How to Paint a Complex Scene in Oils and Have Fun Doing It! 

Thank you G Huntress Art! Somehow I missed your kind comment. It must have come along when I was traveling. =0) Paint on!!!

Aw, thanks Diania!

Hi Andre, thanks for the kind feedback. And thanks for watching. Paint on!!

Thank you so much 😀

Hi The901meister I'm so glad that these videos have inspired you to put your brush to canvas. The great thing about art instruction is that it applies to anything you want to paint, not just western themed painting. You've given me such a kind compliment... paint on!

Thanks for subbing Bev! All the photos of the stagecoach and the riders on horses were taken at the same time at the same shoot as I moved around getting different angles. I had to supplement my reference with new photos because I used a camera lens that I shouldn't have used (it wasn't the best quality and I knew it). Also, I needed additional reference for the shotgun and revolvers. But when you are pulling together paintings like this you look at getting the reference as part of the process, especially when you know it'll make your life easier and the painting better. When I was illustrating for a living, getting reference was just part of the job and I guess it's carried over to my painting. Thank you for your trust and don't be a stranger, OK? Happy painting!!

Thanks Lynn, I sure do appreciate that. Glad you watched, and thanks for letting me know how you liked it. I hope it helps you in the future. Paint on!

Thanks Karen! I try not to put everyone to sleep, but then, you never know! ;)

I appreciate that @davidpoe9143! Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for watching.

Thanks buddy, I really appreciate that. I love seeing it timelapse to finish too. It's not a short video, but sometimes I think it's OK when the tutorials are longer, as long as there's a reason for it and it's not just filler for filler sake. Hope you're having a wonderful winter there in Steelburgh!

Thanks Martin. What a kind thing to say!

Good luck on your painting Tesher Wa!

I appreciate that Jason, glad you took the time to watch!

Hi Carla, it's great to hear from you. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the video. I was afraid it was too long but so far no ones complained, ha. Those pony express riders were a whole different breed, weren't they? Hard to believe it only was around for 18 months or so, but their impact and legend will never die. Thanks for the work you're doing and for your kind words. Welcome to our art family!

Draw Paint Repeat Thank you kindly for the reply Steve! At first I thought an hour would be too long as well...but it was such a detailed video, seemed almost too short ! Well done 🤩

Hey James, thanks for your great feedback and thank you for subscribing. I'm looking forward to sharing what I've learned through the years. After all, we're all just standing on each others shoulders. Love your guitars, btw.... sorry, bad joke...grin.

Thank you James, that's really kind of you. I can't even imagine the challenge you have by being color blind. I truly don't know how you do it, but I'm glad you do. Do you mostly do monochromatic paintings?

Sometimes, I use the mother color and glaze parts of it. I usually get the values right or close enough. One way I lighten is simply to start with the darkest mixture of the color and add white. Sometimes I use white and a black to value the color, the traditional answer. Maybe add a tirinary color to it. The best thing I found, as in your video, is to puddle or premix the values. It gets frustrating that in a lot of my paintings people will often say 'why is that pink'? Especially when I mix Burnt Siena with anything. I am the only artist that can mix black and white, or blue and green etc and come up with pink. Thanks for answering.

​@@jamesoliver505 thanks for making me laugh. Paint On!

Hi Taylor! I don't always use a Moka pot, but it's a great way to make coffee for sure. This reference is from a photoshoot I did with a couple of buddies up in Montana a few years back. It's not something I do too often anymore because I have so many reference photos I'll have to live to be 150 to use them all, lol. I know what you mean about it being difficult to keep the sun in the same place when taking your reference. I always have a photo print or two at my shoot for to refer to the shadows on the ground and keep them going in the same direction. Otherwise, you are going by your memory or just guessing and I'm not good at that. Hope you're well and thanks for watching!

@@SteveAtkinsonFineArt, I can't get out like you do so I have to depend on putting together a montage of different photos but trying to juggle the same light direction is really hard. I have to "guess" at where the shadows would be something. It's not ideal, that's for sure. Thanks!

I'm so excited to hear that Lydia! Keep us in the loop and let us know how it goes, and if I can help you with any questions that come up.

I feel the same way you do Lydia! I tend to stay in my comfort zone of single subject portraits, going 'outside the lines' of that zone only slightly, but this demo has helped me feel more confident about approaching a larger and more dynamic painting.

Hi Dave Nix. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate you watching such a long video and for your feedback. Paint on!!

Thanks for watching. Feel free to look through and see if any of my other videos will interest you and HAPPY PAINTING!!! 🖼

Ha, great comment TJ! Glad you liked it, thanks so much for watching.

tu es la bienvenue mon ami!

IKR?!? It's my favorite... until I get the next one.

Thanks for watching Gloris, and for your kind feedback... Paint On!!! =0)

Wow, thanks Boots ZW! You must have a verrrrrry looooong attention span. Believe me, if I didn't have to watch me paint, I'd jump to watching guitar review videos, ha! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. Paint on!!

Go get it Sakshi!!!

Hi buddy, sorry, I somehow missed this post! I was a HUGE fan of Kinuko E. Craft and haven't thought about her work in years, thanks for making me smile... grin. So she used Crystal Clear out of a spray can? Hmmmm, interesting! I've been thinking about trying to seal it with a clear gel medium instead, but haven't had the time to experiment. I'm sorry I haven't had the time to watch your latest video, I'm under a crunch with some illustration work that's come in, but I promise I will! Paint on Brother!!

i guess Im asking randomly but does anyone know a way to log back into an Instagram account? I was dumb lost my login password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me!

@Cesar Yehuda Instablaster ;)

Thank you so much Cathy. Both for the kind words and for taking the time to watch, I hope it helps!

Hiya Betsy. I'm so glad to hear that, you made my day!

You're welcome Omar, I sure do appreciate that. The coffee opening was just plain fun to do. Thanks for watching and for checking in!

Thank you so much Fred, you've made my morning! And thank you for watching. I'm not a big fan of my voice, but hiring Clint Eastwood to do it is just too danged expensive and I work really really cheap, HA!

Thanks BabySoupify... love the name, btw!!!

Thank you Debra! I'm happy you found it helpful. We live in amazing times to be able to learn from all the available art videos. I learn something new almost every day. Paint On! 🎨

@@SteveAtkinsonFineArt l went to art school many years ago. I never really found success in art although l feel l am an artist in my bones. Art school is a very toxic atmosphere with constant criticism. I went in for Commercial art. I was much better at fine art though. I loved every minute of art school. I have slowed down and have retired . My dream has been to get back into my art work. I am very rusty but having fun. I have watched many art videos but l will say honestly you are by far the very best. I learned more from you than in all the others. I will definitely support you in the future. I hope you keep up your fantastic work.

@@debramcfadden2701 That's so encouraging to hear! It's never never never too late to set goals and pursue your dreams. I hear what you're saying about being better at fine art. I've worked in illustration houses where there were illustrators who weren't able to do a successful illustration because of the constraints of having to work to someone else's vision. But as fine artists they absolutely shined, because they were driving the bus! Best of luck as you go and don't be a stranger!

That's great to hear BMB! Thanks for becoming a "Repeater". RU-vid has some amazing artists teaching. I sure wish something like this was available when I was training. Stick with it and you'll be so happy you did. Paint on bro!

Awww, thanks Lori. I always cringe when I do an hour long video post cuz I know attention spans ain't what they used to be, ha! But, we artists are a patient lot I guess.... grin.

I hope you do Eliza, I'm sure you'll do great! Good luck and happy painting!

You're welcome Abner, thanks for making me smile! Happy Painting!

Thanks Pedro!

Hi Bruce, thank you, I'm really glad to hear you liked it!

Hi Luis, thanks for that... and for your patience!

Hi Janice, I'm working on a video of how I do this and should be out next week. But until then, I scan the drawing into my computer. In Photoshop I increase the scan to the size I'm doing the painting at, and then email it to FedEx Office (formerly Kinkos). I have them do an oversize print at 100% on their thinnest white copier paper. This they do on their blueprint machine. I then rub the back of this print with charcoal or pastel, lay it over my canvas and trace the image with a roller pen. When finished transferring, I seal the drawing with a thin coat of Liquin like I did on my "drawing your image onto your canvas" video. I let it dry, usually overnight, and can then paint over it and not worry about obscuring the drawing. Hope that helps! 2

Here's the transfer video that answers all of your questions... enjoy! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NemjLGSNhUU.html

Hi Tammy... thanks for watching!!!

IKR?!? Cracks me up every time! Thanks for watching Joy.

Thank you!

I'm glad you enjoyed it and that it helps Mike, thanks for checking in!

I JUST saw your response about transferring your drawing to the canvas to another commenter. So, no need to go through it for me... unless you feel like killing time. 😂

Hey buddy, thank you so much. I'm really glad you liked it. This video took a loooong time to do, but really wanted to take my time and not rush through it, you know? Yes, I email my drawing to FedEx Office (formerly Kinkos) and have them do a transfer print the size of the painting. Usually it's oversized, so they use their blueprint printer. Sometimes it's so big I have to print it out in pieces and splice them together, lol. Oh, and I love that mug.... Amazon baby!

Howdy Salvatore, thanks for your comment! I've never tries Lavaza, but now I will. I hope your journey back into art is an enjoyable and productive one. I wish for you nothing but amazing paintings, each one better than the last. Paint on!!

Steve Atkinson Fine Art Thanks much.

It's one of my faves... My other favorite mug says "I see the assassins have failed". LOL!

Here you go Amy, thanks for your great feedback, I really appreciate it! Paint on!! www.amazon.com/Bialetti-06800-stove-coffee-Aluminum/dp/B000CNY6UK/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=moka+pot&qid=1568381663&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Thank you! I really appreciate the compliment. I'll keep making them as long as there's an interest and people keep watching =0)

Muchas gracias!

Awww, thanks Renee, what a kind compliment. I'm glad you're part of our art family now!

I think the edges are stated in the black and white drawing. This painting is an illustration so the focal point may not be as obvious. Thanks for sharing your methods

Thank you Jacob!

Thanks Charles, I appreciate the compliment! When I was experimenting with painting, I did try acrylics because many of my favorite wildlife painters use the medium... Robert Bateman for one. But I found it wasn't for me for a couple of reasons. First, because it dries so fast I had to premix many of my colors and had a hard time blending as I wanted. Second, it dries half a value darker than when it goes on wet. I want to mix my colors as I go without having to keep a well of every color mixture I use. So for me, oil is a much better medium. Mad respect for artists who use acrylics though!

La séance de Minuit You're welcome, I'm glad you found it helpful.

Hi M Stoeg... thanks for watching and you're welcome. I'm glad you liked it.

Hi Micco The Service Dog! I have been to the Artist's Ride at the Shearer ranch back in 2013 (I think) and I'm still using many of the photos I took then. I think I came away with 8,000 photos, many I use to fill in details for cowboy tack or Indian clothing reference. It was a great experience and I'll probably go again in the future. It's an excellent way to get some good photo reference, but it's not cheap. The weekend cost $2,500 for travel, hotel, participation fee and tips for the models and animals I photographed. If you sell your work, it is a pretty good deal for all of the paintings and work you can do over the years. Thanks for watching and for the great comment!!!

@@SteveAtkinsonFineArt I went to one in 1994, Met a wonderful saddle maker from Deadwood that invited me back to his place for a couple days. He made me some leather goods later on sent them to me. He also sent a winter coyote pelt that was cool too. Sadly he's passed away now but he told me he used to cowboy around South Dakota at a place called Bel Fouche I think it was. I did a nice watercolor of him roping some horses and have had it in my home ever since. His name was Jerry Croft, maybe some of the models or cowboys mentioned him while you were there. He owned a couple of Perchin horses that would pull cars and trucks out of the ditches in the winter time. They were huge beautiful horses about the size of a Clydesdale. There was also and Lakota model I worked with while there and got to know her well. Her name was Stormy. I did a painting of her kneeling front of a teepee with a black wolf with yellow eyes. It was a fabulous painting, I did some prints of it as it was well received around my area. I don't know if you might have met her but she normally lives outside of Denver. I"m 59 now but I'll always remember the special time I had there. I wish I had gotten as many of pictures as you did, I'd still be working from them! If you ever go again, ask some of the old timers if they remember when Jerry Croft the saddle maker used to come and model there. He was a hoot too! Funny guy and very talented saddle maker. He even made saddles for Tom Selleck's movie called "Quigley Down Under". The saddle you see Tom Selleck taking down to Australia was made by Jerry. Actually he made two saddles for the movie, one for Tom Selleck and one for Tom's Stunt man. Tom Selleck eventually had one made for a gift that went to Kenny Rogers the western singer. Pretty cool stuff happened up there. Glad you went yourself, I bet you got some outstanding photo references!

@@miccotheservicedog5559 what a great experience you had! Thanks for sharing some of your memories. Those alone are worth everything since in the end, those moments are all we really have. When you mentioned Quigley I had to smile since I know the man who made Tom Selleck's iconic hat in that movie... small world right? Ha! Since I went to AR much later than you, I had the advantage of having a digital camera and was able to take as many photos as I wanted without worrying about getting them all developed. Had I been there with a film camera, as I suspect you were, I would have had to be much more selective with the shots I took!

Hi Dan. I like that idea... maybe I'll put a couple of holes to show they mean business? Thanks for watching and for the suggestion!

Glad you liked the demo. Here's a video I did explaining my process of getting the drawing on my canvas: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NemjLGSNhUU.html

Hi Jonathan, you're right, the info I included was not very detailed. So, I'll put a more detailed video on how I do this on my to-do list. Thank you for the suggestion. The process of gathering the reference, shooting additional reference I thought I needed (such as the robber on the ground and the guns that were thrown on the ground), and putting them together roughly in Photoshop so that I could do the drawing was probably not more than 3 full days. The drawing was probably 3-4 days, so in total the prep took an additional week before I put brush to canvas. Hope that helps a bit. Paint on!

Thanks Sanjay, I'm glad it helps.

Much appreciated Art!

HA, thanks Larry, I'll keep it in mind ;0) Though on some photo shoots, like the Artist Ride in South Dakota, you sign a contract that you won't share or sell the photos with anyone else. IKR? Reference is such an important part of what we do. Happy Painting!!!

Could you tell mom re about Artist Ride and others you know about? Been an oil painter for thirty years and never knew about them

Muito obrigado! Estou feliz que você gostou.

Hi Steven! Thank you for that, I'm glad to hear that you liked it. The sketch I did for this painting was just pencil. Though, lately, I've been doing more of my sketches in charcoal. Good question.

Hi Joey, good question. I scan the drawing into my computer. In Photoshop I increase the scan to the size I'm doing the painting at, and then email it to Fedex Office. I have them do an oversize print at 100% on their thinnest white copier paper. I then rub the back of this print with charcoal or pastel, lay it over my canvas and trace the image with a roller pen. When finished transferring, I seal the drawing with a thin coat of Liquin like I did on my "drawing your image onto your canvas" video. Hope that helps!

Hi Ramesh, thank you... thank you.... thank you! Much appreciated.