I just dropped a new YouTube video breaking down my exact oil-painting workflow—and spoiler: it’s way less intimidating than you think. Whether you’re staring at a blank canvas or fighting muddy blends, these seven steps will turn chaos into confidence. Let’s dive in.
Tip 1: Start Monochromatic (and Thank Me Later)
Color is stressful. Value is everything.
That’s why I kick off every painting with just three tubes:
- Titanium White
- Black
- Raw Umber
I thin everything with Liquin—a fast-drying medium that turns gloopy paint into silk and dries to the touch overnight. No more waiting a week between layers. Pro move: Block the entire canvas in one mid-tone. Then…
Tip 2: Subtract Light with Paper Towels
Grab a Q Tip (or cotton bud if you’re across the pond) and a rolled-up piece of Viva paper towel—the only brand that plays nicely with oil paints. Swipe away highlights like an eraser. Boom—instant value map.
Then mix black + raw umber to carve in the shadows. You’ll build a roadmap in under 2 hours. But here’s the part most beginners miss…
Tip 3: Know Exactly When to Stop
Push paint over wet paint and it slides like grease. Keep going? Hello, mud. The rule: When fresh paint stops grabbing the canvas and starts skating, walk away.
With Liquin, thin layers dry overnight.
Tip 4: Embrace the “Ugly” Color Phase
Day 1 of color over your perfect underpainting? It’s going to look worse.
Opaque layers bury your crisp drawing. Edges go soft. Details vanish. This is normal; you’ve not done anything wrong.
Glazing and refining layers bring it all back—sharper than before. By splitting values (Day 1) and color (Day 2+), you’re making everything easier to tackle.
Tip 5: Stop the Fingerprint Apocalypse
Oil paint is a ninja. One bump of a dirty brush and the handle’s coated. Pick it up later? Paint on your hands, canvas, jeans, and somehow your cat. Fix: Wipe brush handles immediately. Keep a rag in your non-painting hand like a surgeon.
Clean workspace = clean painting = clean sanity.
Tip 6: Nail Crisp Details with the Right Surface
Final glazes and tiny edges need flow. Mix in extra Liquin so the paint glides like a dream. But here’s the secret: canvas texture is your enemy for this style. Rough grain fights fine lines. Smooth linen? Heaven. I’m using a Fredrix Belgian Linen canvas board—zero texture, buttery surface. (Yes, I’m sponsored by Fredrix, but I bought this one myself. It’s that good.)
Tip 7: The Right Varnish
Most varnishes demand a 6-month cure. Not Gamblin Gamvar.
Apply it the moment your painting is dry to the touch—I wait 3–7 days after the last stroke. It saturates colors, evens sheen, and protects instantly. One coat, brush-on, removable for future conservation. Game-changer.
Supplies Used: (affiliate links)
- 8×10? Fredrix linen canvas board https://amzn.to/49zt1gf
- Winsor & Newton Artists Oil Paints Set of 10 https://amzn.to/3E1ec5t
- Weber Permalba Black https://amzn.to/45EUqZj
- Weber Permalba Titanium White https://amzn.to/44lhWJw
- Liquin https://amzn.to/3KIYzTF
- Gamsol https://amzn.to/44bOk1i
- Brush Cleaning Tank https://amzn.to/44gz6bl
- Brush Cleaner https://amzn.to/44iPSXp
- Masterson Art Palette http://amzn.to/2oTxccT
- New Wave Glass Palette http://amzn.to/2AXj9KL
- Glass Scraper https://amzn.to/45euh3G
- Clamp light for my easel http://amzn.to/2CSYyHr
- Cheap Brush Set https://amzn.to/3P3KS4o
- Gamvar https://amzn.to/3qtLQh6
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