now that I’ve covered some common mistakes, I’ll review some of the decisions I made in this portrait and go over a few tips. I’ve included some close-up images for your reference so you can see more detail.

1. Finishing The Painting

I struggled with how detailed I wanted this realistic portrait to get. This was painted from a photograph, so the photographer had made a lot of decisions on the lighting and overall color. Because of this, I wanted to create a contemporary and painterly effect while keeping a formal feel.

In the image below (which, unfortunately, is a little flat), I was playing with how much I wanted to complete the background. I made sure to use a lot of energy in my brushstrokes to contrast the formality of the pose. This adds a lot of visual interest and emotion to the work. Dr. Pressnell is a very engaging person, so I tried to capture his energy the “unfinished” background.

I did some small sketches on my iPad with varying degrees of finished background and decided this level of completion had the feel I was going for. When the background was completely painted in on my sketch, the energy and emotion of the painting decreased and it felt “off”.

2. Adding Subtle Complementary Colors

In the detail photo below, you can see around the eye socket where I have some blue tones mixed in with the peachy tones. Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel. When you add complements, it enhances color. Think of how beautiful a sunset is. The complementary colors of the cool blue sky contrasting with the warm orange tones from the sun creates a stunning visual effect.

Complementary colors “vibrate” visually and add a little life and drama to your work. I always try to work in subtle complementary colors in my portraits. It adds a level of interest and excitement for the viewer.

3. Clothing Details In A Realistic Portrait

It’s funny because I always worry about details like ties and jewelry. To overcome this, I spend time on Pinterest looking at how other painters have tackled these subjects.

I always find that the more simple the execution, the better the outcome.

The eyes of any portrait will more than likely be the focal point. So anything beyond the “eye zone” can be less finished. Remember, the brain loves to fill in the blanks for us. A few brush strokes are all it takes to create a realistic effect. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the values do need to match.

Drying Times For Oil Painting

When I painted this portrait, I used a slow dry medium so I could keep the painting in an “alla prima” style. I definitely did not do this all in one sitting, but I did want the effect of painting wet-on-wet.

I wouldn’t necessarily classify using a slow dry medium as a “mistake”, but it sure did take a very long time to dry. The medium I used did create a very luminous effect, so I was happy I used it.

This portrait was also painted when it was colder outside, which meant it was colder inside. Oil paint tends to dry much slower when it’s cold. It can also take up to a year to dry, so if you have a painting you need to do on a deadline, be cautious with the mediums you use. They can really slow you down.

Dr. Claude Pressnell finished portrait

The Finished Portrait

As with all of my paintings, I get a little sad when they are done because I get attached to the work. There is a lot of problem-solving that goes into each painting. It seems that every artist has to overcome a few personal struggles while solving these problems. I think that is why I bond with these paintings so much. They are proof that I persevered and made it to the other side of the conflict.

I’d also like to thank Dr. Claude Pressnell for giving me the opportunity to paint his portrait. He was very patient with the progress and understood the challenges. As with all my paintings, I learned so much about the art of painting and about myself along the way. The painting was an absolute joy for me to paint despite my drawing errors early on.

Thank you for stopping by!

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you would like to learn more, below are some other popular painting tutorials that I’ve done both digitally and traditionally:

How To Paint A Puppy Portrait From A Reference Photo

How To Paint A Senior Dog Portrait – Tips & Tricks

7 Portrait Painting Tips From The #30faces30days Challenge

How To Paint A Dog Portrait Step-By-Step In Oil

8 Tips For Painting Black Fur – Traditional & Digital

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