In this chapter, I guide you through the captivating journey of oil painting, starting with the essential task of setting up a still life in your studio. I’ll show you how to arrange your subjects and light them in a way that transforms them into beautiful, inspiring scenes ready to be captured on canvas. We begin with the simplicity of painting a single pear, a perfect subject to introduce you to the fundamental concepts of form and color in oil painting. This exercise is designed to help you grasp the basics and build a solid foundation. As you become more comfortable, we'll gradually increase the complexity of our compositions, allowing you to develop your skills step by step. By the end of this chapter, you'll not only have created your first oil painting but also gained the confidence to tackle more challenging subjects. This scene is rewarding because it offers a clear path from simplicity to complexity, ensuring that each step you take is a building block towards mastering the art of oil painting.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
Arrange your still life in the studio, focusing on composition and balance. Use lighting to create a beautiful and inspiring scene that highlights your subject.
Begin with Simple Subjects
Start by painting a single pear to grasp the basics of form and color. This will help you build foundational skills before moving on to more complex compositions.
Progress to Complex Compositions
Gradually increase the complexity of your still life subjects. This progression allows you to build upon your skills and tackle more challenging paintings with confidence.
Pro tipFocus on lighting to enhance the beauty and inspiration of your still life setup.
Embark on your painting journey by thoughtfully arranging your still life setup. Focus on creating a balanced composition that captivates the viewer and highlights your subject with effective lighting. Begin with simple subjects, like a single pear, to master the basics of form and color. As you gain confidence, gradually introduce more complexity into your compositions, allowing your skills to grow naturally.
When transitioning to landscapes, start with a strong visual concept to anchor your painting. Use notan and grayscale studies to explore the balance of light and dark and to refine tonal values. These studies will help you understand the structure and depth of your scene. Experiment with color studies to find the perfect palette that brings your landscape to life. With these preparations, confidently execute your full landscape painting, capturing the beauty and essence of the scene.
Points to remember
Focus on lighting to enhance your still life setup.
Start with simple subjects to build foundational skills.
Gradually increase the complexity of your compositions.
Begin landscape paintings with a strong visual concept.
Use notan studies to explore light and dark balance.
Conduct grayscale studies to refine tonal values.
Experiment with color studies to test different palettes.
