Introduction to Oil Painting
with Nataliya Zozulya
The perfect opportunity to get started in oil painting. This course introduces a systematic approach, with exercises to build confidence and unleash the imagination. You will learn techniques relevant to all styles of painting and begin to develop your own style.
Spring Term Dates
8, 15, 22, 29 January
5, 12 February
(Half term 19 February)
26 February
5, 12, 19, 26 March
2 April
Topics include:
The equipment: what is and is not necessary. Art shops and sweet shops: knowing the difference
Mark making – the basic skill of using the brush correctly. The DNA of your finished painting
Tonal control. The critical aspect of your painting before you even get to colour
The important attributes of colour. Temperature, saturation, transparency, etc.
Palette management. A whole world in a limited space
Preparing a canvas.
Painting strategies: completing paintings both in stages and alla prima (“all at once”)
Making studies from a variety of reference materials including photographs, prepared images and still life.
Basic materials for the Introduction to Oil Painting Course with Nataliya Zozulya
Oil:
Sufficient amount of Titanium or Zinc White (200ml tube), Ivory Black, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Yellow or Gold Ochre, Red Ochre Transparent, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Oxide of Chromium Green, Viridian, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmiums: Red and Yellow.
(Winsor&Newton Artist’s range is good. Their student version is suitable however they have less colour pigment in them)
Surfaces:
Several artist’s boards, canvas boards or canvases (white gesso primed)
18x14inches
16x12 inches
14x10inches
Brushes:
Range of good quality hog long filberts and flats from number 6 to 12
Solvents:
Low Odour for the lessons, turpentine or white spirit if you prefer at home. Please do not bring turps or white spirit to the classroom.
Jam jar with lid for washing your brushes during work
Linseed oil
Palettes:
Rectangular or oval medium wooden or firm plastic palette (white plastic is good)
size appr 37x23cm (see links below)
Palette knife:
eg Winsor&Newton palette knife N21 or N22
Plenty of rags or kitchen towel, old shirt or apron to protect clothing (or wear old clothes)
Drawing paper pad A3 size (for notes and some sketching), 2B pencils, eraser.
Option for plein air: Portable easel or Pochade Box with tripod sold separately (You can carry paints in pochade box and some of them include a palette. Some boxes can be quite expensive, but if you are planning to stick with your painting and try to paint both indoors and en plein air, they are useful).
You might find these links useful:
Introduction to Oil Painting with Nataliya Zozulya: Twelve week Spring Term programme
8 January: Basic materials:
- oil paints, how to make your own oil paint
- support and grounds (canvases v wood panels); why do we need to seal the support
- brushes -variations, sizes, fibre and costs
- how to make your own palette
- thinners and mediums
Creating the colour wheel, secondary and tertiary colours
Tree colours and their possibilities
Two canvas panels 30 x 40 cm
(painting dark objects against light background if there is time)
15 January: Learning different brushstrokes and some simple oil technics
(with the help of visual materials)
Hue, value and saturation of colour.
Painting simple objects.
Working on composition in preliminary sketches. Importance of good drawing, underpainting.
22 January: Basic shapes in everyday life: sphere, cube, pyramid, cone.
Working on the silhouette;
Painting light objects against dark background trying to create harmony of subtle opaque tints unified by light. Light and its colour. Working on imprimatura.
How to draw and paint the mug. Circle in perspective.
One 25x30 cm canvas panel
29 January: Simple still life in grisaille technique using 5 tones
Composition, proportions, tonal sketches. Help of tone scale to understand the tonal framework of the painting.
“Fat-over-lean” rule in oil painting in layers.
Secrets of basic perspective.
One canvas panel or canvas 30 x 40 cm
5 February: Simple still life in grisaille technique second session
How the light models form. Learning the importance of hard and soft edges. Working on details. How to use glazing.
12 February: Still life in colour.
Use of view finder to help with the composition. Importance of a good drawing. Simplification of tonal masses. Preparatory sketches in tone and colour.
Blocking in the main shapes of the composition with washes. Underpainting in colour.
One canvas panel or canvas 30 x 40 cm
19 February: Half Term
26 February: Still life in colour second session
How to hold everything together and not to focus on one item. Colour of the light and how it influences the hues and models the rounded objects. Looking at brushstrokes of different artists.
5 March: Painting landscape from reference
Composition of the landscape and how to choose what to focus on. Balance of abstract masses. Examples of aerial
perspective. One canvas panel or canvas 30 x 40 cm
12 March: Bright still life inspired by Matisse
Finding the harmony of the masses of bright colour.
Possible use of “dry brush “ technique.
One 25x30 cm canvas panel or canvas
19 March: Still life Alla prima (“all at once’)
oil painting technique using colour blocking approach and uses little of underdrawing, painting impasto.
Possible use of palette knife to move the paint around the canvas.
One 25x30 cm canvas panel or canvas
26 March: Interior painting
Short colour sketch.
White canvas panel or canvas 25x30 cm
2 April: Painting seascape
mixing blues and grays for sky and sea.
White canvas panel or canvas 25x30 cm
The tutor may change the program due to weather conditions or similar circumstances.
Please contact us with any questions