Tips and Techniques

Tips and Techniques

Painting Trees

Trees are not cardboard cutouts with brown trunks and leaves that are simply green if it's summer, red if it's autumn, or absent if it's winter. The 'secret' to painting believable trees is an understanding of the underlying structure of trees complemented by observation of different species.

Keep a Sketchbook:
• Compile a file or sketchbook with your notes, sketches, and even bits of bark and leaves.

Overall Appearance:
• Identify the overall shape of the tree. Is it shaped like a sphere, umbrella, cone, or tube, or is it simply irregular? Is it short or tall, fat or thin, straight or spread irregularly? Do the branches point upwards or downwards? Are the leaves dense or sparse? Has it spread naturally, has got broken branches, or has a gardener pruned it?
• Remember the root system; trees don't just stick up out of the ground.

Trunks:
• Taper the width of the trunk from bottom to top, as well as branches and twigs.
• For more character, paint trunks sideways in small strokes rather from top to bottom in one long stroke.
• Trees in dense woodland tend to be vertical; lone trees may be angled due to wind.

Branches:
• Branches aren't straight, aren't the same width throughout, and don't grow parallel to each other.
• Avoid putting branches opposite each other on a tree trunk; trees aren't symmetrical
• Make branches cross over each other to create depth. Add appropriate shadows.
• Leave gaps in the foliage and show branches in the gaps.

Leaves:
• It's impossible to paint every leaf on a tree; look at the leaves as a mass (or groups of color), not individuals.

Colors:
• Trunks and branches aren't a simple, uniform brown. Study the bark of different trees up close not only for texture, but also for color, and make notes. Look at the color of new growth, old, and dead branches. For example, gum trees have silvery creams and oaks grays. Is there any moss or fungus growing on the bark?
• Trees in a woodland receding into the distance aren't all the same green. Aerial perspective applies and benefits from a bit of exaggeration.
• Look out for highlights reflecting the blue of the sky. Early morning sunshine will add a warm, golden glow.

                                                   Clouds

Painting a stormy sky with its dark, dramatic clouds or the pinks and reds of a sunset is very appealing. A little knowledge about the common cloud forms and their characteristics will help you to capture these scenes and enable you to add credible clouds to any painting.

How are clouds formed?
Although it's invisible to the naked eye, the air around us contains water vapor. When air rises, this cools the water vapor, which then forms droplets or, at a high altitude, freezes into ice crystals. This is what we see as clouds. Slow-rising air creates sheets of cloud, while fast-rising air creates cotton-wool lumps of clouds.

How are clouds named?
Clouds are classified by how high up in the atmosphere they occur. The long, sheet- or ribbon-like clouds found in rows at low altitudes are stratus clouds. Rows of small, cotton-wool clouds found at similar altitudes are called stratus cumulus. Large, billowing, cotton-wool clouds are cumulus clouds. These can extend to great altitudes; when the top flattens out in an anvil shape it gets called a cumulonimbus cloud (nimbus is a term used to describe a dark, rain-bearing cloud). Cumulonimbus clouds are the ones that generate dramatic thunder storms and hail. The wispy clouds found at very high altitudes are cirrus clouds; these are made from ice crystals.

How do I paint stratus clouds?
You want long, horizontal sweeps across your painting, so use a flat, wide brush. The lines of the cloud should almost be parallel, but paint them freehand, not using a ruler. If they're perfectly parallel they'll look artificial. Remember that perspective applies to clouds too, so they become narrower (smaller) and paler the further away they are. Suggested colors: A light and a dark blue, such as cerulean and ultramarine, for the sky; yellow ochre and Payne's gray for the 'dirty', rain-loaded bits of the clouds.

How do I paint cumulus clouds?
Think of the strong winds that whip up these clouds, and try to translate this action into brush strokes. Work fast and energetic not slow and painstakingly meticulous. Resist the temptation to make these clouds simply white with dark shadows. Clouds reflect colors and may include reds, mauves, yellows, and grays. Concentrate on the shadows, which give the clouds shape. Suggested colors: alizarin crimson for pink tints; yellow ochre and cadmium orange for golds; Payne's gray or burnt sienna mixed with one of the blues used in the sky, for shadows.

How do I paint cirrus clouds?
These are feathery clouds very high up in the atmosphere, swept along by high winds. Be light-handed to capture their wispiness. Suggested colors: alizarin crimson for pink tints; yellow ochre and cadmium orange for golds.

Here's how to paint clouds:

Clouds aren't pure white; they reflect the color of the sky. This is clearest at sunrise and sunset, when clouds turn shades of yellow, red, and pink. They also pieces of shadow in them.
Similarly, skies aren't simply blue. They're built up of various tones of blue. Experiment by adding colors such as ochre and crimson to your blues.
Don't try to paint every detail in clouds. Simplify the surface details, concentrating on pattern.
Learn to identify the different types of cloud as each has its own characteristics. Don't simply paint generic clouds. For example, cumulus (thunderstorm) clouds have some hard edges to them.
Take photos of different types of clouds at different times of day to create a reference portfolio. Label each clearly.
Remember that the rules of perspective apply to clouds. As they recede towards the horizon, their colors become paler and their shapes less distinct.

Tips:

To get rays of sunshine coming out the base of a cloud, tip up the paper and let the paint run down.
Experiment with unlikely or bold colors. Your paintings will have more feeling in them.
Try painting the shadows in clouds, rather than the light parts.

How to Varnish an Acrylic or Oil Painting
Varnish is more than simply a layer to protect your painting from pollution in the atmosphere and abrasion. It will also bring out the colors to the brilliance they had when you applied them.

Be sure to use a non-yellowing varnish!

Here's How:

Ensure your painting is completely dry. Allow several months for an oil painting to dry properly. Depending on the thickness of the paint, this could be up to nine months.
Clean the painting so it's free from dust, dirt, and grease. Lay the painting flat, and then dampen a bit of cotton wool with clean water.
Dry the painting with another bit of cotton wool. With your fingers, gently remove any cotton fibers that have been caught in the paint.
Leave your painting to dry for several hours, or overnight. Lean it against a wall, face inwards.
Use a flat bristle brush to apply the varnish. If you don't want your painting to be too shiny, use a matt varnish rather than a gloss one.
With the painting flat, work from the top to the bottom, applying the varnish in parallel strokes from one edge of the painting to the other. Always work in the same direction.
When the first coat of varnish is dry, apply a second coat at right angles to the first. This will give you a good, even finish.
Leave the painting flat for at least 10 minutes after you've finished varnishing to stop the varnish running down the painting. Then prop it up against a wall to dry, face inwards.
To test whether the varnish is dry or not, touch the edge of the painting to see if it's still tacky. It should dry within a day or two, depending on the weather.

Tips:

Always varnish the whole of the painting in one go. If you do only a part and this has started to dry before you do the rest, you'll end up with a line where the first bit ends.
Try to have the same amount of varnish on the brush for each stroke so you put equal amounts of varnish on all parts of the painting.
Work in a dust-free environment, otherwise dust particles will get stuck in the wet varnish. Keep cats out too; being so inquisitive, you could end up with paw prints in your new varnish.
If you're too impatient to wait several months for your oil painting to dry so you can varnish it, you should consider using acrylics.

How to Use Color

click below for more information

            Informational Book on Color

                             Paint Colors



Complementary Colors

The complementary color of a primary color (red, blue, or yellow) is the color you get by mixing the other two primary colors. So the complementary color of red is green, of blue is orange, and of yellow is purple.

• What about secondary colors?
The complementary of a secondary color is the primary color that wasn't used to make it. So the complementary color of green is red, of orange is blue, and of purple is yellow.

• Why are complementary colors important?
When placed next to each other, complementary colors make each other appear brighter. The shadow of an object will also contain its complementary color, for example the shadow of a green apple will contain some red.

• How am I going to remember this?
The color triangle makes it easy to remember: the three primary colors are in the corners. The color you get by mixing two primaries is between them (red and yellow make orange; red and blue make purple; yellow and blue make green). The complementary color of a primary color is the color opposite it (green is the complementary of red, orange for blue, and purple for yellow).

• What happens if you mix complementary colors?
You get a tertiary color, particularly browns.

Should you add white to lighten a color and black to darken it?

While it may seem logical that to lighten a color you add white to it and that to darken it you add black, this is an oversimplification. White reduces brightness so although it makes a color lighter, it removes its vibrancy. Black doesn't so much add darkness as create murkiness.

• Why can't I add white to lighten a color?
Adding white to a color produces a tint of that color, makes a transparent color (such as ultramarine) opaque, and cools the color. This is most noticeable with red, which changes from a warm red into a cool pink. You can add white to lighten a color, but because this removes the vibrancy of a color you'll end up with a washed-out picture if you use white to lighten all you colors. Rather develop your color mixing skills to produce hues of varying intensity. For example, to lighten a red, add some yellow instead than white.

• Why can't I add black to darken a color?
Black tends to dirty colors rather than darken them. Of the most common blacks, Mars black is the blackest and is very opaque, ivory black has a brown undertone, and lamp black a blue undertone. Think about how much is truly black in nature.

• Aren't shadows black?
No, shadows are not simply black nor a darker version of the color of the object. They contain the complementary color of the object. Take, for example, the shadow on a yellow object. If you mix black and yellow, you get an unattractive olive green. Instead of using this for the shadow, use a deep purple. Purple being the complementary color of yellow, both will look more vibrant.

• I can't figure out what colors are in the shadows...
Simplify what you're looking at by placing your hand or a piece of white paper next to the bit you're having trouble with, then look again.

Paintbrushes

Click for more information:   Brush Shapes       Brush Size Chart     Brush Hair Types

            Standard Household Bristle Brushes

Most folks think that all oil paintings are created with little tiny, one-haired brushes. Nothing could be further from the truth! Consider standard household bristle brushes These are standard 2 inch and 1 inch household bristle brushes. They work great for laying in large color masses and creating foliage. They take some getting used to, but the effects you can create with them can be quite impressive.

                       Flats



One of the most common oil painting brushes is the flat brush, or as they are known in art circles, flats. Flats are great for making long, clean-edged strokes of color. The thin edges on these brushes can also be used for painting sharp lines. The smaller flats are great for laying in rough outlines of color, and are great for getting into tight corners of the painting.



                        Filbert Brushes

Filbert brushes are similar to flats, with one notable exception. They are rounded at the ends. Actually, they are round brushes, with have been flattened by the ferrule to retain their rounded edges. They are especially useful for making rounded brushstrokes and strong, bold lines of color on the canvas. The small filberts are excellent for making fine details. The larger ones are used primarily for laying in large blobs of colors.

                                                            Fan Brushes

Fan brushes are probably the most interesting brush in terms of appearance. As you can see from the photo, fan brushes are "fan-shaped". They are wonderful for creating soft blends between multiple colors. They can also be used for creating rudimentary foliage, such as trees, grass, etc. Another popular use for fan brushes is to blend away visible brushstrokes on the canvas, to soften the images. As with most varieties of brushes, fan brushes are available in hog hair bristle, synthetics, mongoose hair, sable hair, etc.

         Round Brushes

Round brushes are excellent tools for painting very fine details in a painting. They come in a variety of lengths and have smooth, curved ends which allow the artist to paint long, continuous strokes of color. These wonderful brushes are used for fine details, such as sticks, twigs, grass, leaves, and of course, your signature! These brushes are excellent for doing blends in really tight areas.



                        Blending Brushes

Blender brushes can also be used for blending areas of color or visible brushstrokes. Large blender brushes are made with very soft bristles. Work them gently across your canvas, in either circular or side to side strokes. Use very little pressure to blend with these brushes, or you will have a mess on your hands! Another popular brush used for blending is the "bunny brush". These brushes resemble the brushes those used to put on make-up. Again, these bristles are very soft, and should be used gently to smoothly blend colors or to remove visible brushstrokes.

Foam Applicators

Through the years, artists have traditionally experimented with new methods of applying paint to canvas. One interesting utensil are foam applicators, like the ones shown in the photo. By using things other than traditional paintbrushes, you can create interesting textures and strokes. Don't be afraid to experiment with non-traditional tools and techniques. Often the most unique pieces of art are created without the use of more traditional tools. A word of warning though - try it out on scrap canvas or paper before using it on your latest masterpiece.

Know your painting brushes hairs and bristles

What types of painting hairs and bristles are used in paint brushes and which are the best?

Paint brushes are made from stiff or soft hairs, which be either natural hairs or synthetic fibers. Soft brushes are ideal for thin paint which spreads easily, and for detailed work as they form a sharp point which allows for precision painting. Robust, hard brushes are ideal for pushing around thick paint and for creating brush marks in the paint.

Is natural hair better than synthetic?
Modern synthetic brushes are excellent and have the advantage of being cheaper than natural hair. Purists will tell you that no synthetic fiber can beat a Kolinsky sable, considered the ultimate of soft hairs because of its flexibility and strength, which give an artist great control. If you're at all squeamish about or ideologically opposed to the sources of natural hair, then synthetic brushes are the way to go.

What natural hairs are used in paint brushes?
• Sable: The ultimate soft brush is made from the hairs on the tail of a sable marten; these taper naturally, so when they're put into a brush they form a point. Sable brushes are expensive, but are renowned for their softness, flexibility, and fine point. Kolinsky sable from Siberia has traditionally been considered the best hair for watercolor brushes.

• Squirrel: Cheaper than sable, squirrel is a soft hair with little spring. Larger squirrel brushes work better than smaller ones because the mass of hairs together gives them support.

• Hog/bristle: The ultimate hard brush is made from the hairs on the back of a pig (hog), which are strong yet springy. The bristles have natural split-ends, which increases the amount of paint they hold. Used for oils and acrylics.

• Camel: Brushes labeled 'camel' hair are really made from other types of soft hair. Camel hair is unsuitable for brushes because it's too woolly.

• Ox: Long, strong and springy hair.

• Pony: Coarse hair that doesn't form a good point. Often used in cheaper brushes

• Goat: Lacks spring, but forms a good point. Used in calligraphy and Chinese Brush painting.

Parts of a brush

Definition: An artist's paint brush consists of three parts: the handle, usually made of wood, the ferrule, which holds the hairs onto the handle, and the hairs or bristles, which can be synthetic or natural/

The size of a brush is indicated by a number printed on the handle, usually starting from 00 (the smallest), then 0, 1, 2, up to 1

Are You Holding Your Brush Correctly?

Different ways to hold a paint brush.

When you pick up an artist’s paint brush for the first time, chances are you’ll hold it in your hand the same way you would a pencil or pen, with your fingers close to the ferrule. If you never hold a brush any other way, you’ll be limiting the range of strokes you can create.

         Holding a paint brush like a pencil:

This is the most instinctive way to hold a brush, as it gives us a familiar sense of control. Using your wrist to move a brush held this way provides fine control, suitable for making precise marks. For even greater control, rest the side of your hand or your little finger on the canvas (protect your work by putting a sheet of paper under your hand if necessary). For more flowing marks, use your whole arm not just your wrist.

Wrapping your hand around the brush:

This way of holding a brush will probably feel strange at first, but it encourages you to use your whole arm to paint, not just your wrist and hand. Turn your hand palm up, rest the paint brush handle across your fingers, from where the little finger starts to the first knuckle in your forefinger, then wrap your fingers and thumb around the handle. Paint energetically, moving your arm and shoulder, not just your wrist.

Also look at:
How far down the handle you are holding the brush. Don't strangle it! Experiment with moving your hand further down the handle, all the way to the end, making a note of the results. Buy a long-handled brush and work at arm's length from your canvas. Handles are on brushes for a reason!

How to Care For Your Brushes

Your brushes are an investment. By cleaning them thoroughly and properly at the end of a painting session, they will last longer.

Here's How:

Wipe off any excess paint using a cloth or soft tissue.
Rinse the brush in turpentine if you've been using oils or lukewarm water if you've been using a water-based medium. Never use hot water as it can expand the ferrule, causing the hairs to fall out.
Wipe it on the cloth again to remove the last of the excess paint.
Clean gently using a brush cleaner/conditioner.
Rinse and repeat until there's no trace of any color coming out. Over time a brush may become stained, but don't stop rinsing until you're sure there's no paint left.
Use your fingers to gently shape the brush head into its correct shape.
Wrap the bristles in toilet paper while the brush is still wet. When the paper dries it'll contract, pulling the bristles into shape.
Leave brush to dry at room temperature. Ensure it's not resting on its head, as it will then dry misshapen. Standing it on the back of the handle works well.

Tips:

Always use separate brushes for oil painting and water-based medium. After all, oil repels water. Also use separate brushes for varnish, gesso, and masking fluid.
Don't let acrylic paint dry on a brush as its water-resistant when dry. But also never leave a brush standing in water.
Never use a lot of pressure to force paint out of a brush. Be patient and rinse it several times.
If your brush is made from natural bristle, you can soften it by rinsing it with hair conditioner.
Misshapen synthetic brushes can sometimes be reshaped by soaking them in hot water (not boiling).

Paint Thinner

Thinners are used to dilute oil paint and to clean your brushes and palette. The most traditional solvent is turpentine, which maintain the oiliness of oil paint. Adding white or mineral spirits to oil paints makes a watery mixture. Look for low-odor solvents and always use in a well-ventilated room. Solvents sold in hardware stores are not artist's quality and can cause yellowing. Use good paint thinner. Your brushes are an investment, clean and condition them after each use.    (See picture below)

Painting and Palette Knives

Painting knives come in many different shapes and sizes. The most common style is shown in the photo above. Notice the handle "dips" down, and forms a sort of "spade" shape at the end of the knife. This type of knife is great for placing tiny daubs of paint , or for creating nice smooth layers of colors (like icing on a cake). Another great use for this knife is painting in the "impasto" method - which consists of large quantities of paint arranged on the canvas.



Like brushes, painting knives come in a variety of flavors. Consider the one shown in the photo above. This tool, which can also be useful in applying paint to canvas, was originally designed as a color mixing tool for mixing piles of color on a palette.

  A word of caution about using palette and painting knives - the edges of these things can get awfully sharp over time. If you detect that your knife falls into this category, pitch it and grab another one for a few bucks down at your local arts and crafts store .

Mediums



Linseed oil (or stand oil) is used to increase the consistency of the paint on your palette. It should be used sparingly, as it retards drying, and too much of this stuff can cause your paint to yellow over time.

Unless you know what you are doing, use it sparingly, if even at all. If you are just starting out, use paint straight from the tube - you'll be fine. Get a feel for your paints before dabbling with adding additional medium.

You can mix your own medium, if you prefer. Use 1/3 safflower oil, 1/3 Turpenoid, 1/3 Liquin (or a thick gel medium)Shake together in a jar, and you have a less expensive alternative to buying Linseed Oil.



Turpenoid is an odorless paint thinner. It is used as a substitute for regular turpentine. This stuff is used to clean your brushes and equipment, and also used to thin the consistency of paint on the palette





Carpet or Clothing Cleaners

Denatured Alcohol is okay for cleaning paint spills on carpets (test on hidden carpet area to be sure it is safe to use on that carpet). Lighter fluid is often good for cleaning paint from carpet (test on hidden carpet area to be sure it is safe to use on that carpet). Lava Soap: excellent & usually safe for cleaning wet paint from skin, clothes, etc. Be very careful on white clothes (test on hidden area, if any doubt of results). Kiss Off, Simple Green, Grease Cutter, Shout Aerosol, and Dawn dishwashing detergent are good for cleaning off WET paint (again test if safe on hidden area). 409 and baby wipes are excellent for miscellaneous cleaning of easel, hands & palette. Hand cream is excellent for protecting hands, if put on before start of painting

Miscellaneous

Store paint upright onto cap.
Use freezer paper (shiny side up) for palette paper.
To tighten canvas, spread small amount of water on back of stretched canvas with paper towel & canvas will tighten when it dries.
Oil paints can go over gesso/acrylics, but do not put gesso/acrylics over oils.
Have harmony throughout painting, carry base color through painting.
Do not think that you must use one brand of paint..experiment..they are all different. Find the paint you like the most, do not fall into the "branding ploy" that some companies use.

Paint Storage Tips

Paint products can become contaminated with bacteria or mold, which can lead to a strong, offensive and in some cases, sickening odor. Paints such as poster paints and temperas that are intended for classroom use, and for children, often contain an organic binder that is subject to degradation if not stored properly, or used within a reasonable period of time.

To guard against bacteria and mold, manufacturers of paint products add preservatives to these products. Diluting the product will decrease the effectiveness of preservatives. Below are some tips on storing paint products to maximize their shelf life:

Store the product in its original container in a cool, dry place and prevent freezing.
Date and rotate inventory, always using the oldest stock first.
Thoroughly shake the product before using.
Remove only enough paint for immediate use. Never return unused portions to the original container.
Never dilute the product. The addition of water dilutes the preservative's strength as well as the paint. If diluting paint to simulate watercolor techniques, prepare only enough for immediate use.
Avoid working directly from the original product container. Do not place brushes, hands, or other objects in the container.
After each use, make sure the cap is returned tightly and that the product is sealed before storing.

All paints are subject to eventual spoilage once opened and exposed to air and other contaminants. Most spoilage is a result of cross-contamination from common sources such as air, water, people, brushes and other utensils. Proper storage and usage will reduce potential sources of contamination and extend the life of your paint.

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