See how we create a beautiful oil painting from a photo as we follow one of our
artists from the very first strokes on the canvas to the last as she paints, 'Venice' for one of our customers.
The first step is to lightly sketch the composition onto the canvas using pencil, then
go over the main lines with a diluted brown paint.
Next, the general colours of the painting will be painted into the main areas.
She will then add colour to the whole of the painting.
Now that the basic colour and composition is present it is a question of building
up the detail. In this painting she started at the top and defined the roofs of
the buildings, then started working on the building on the right.
Next, using black she defined the main edges of the piece, which included the doorway
on the right, the edge of the canal, the building on the left, and the bridge.
Continuing with black, she completed most of the dark reflection in the canal, and
the beautiful blooms hanging from the building on the right.
With all the areas now strongly defined, it is a question of slowly adding more
detail - starting from the very rear, she focussed next on the buildings at the
very back of the painting, as well as their reflection.
Next, moving round to the building on the right, she added the fine detail of the
balcony, the facia, the paving slabs at the foot of the painting and the gondola.
The building on the left was next, adding the fine details of the windows, flowers,
balconies and the shop.
Now that the main buildings are done, the path outside was completed including the
tables, umbrellas and the railings on both sides of the canal.
All the main detail of the painting is now complete, but now it is time to add even
more detail, going back to the building on the right, adding in window frames, more
detail in the brickwork, and filling in the detail in any other areas that need
it.
The buildings are now complete, so to add the detail in the sky with the clouds
and moon, not forgetting their reflections.
Finally, the whole painting is re-visited, adding shadows and highlights to really
bring the painting to life!
