Should You Oil Paint Dark to Light or the Other Way Around?

I think most art students have heard the old adage “You paint dark to light.” One of the most basic principles of oil painting states to keep your darks thin and your light thick. Unfortunately, people try to follow this rule without knowing why and may get a pre-conceived “law” in their head that they are scared to break for fear they are not “painting right.

Should You Oil Paint Dark to Light or the Other Way Around?

Copy of Renoir’s Dance At Bougival

This sketch copy I did of the top part of Renoir’s Dance at Bougival was done with oil on cardboard. There was very little drawing done with the brush. The forms were built by brushstrokes of one color against another. This is an adaptation of the drawing stage that many art students will use if

Copy of Renoir’s Dance At Bougival

Copy of Ingres Portrait

Always trying to learn as well as continually experimenting with supplies and techniques, I painted this copy of the French 19th century master – Ingres when I was much younger.  The original Ingres on the left and my copy on the right. I probably used a little too much oil in my copy as I was

Copy of Ingres Portrait

Flower Painting Demo (speed video)

Flower Painting Demo (speed video)

Painting of a Street Scene – in stages

Here is a painting I did. I took photos of the work in different stages so you can see how the painting process works. One of the biggest mistakes I see aspiring painters make is thinking that you just draw it and then try to carefully fill it in. Almost in the way you would

Painting of a Street Scene – in stages

How I painted this Rubens portrait copy

It was done as a demonstration for my students. Want to see how it was done and learn the all important “How and Why’s?” – After all, if you don’t know the “how” and “why?” you’re not really learning. You can see the whole creation…from start to finish. It’s just one of the video demonstrations inside

How I painted this Rubens portrait copy

Making rabbit skin glue for canvas

Rabbit skin glue is the traditional glue – better known as sizing – that is applied to canvas before the base coat of paint is laid over it. Most people like to start something at step 1. I have taken to calling this step 0 because it’s usually forgotten, but if were painting during the old

Making rabbit skin glue for canvas

Rembrandt van rijn

When mentioning the greatest artists of all time, Rembrandt’s name will come up on the list. Especially in the United States. I venture to guess that the non art lover has heard of Rembrandt, but does not know his full name of Rembrandt Van Rijn. He is one of the few names in art history

Rembrandt van rijn

Color Mixing Lesson Right on the Palette

Here is a short video that give a preview of a color mixing lesson I did for students on video. I do the lesson right on the palette. This is about how to darken a color and uses orange as the example color. After, I recommend joining Oil Painting With Ethan as a member to further

Color Mixing Lesson Right on the Palette

Umber and white underpainting demonstration

An underpainting is definitely a part of the beginning of creating a painting. However, it’s not the very beginning. If you’d like to begin all your painting with confidence instead of confusion, check out the “How to begin?” course I paint from a photograph and you’ll see how I go about creating an underpainting. I use

Umber and white underpainting demonstration