Taking The Fear Out Of Oil Painting

For anyone that has thought about learning how to paint, or has started to learn how to paint; there usually exists some degree of fear, anxiety, and vulnerability issues. This is natural but debilitating, and it need not be. Oil painting is the best, but the hardest medium to work with. But don`t be afraid of it. It`s an amazing medium. Very sensual and versatile. Once you get a feel for its characteristics, you will be able to get the most out of it and discover how wonderful it really is. So, it`s important to understand that you should enjoy the process of oil painting instead of just the final result.

Oil painting requires a lot of patience. Which brings up the point of don`t be so worried about what it looks like at the early stages.

A good oil painting will look like crap until it`s about 65 - 75% finished. The painting needs to be built up on many semi-transparent layers of paint and brush strokes. Good, simple oil paintings can take 6-8 weeks and the really good ones up to 8 months to finish.

Part of the reason for this is that there has to be a fair amount of paint on the canvas as well as a good variety of color values, and properly placed color values to get a good sense of depth. So relax, because it`s impossible to get to that stage quickly, but it is worth all the effort!

Another important point is that the desire within you to paint is there for a reason. So chances are that you`re pretty good or even amazing at it. I would also suggest allowing yourself to be guided when you paint. Some pretty cool stuff happens when you`re in that frame of mind and not trying to control the process. Go with your gut and don`t over think it.
I can understand the fear most people have about oil painting because I put it off for 20 years. I have been kicking myself for waiting so long, so don`t make that mistake.

It`s also vital to understand that you are painting for yourself first and only. Paint your vision and enjoy it. There are so many people in this world with different tastes that it`s impossible to have all of them like your work. So if a bunch of people could care less about your painting, its no big deal. Try not to replicate other commercial paintings you see. Paint YOUR vision because it`s going to be the only way you get to discover your greatness.

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