My Way With Oils

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Hi Ronnie T, nice of ya ta drop in mate. Yes all subsequent layers are indeed glazes. In this way you get more depth and diffusion to the colours. This is particularly useful when painting whites, yellows,reds and blues and really comes alive with horses.
I also use this technique overlaid on metallics for shading and oxidisation/rust.

Cheers

Ron
 
After the recent discussion on oil painting I thought it might be interesting to show how we each approach painting with oils. For this WIP/SBS I am using Pegasos gorgeous recent bust of a Gaul Chieftain. It has already been said that this is far from historically accurate but, for me at least, it is all about the simple pleasure of the painting.

Brilliant to hear you say this....too many people lose sleep agonising over and criticising a bust or figure becaue of historical inaccuracies. From your pictures this proves to look an amazingly well sculpted and well cast bust.

This looks a great sbs so thanks for doing it. I use oils for faces but have never attempted clothing or equipment so I will be following with interest.

Gells.
 
Hi Gells, it really is a great cast and sculpt. I hope this SBS will inspire others to give oils a go or, like yourself, show that oils are good for more than just faces. It is great that people want to follow this thread as that more than makes up for the time it takes to put an in depth SBS together.

Cheers

Ron
 
No mediums are used with the oils because, from my experiences, they are not needed if you don't take out the oil on card first. That is done by the 'thinning' out following the 'scrub' coat. You will note also how matt the oils are once thinned to a glaze. This is one of the points I wanted to show in this SBS as it is an issue many complain of with oils. Hope this makes sense.

Ron
 
Hi Ron, what an interesting thread and one I will follow with interest, as an advocate of Oils it is great to see something which will help to promote their use. Thanks for taking the time to do this, time consuming as it is, you can see it is creating a lot of interest.

Keith
 
Ron, Thanks for taking the time and effort to do this!.... As you know, I am also a great believer in oils, so any new methods and techniques will be pounced upon with glee, I am watching this with fervour! (y)

Mark.
 
Keith, Ventress, Mark and Steve, really pleased this thread has garnered so much interest and support. As a long term user of oils in the traditional sense, I enjoy pushing them in different ways to prove they are much more versatile than many would have us believe. I am an ardent believer in the reality of oils and love bending the rules.

Regards

Ron
 
Hi Ron,

Good to see another take on using oils buddy. There's often a lot with using acrylics so its good that oils are getting some exposure ! : )

Interesting that you are painting over a white basecote where as I paint over a coloured base of enamel or Andrea acrylic. It is like you are working up from your darkest shadows with the dark scrub cote and I guess it also helps with placing shadows etc as it kinda' maps them out for you.

When you use the term 'glaze' I think of a thinned medium. Rather than neat oil paint spread out thin... But then most oils are not that opaque and even the ones that are, once spread out take on a glazed kinda Finnish with the base cote grinning through.

Acrylics are for painting walls ; )



Carlos
 
LOL Well that should tickle the acrylic guys. Seriously tho, you are right in the strictest sense that a 'glaze' would suggest the use of a medium. I use that term to define a very thin transparent layer of colour as it fits and is easier to type.
Spot on observation about the scrub coat and how it defines shadows as well as working dark to light. Some advocate the use of taking pictures using zenithal lighting for reference but, that means you have to keep taking your eyes off what you are doing. I find it easier to to have all the reference I need right in front of me. Interesting that you use a coloured undercoat. Any particular favourite. Enamels used to be my preferred base on metal figures but find acrylic from an aerosol easier and less hassle than setting up the AB.

Cheers

Ron
 
Ok, Ron!... scratching my head!... Similar to Carlos, I use spray can! (acrylics), rather than enamels!... (All my Airbrushes, are now defunct, because of my crap-hands)! and I have to generally work in sub-assemblies!.., (if possible), so the area that I work on is pretty much the really basic, base colour that I require, before turning to the oils!...... And yet,!! you dont soak/drain these oils!.., or use any other base colour.( That suprised me)!, and then apply them straight on top of your primer, in this case 'Skull-White'. I can understand the 'Dark to Light', element!... Which is generally my ethos, but there are some really intriguing ideas already!(y)

Mark
 
I hope I can make things clearer as this SBS progresses Mark and, that it will give you a useful insight into further possibilities in using oils. Undercoats are personal to each of us as are the techniques we each apply to achieve the end results we are seeking. Carlos has lit a lightbulb in my head regarding using different colours to white as an undercoat. These moments are what this thread is about for me. To learn and refine my technique and, hopefully, to help others experiment further with a great medium.

Cheers

Ron
 
Steve you read my mind. Got two horses to paint in near future. One will be a 'Paint' the other I am torn between an Iron Grey dapple and a Golden Chestnut. Now you got me thinking................................

Ron
 
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