How To: Oil Painting Landscapes

You Will Need

Top Tips

• If painting from a photograph, it is best to choose one with an interesting composition. Something in which light and shade is obvious to the eye and something with clear, balanced proportions.
• The rule of thirds is a good rule to remember when selecting an image or creating something in your imagination - imagine that your canvas is split into thirds in both directions and keep everything proportioned within those thirds. For example, sky may take up one horizontal third of your painting, another third will be background scenery (mountains, ocean etc) and the final horizontal third will be the foreground. Left to right, too, foreground features that adhere to this rule are pleasing to the eye.
• There are many different techniques that are useful when painting a landscape: palette knives can be used to manipulate and lift thick layers of paint to create the bark on trees. You can build layers of different greens with a sponge by stippling for leafy foliage, the same with different shades of brown or grey for rocks, sand or concrete. You can also use linseed oil to thin your oils and make them into a soft wash for skies and water, painting them on with a big, soft-bristled brush.