RemyKoufax | Oct. 17, 2024, 5:26 a.m.
Introduction
I’ve had several artists ask about my process and style since I began showing my artwork. Some have inquired into my loose brushwork and others have asked about my process for painting landscapes in oil.
Today, I’m going to show you how to paint a horse with oil paint. I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step so that you can see how I achieve a loose, vivid painting using simple techniques.
For this lesson, we’ll employ an Alla Prima technique – meaning we’ll be completing the painting in a single session, while the paint is still wet. This is a tricky technique to learn, but it can be acquired with practice. I’ll do my best to lay out the process so that you can learn as quickly as possible!
What You’ll Need
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need for this lesson:
Oil Paints
I’m using Utrecht oil paints, but you can use another brand like Gamblin or Winsor Newton.
You’ll need the following colors:
Titanium White
Cadmium Red Medium
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Yellow Light
Viridian
Burnt Umber
Ultramarine Blue
Ivory Black
Brushes
I’ll be using the following Rosemary brushes for this lesson:
Long Flats #2, #4, #6
Sables ⅛”, ¼”
Canvas, Panel, or Primed Paper
I’m using a piece of mixed media paper that I’ve painted with two coats of acrylic gesso. I taped the paper to a piece of cardboard with painter’s tape. I've used a ruler to draw an 8x10 inch rectangle in the center of the paper.
Palette and Palette Knife
I’ll be mixing my colors on a wooden palette. You’ll need a palette knife to do the mixing.
It’s very important that you use a medium when painting with oils. I use a medium made of 2 parts linseed oil, 1 part mineral spirits, 1 part stand oil. When mixed with my oil paints, this medium yields a buttery consistency.
You’ll need mineral spirits to clean your brushes. I use Gamblin Gamsol, but you can use a substitute.
You’ll need some towels or rags to clean up with. Paper towels work great. Old t-shirts are also a good, less wasteful option. You’ll need a waste bin as well to dispose of the old rags. Ragged soaked in oil paint are flammable, so dispose of them properly.
I will be using a lightweight easel. An easel is useful, but not necessary for this exercise. For instance, you could do this painting at a table.
Some oil paints are toxic and hazardous to your health. Many painters use gloves to handle oil paint. Cheap, disposable gloves work well for this.
You’ll need some light to paint by. Natural light from a big window is best, but some bright bulbs can do the trick. Good lighting will also be necessary when it comes to documenting your work.
When you’re using oil paint, it’s important to have proper ventilation. This can mean painting next to an open window, or in a garage with an open door, or on a balcony. Just make sure you have access to plenty of fresh air.
Planning the Composition
While I sometimes work from imagination, I usually use reference images for my work. In this tutorial, I’ll be using an image I found on depositphotos. It’s important to take your time and research good references for your work. Taking your own photos is an excellent choice, but you can also use images in the public domain, or photos you’ve paid for the right to use.
With the photo downloaded, I’ll use Gimp to make some edits. The picture I’m using doesn’t have much going on in the background, so I added some mountains and clouds to make the picture more interesting.
Preparing Your Surface
Before getting started, it’s necessary to prepare the painting surface. I’ll be using a piece of primed mixed media paper for this project, but you’re free to use something else. Just make sure that whatever surface you’re painting on has been primed with gesso. Use at least two coats.
Once your primer is dry, give the surface a scrub with some sandpaper to smooth it out. Now you’re ready to draw your composition. Use a light pencil to draw your image. Take your time and use this stage to handle issues concerning composition and proportion. Your drawing needn’t be perfect, but all the big shapes should be correct.
After we finish our drawing, we’ll spray the surface with some workable fixative. This will seal our drawing and keep it from smearing in the next step.
Staining the Painting
Next, we’ll cover the surface of the painting with a thin layer of burnt umber. To do this, use a clean rag dipped in a bit of Gamsol and use it to rub the paint into the surface of the paper. Once we have a thin, even coat, we’ll leave it to dry.
The next step is to mix our local colors. This is a simple composition, so we’ll only need to mix a dozen or so colors. I’ll start by mixing some colors for the horse. I’ll mix three shades of brown and three shades of cream/gray. I also mixed some warm tones for the horse's mane. With those out of the way, I went ahead and mixed some colors for the background.
Blocking in the Horse
With our colors mixed and our surface stained, we’re ready to start painting! I like to start by painting the subject, in this case the horse. I’ll first lay in some darks to define the subject before moving on to the midtones. At this stage we’re just laying down some color to establish the form and shape of the horse.
Once I’ve got a basic block-in, it’s time to add some details. Use this stage to model the horse in detail, taking your time to get accurate colors and painterly lines. Paint accurately, but use a big brush. The trick here is to stop once you’ve made your statements, avoiding fussiness and touch-ups that would ruin the work. To better control the paint, dip your brush in a little medium before dipping it into your paint. This will help you control the flow of the paint.
Alla prima painting is challenging because it requires you to be as accurate as you can with each brush stroke. Use your drawing as a guide, but allow for some spontaneity on the canvas. Your paintings will feel less stiff if you do so.
Start by painting the sky and the clouds. I’m using a mix of ultramarine blue and titanium white for the sky color. Keep things very loose at first. Go for big shapes and avoid adding details until you’ve covered the background in paint.
I like to work from top to bottom, or far to close. So after the sky, I’ll paint the mountains behind the horse. The grass I’ll paint last.
At this point the entire painting is blocked-in! We can now take a moment to reflect on the work and decide what is left to finish. This is the point where we can turn our focus to details and edges, paying careful attention to the space between the background and the horse’s body.
The painting is nearing completion. Try not to overwork your painting at this stage. Put in what you need and then leave it alone. Speed is a component of alla prima painting. The loose, but accurate execution is part of the appeal of this style.
I hope you gained something from this demonstration. This technique is great for painting landscapes quickly. The loose, gestural finish comes from a mix of planning and speedy execution. With a little practice, you’ll be painting horses like an impressionist in no time!
Thank you for taking the time to read this tutorial. Please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think of this lesson.
I’d love to hear from you and see your creations!
Here’s the final work: