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.

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 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

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

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