Last year I began experimenting in oil painting (a medium by which I had long been intimidated) using Winsor & Newton oil bars. These bars are true oil paints - pigments mixed with linseed oil as well as wax (I'd have to look up the label to see which one or ones) so they can be handled in much the same way. The key difference is - you got it - they are a bar. Kinda like a big, fat juicy oil pastel only...not.
I decided to work with these because they bridge the gap between things like graphite and charcoal pencils or coloured pencils even - and wet media. They even have a blender bar - an unpigmented linseed oil and wax bar that helps colour blend, spread and glaze.
And they smell kinda...nice. Which helped. A lot.
They are fun. I could scribble the paint on, brush it on, knife it on...whatever I wanted. I could, and did, use my fingers to blend. I loved this part!! Finger painting! Yay!
Here's a sample of one that is still in progress (though I have a couple more on my website here for you to look at):
Another style of oil painting caught my eye. Dry brush. Aha! Even closer to dry media, though applied with a nearly dry paint brush. I have much more to explore with this technique and ideas for paintings and combinations of styles and media are keeping me up at night.
I've been really enjoying these experiences with oil paint and hope to be taking an on line workshop to further my technical understanding (a.k.a. get over my fears of paint thinners and other stuff! haha).
Do you paint with oils? How did you get started? Art School? Workshops? Just dive in and play? I'd love to hear from you!
I decided to work with these because they bridge the gap between things like graphite and charcoal pencils or coloured pencils even - and wet media. They even have a blender bar - an unpigmented linseed oil and wax bar that helps colour blend, spread and glaze.
And they smell kinda...nice. Which helped. A lot.
They are fun. I could scribble the paint on, brush it on, knife it on...whatever I wanted. I could, and did, use my fingers to blend. I loved this part!! Finger painting! Yay!
Here's a sample of one that is still in progress (though I have a couple more on my website here for you to look at):
Another style of oil painting caught my eye. Dry brush. Aha! Even closer to dry media, though applied with a nearly dry paint brush. I have much more to explore with this technique and ideas for paintings and combinations of styles and media are keeping me up at night.
I've been really enjoying these experiences with oil paint and hope to be taking an on line workshop to further my technical understanding (a.k.a. get over my fears of paint thinners and other stuff! haha).
Do you paint with oils? How did you get started? Art School? Workshops? Just dive in and play? I'd love to hear from you!
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