"The River Bend" 10x14" Oil on Board by Richard Robinson
Resource photo of Rangiteiki River in New Zealand.
Ai image generators like Midjourney.com are a great tool for artists. You can use this tool as little or as much as you like. In this lesson I take a photograph, design a painting in greyscale based on that, and then give both images to the Ai to flesh out my design. Alternatively I could have skipped Ai and painted a colour study, then worked up the larger finished painting from that. I would have gained some experience but lost some time. Do what brings you joy.
The copyright issue
Some artists decry Ai companies for breaching artists copyright by using artists work to train their Ai without permission or benefit to the artists. Fair enough. But, it's done now, the genie is out of the bottle. I hope those artists pursuing legal recourse will succeed. Meanwhile, I sometimes choose to use Ai in my design process. Perhaps some of the money I spend on that will make its way back to those artists.
This demo is in oils but it's fine for acrylics too.
I'll take you step by step through this whole process. Just a couple of hours and you'll have a beautiful painting of a tree on the river bend.
This demo for beginner to advanced painters is in oils but it's fine for acrylics too.
Winsor & Newton Oil Paints
Winsor Blue Red Shade
Ventitian Red
Gold Ochre
Cad Yellow Pale
Titanium White
Painting medium
Liquin
Solvent
Gamsol
Surface
MDF panel primed with 2-3 coats of acrylic undercoat or gesso. Sand lightly between coats.
You could use a canvas panel or anything you prefer.
Brushes
Rosemary & Co. Richard Robinson Brush Set
Palette Knife
Paper Towels
Container for solvent
Container for painting medium
I’ll guide you all the way.
In every scene you'll find things you'll want to change. With this one, I could have painted it just as it was, but I wanted to focus in on those parts that I loved the most. In order to do that some actors must be cut from the play. Other actors may simply step out of the spotlight so that the stars can do their thing. I loved the tree and the dappled light, so those things took centre stage, and the limelight. Be very clear about what it is you love the most and then focus on showing that off to its best effect.
Again, you can use this as much as you like. In this instance I gave the Midjourney.com Ai my grayscale design and the photo of the scene, cropped to better match my design. Then I typed in what I wanted to see, simply, "In the shade of a tree on a river bank". Leaving all the other multitude of settings at default levels I clicked the go button. It came up with 4 similar images and I chose the one I liked the most, ready to take to the easel.
Painting in oils on a relatively small canvas like this it's fun to get it all done in one session - alla prima! In this case I painted the background first and, while still wet, wiped out parts that the foreground tree would cover, so that I didn't have to struggle painting over thick paint later. Wiping sections of your painting can give you a wonderful sense of freedom from the preciousness we so often develop over parts that we have spent time on.
Whilst I normally avoid lots of detail in my work, sometimes it's nice to change things up and spend considerable time on detailed sections. I start the foliage with large shapes, working darkest to lightest, and the paint gets thicker as I apply the lights with a smaller brush. Note that the foliage gets lighter and warmer the closer it gets to the sun on the right.
The dappled light in the foreground is painted thickest of all and the rigger brush is employed for the last few branches, providing some more crisp calligraphic detail.
I'll take you step by step through this whole rich process and you can choose which parts you'd like to try out in your own work.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
—Walt Disney
Get the full 1hr online video painting lesson here: https://mypaintingclub.com/lessons/260-The-River-Bend
Enjoy!
Artist: Dalyce Sellers
Hi Dalyce, nice work! The variety of brushwork you’ve used brings a wonderful energy to the painting, giving it a lively and dynamic feel. Your shapes and drawing are spot-on, capturing the natural flow of the landscape beautifully. The color throughout is consistent and harmonious, creating a cohesive scene that feels true to the original. The only tweak I’d suggest is with the dark blue in the river—it stands out a bit and could be greyed down slightly to blend more naturally with the surrounding tones. The dappled light on the foreground bank is a great touch, but softening some of those edges with a warm half-tone would add a more subtle, natural glow. Good work, Dalyce—this is a strong painting with a lot to be proud of!
River bend, oil, canvas, 27 cm x 46 cm
Artist: Elena Sokolova
Hi Elena, your painting shows strong work. Your drawing is solid, grounding the scene with confidence, and the bold colour choices give your work a lively, vibrant feel. The brushwork is dynamic, adding an engaging energy that draws the eye. However, some of the brushwork in the leaves feels a bit repetitive, creating a pattern that could be softened for a more natural effect. Similarly, the grass leaning on the foreground bank has a patterned look—varying those strokes slightly could enhance the organic quality. Other than that, this is a lovely painting with much to admire. Nicely done.
My attempt at River Bend 10x12 Oils
Artist: Stephen Dickens
Hey Stephen, great effort on your painting! It’s good to see you’re not afraid to get the paint on the canvas—you’ve got a nice thickness of paint there, which many artists apply too timidly, so you’re off to a solid start. I can see you’ve avoided the trickiest part of the painting, which is the lacy effect of the sky peeking through the leaves. It’s natural to want to oversimplify, but I encourage you to have a go at this area using two brushes—one for the sky and one for the foliage—to capture that delicate interplay.
Speaking of oversimplifying, you’ve also simplified the shape of the riverbank and the trunks of the trees. By taking a bit more time to note the subtleties of these shapes through practice, you can create a more realistic effect.
It all comes down to drawing, which is where every painter needs to start honing their skills, because painting is just drawing with colour. So, I encourage you to work on those drawing skills, keep a sketchbook, and practice drawings of simple things, then move on to your hand and more complex subjects. You’ll see improvement over time. It’s all part of the journey! Enjoy.
The dark accents in the cliff need to be lightened a little too to create more depth between the foreground and background. I find it helpful to think of these backlit scenes in terms of value planes of depth, getting lighter as they recede.
"Rangitikei River Bend" in NZ, in Acrylics, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Artist: Eric Hillmer
Hey Eric, wow, that’s an interesting take on this painting! You certainly have a different eye, and it shows in the really interesting organic shapes you’ve created in the tree trunks. There’s a lot of engaging action happening in the foliage and the riverbanks, which adds a lively energy to the work. The smooth, calm area of water provides a nice moment of rest for the eye, but I do feel it could benefit from a slight horizontal shimmer somewhere to enhance the effect of flat, reflective water. Nice work.
'River Bend' by Fay Thomson - 12" x 16" Oils on Canvas Board
Hi Fay, lovely work! The harmonious colour scheme and soft treatment of the light create a beautifully serene mood. I love that you’ve included what looks like bark peeled off the trunk and the upper reaches of the tree, along with the subtle colour shifts that accompany it—such a thoughtful touch. Your brushwork is very gestural, adding a lively, expressive quality. The one thing I’d like to see changed is the value of the green reflections in the water, which could be a little lighter to enhance their realism. Other than that, this is a beautiful painting.
The River Bend Oil on Oil paper
Artist: Geoffrey Geeson
Hey Geoffrey this is a great painting full of strong colour and intense contrasts, exciting brushwork and solid drawing skills. Painting oils on paper certainly gives it a different feel, somewhat softer than canvas or panel. I bet this one looks great on the wall. Lovely job.
Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered a painting into the monthly workshop. Great work!
- Richard.
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