This is a demonstration of oil painting by ……
Collection Of Oil Paintings By “Wai Ming”
A collection of paintings by the artist Wai Ming
The world that we live in today, has provided us with technology so that we can appreciate art from all over the world. We can either view artists from different countries either on the internet, or if fortunate enough we can travel to other countries and experience different cultures for ourselves and expand our own catalogues of work by taking in what we see and capturing it on paper.
Here is a collection of paintings by an Artist called Wai Ming. Wai Ming was born in Canton in 1938, the son of a school master with nine children. Extremely poor as a child, he was raised in Hong Kong enduring many hardships. There, Wai Ming developed his drawing techniques without any art education and began painting what he saw.
He paints oil paintings, mainly of oriental subjects. As you look at the pictures you can see why his work is admired and collected all over the world. They capture a very real image, one that is very life like and could easily be mistaken for a photograph. All his artwork is very simplistic and draws the viewer in, so much so that you almost feel as if you are in the picture living the moment.
His other artwork can be found on www.waiming.com
Irv Rudley: Dual Portraits
This video is a step by step guide on how to paint the perfect portrait. Here Irv, creates a Dual portrait and uses some very clever ideas to capture a picture with an interesting mix to it.
Irv Rudley is an artist who from his early childhood had a compulsion to draw faces. As a child he would draw in the empty margins of his notebooks tiny heads sketched in with pencil, pen,crayon or anything that would make a mark on paper. He would draw classmates, teachers and anyone who happened to pass his way. If someone had an interesting face, the compulsion became overwhelming, and he just had to stop whatever he was doing and a grab a likeness.
The portraits that he paints normally would take many weeks and would require a great deal of time from the sitter, he prefers to paint from photos that he takes, or ones that are supplied to him if he feels they will make a quality painting.
When he does the photography, he will take many shots with a digital camera and review them on the spot with you, to see which one is best suited for the painting. Sometimes a composite combination of differentshots, possibly substituting a different background or clothing will be the final selection. In any case, you will know, before he makes the first brush stroke, exactly what the finished painting will look like.
Many times he will make small colour sketches for later use to compare with the photography while he is painting. And occasionally he might ask for one or two live sittings when the painting is finished, just to check for any additions or corrections that you or he might see.
To view other paintings by this artist visit his own website which is www.cfsvideo.net
Acrylic Vs Oil Paint…What Are The Benefits And Differences
The question of which is better between acrylic and oil paint arises a lot in the art community and many people have mixed opinions and of course their own preferences on which is ‘better’. The only fair way to do this is to weigh up conditions like costs, quality, special requirements, ease of use, quality and versatility. Of course not everybody will agree with everything which is said but it may serve to offer an overview of what to expect from these two popular mediums and aid you in making a decision as to which one to start painting with or in fact revert to.
So firstly we should start with the obvious difference which separates completely these two favoured art mediums and that is that acrylicpaints are water based whereas oil paints are oil based. So instantly this brings the first argument which is that acrylics are easier to pick up and put down because with them being water based they dry a hell of a lot quicker than oils. Depending on application and amount of paint used oil paints can take up to two weeks plus sometimes, but this is subject to climate and other conditions, although as a general rule this is a true time to consider before you decide to paint with oils.
This being said, there are many ranges of mediums for both acrylics and oil paints on the market tailor made to increasing drying times as well as slowing them down. These mediums come in forms of pastes, gels and liquid and have been developed for a reason. That reason is a demand for their properties requested by the artists and is actioned by the paint manufacturers to alleviate these requests.
An example of the variety of mediums designed for use with oil paints
Do you want faster drying times? If you do require this and believe that this is less hassle than oil paints with their slower drying time then you must consider whether it actually helps you as an artist to paint more effectively. With quick drying acrylic paint you have the option to walk away whenever you want as you know when it dries you can come back to it and paint over it with more acrylic. However, with doing this it is not just the color which has dried but also the texture that you have left with the brush. If you have applied the acylic paint thickly then you will have heavily textured areas of paint which once dried will not disappear. The only way to overcome this is to paint flat. This situation would simply not arise with oil paints and you will be in the position to come back again and again to alter BOTH the texture and the colors you were using. So with this in mind it is down to the individual to decide which is a better way of working.
If you work quickly and like to be able to work over your painting fast with an abundance of layers then it is acrylics you should go for. If you are a steady paced painter and like to start numerous paintings at once then oil painting would be a viable and sensible option. It is also worth mentioning that the amount of paint which you apply to your palette is crucial to consider when you are working on a budget. Large dollops of oil paint on a glass or perspex palette for example will last for over 2 weeks in the right warm climate of say your average home so you can afford to apply more paint to an oils palette. However, if you tried this with acrylic paint you would find that it is good for only a few hours before a crust and/or skin appears on the paint. This paint is ruined and you are at the point of squeezing yet more paint onto the palette. Painting this way in acrylics is foolish and you will be burning a rather large hole in your pocket so be careful and only apply the correct amount of paint for which you need and keep it regularly watered. There is one alternative though for the artist who likes to paint in acrylics but prefers a slower drying time (like oils). That alternative is a ‘stay wet palette’. Although this type of palette can extend the short term life of your acrylic paint, it can not match up to the weeks of drying time which oils offer. Here you are getting a greater increase in the logevity of the acrylic paint as well as a ‘fume-free’ environment which is a further pro for the acrylic paints.
An example of a homemade 'stay wet palette' for acrylics
Something I mentioned earlier was the use of painting mediums which have become extremely popular now among both acrylic and oils artists with their extensive possibilities for manipulating the paints. They can thin, prolong, thicken and dilute the paints to create maximum ease of use for the artist. With this in mind it is actually surprisingly easy to treat oils as acrylics and vice versa but the costs could quickly escalate as these paint mediums do not always come cheap!
Please leave your comments and share your view.
ArtisanHQ’s Top Ten Oil Paints
Artisan HQ’s…Top Ten Oil Paints
So you are already a current oil painter or you are curious to grab your paint brushes and start painting with oil paints but don’t know where to turn. Look no further than ArtisanHQ’s thorough and concise guide to the ‘top ten oil paints’ on the market today as well as a few other brands which are also be forwarded for recommendation.
Each and every artist using any type of art medium knows that most of the time it is personal preference which overrides brand name and in some cases the quality. But there is no denying that the better quality the materials and tools you use as an artist then the better their longevity and quality of results. Oil paints for example go from a premium grade containing high quality pigment often of a single color right down to the entry level student grades and water soluble brands which can contain a number of different pigments with varying inconsistencies from tube to tube.
Other than high density pigment there are the other factors of cost and availability to consider when making your purchase. Oil painting can get very expensive so if you are a novice painter don’t go rushing out to buy some M.Graham oils for example as you will potentially waste lots of paint and not understand how to combine these paints with various oils mediums to control their life span. Texture and density of the oil paint is also high on the agenda for most oil painters as it allows a smooth transition and consistency throughout the various stages of an oil painting. It is also worth noting that the better quality oil paints store away much better and will happily live on a shelf unused for many months.
Depending on what kind of art you are producing where you require oil paints will determine your needs for high or low quality oil paints. Through product testing and reviews I have ArtisanHQ has compiled this list of what we deem to be the most competitive oil paint brands on the market today complete with links to help you locate and purchase them. So here it is, the complete ‘Top ten Oil Paints’ every artist should consider…
10: Student Grade Or Generic Oil Paints
If you go into any chain art store or even to your local college art supplies building you will always find your student grade oil paints often posing in larger tubes with fancy writing all over them. Others will be less obvious but still easily spotted by their low value price tag. With oil paints this low value price always equals low value product and it is at this point where you make the decision to purchase this type of paint. Personally I would advise against it as you will find that you have a mutiny of false economy on your hands where you are constantly applying more and more oil paint to achieve a color mix you will probably never get. The pigments within these paints are only just entry level and most of the time they are extremely poor quality causing you a constant hindrance from start to finish if you’re not careful. Technically these generic oil paints contain too much linseed oil resulting in a much less intense pigment(s) color leaving the user deflated when they can’t achieve the color they are striving for in their mind. This leads to buying more beautiful colors in more techni-colored tubes to over compensate for this with stress levels high and a less than satisfactory palette of colors being used to paint with. Sadly the result will be in most cases an empty wallet, 18 tubes of paint which you hate and a painting which is either completed and disliked or an unfinished painting which props open the shed door. These paints often have a tendency to yellow or form discoloration over time too so just another positive spin for you there. I know this is a harsh review but from experience I wouldn’t want people to follow the same path I did so save your pennies and go up the scale away from these student paints. Even if you have little money it is certainly worth saving just for that extra week to treat yourselves to a slightly more pigment dense and branded paint and believe me you’ll stand with me afterwards casting your complaints on the generic brands. You could however use these paints to take on some form of abstract art which requires less pigment control to use up the rest of the paint or if you have a project where by the values contained within your oil paints aren’t that essential you could certainly consider taking these cheaper value paints to work in your favour.
How To Draw A Smile In Pencil From A Reference Photo
This artist delivers an extremely thorough ‘how to’ video here where you can expect to using a variety of mediums to learn how to draw a mouth, lips and teeth direct from a reference photo.
The video is in four parts, the first part being the establishing and drawing of the basic shapes to form the lips. In the second part the artist adds the first base colors of tone to the lips and teeth and dissolves common misconceptions that teeth are separated by dark tones when in actual fact there are usually only light and medium tones. Part three is the prep work for his oil paint application and also finishing finer detailed work with the coloring pencils.
Park four shows the introduction of a Winsor & Newton medium Liquin to blend the oil paint and the waxy texture of the colored pencil to soften the impression and appearance of the lips. This is a great video for beginners and intermediates alike.
Claire Watson: How To Dry Brush Basics
In this video tutorial you will learn how to dry brush with Claire Watson. The first half of the video describes the variety of brushes used and not forgetting the kitchen roll and the eraser. The paints are Windsor and Newton artisan oils and they are her choice of paints for the dry brushing. She talks of how its like a combination of drawing and painting. Judge for yourself and above all, have fun.
Scott Naismith: Glazing Techniques With Oil Painting
This video tutorial has Scottish oils artist Naismith showing an oil painting from around 7 years ago being reworked having been unhappy with the results back then. The painting develops using various opaque and translucent techniques. Some inspirational material is shown including videos taken in the Isle of Harris and a photo from Loch Fyne, Scotland. The final painting is titled ‘Loch Fyne Light’. All standards of oils painter can benefit from this video.
Steven Cronin: A Watercolor Painting Tutorial In The Lake District, Lake Buttermere
British watercolor artist Steven Cronin gives you another instalment of how to paint with confidence in watercolors. This time he chooses to paint a scene from Lake Buttermere in the Lake District. He is very specific with the tools he uses to compose his paintings and the kit used is as follows. The paper is 15″ x 11″ Fabriano watercolor paper. The brushes used are the large Ron Ranson hake and a number 3 rigger. My regular palette consists of 7 Cotman watercolors – Raw Sienna, Burnt Umber, Light Red, Ultramarine, Lemon Yellow, Payne’s Gray and Alizarin Crimson. I’m sure this video tutorial will not disappoint so grab your kit and paint along.
Dick Ensing: Applying Your Signature In Oil Paints
This instructional video features Tennessee based artist Dick Ensing showing you how to finish off your oil painting with the right signature. He discusses the favourite colors like cadmium red used by oils artists and how to apply it by mixing in a little bit of turpentine so its not too thick and blotchy. Finish your painting off in style.
