A subscriber asked about creating depth within and how to go about painting black on a white background. Artist/art teacher Dianne Mize shares some thoughts and techniques on how to accomplish this.
I've watched so many of your videos Dianne because I think you're a wonderful teacher! I'm working on a black and white portrait and I hear your little voice in my head "value, value ,value," and I re look at the painting and say 'ahhh there's a spot I have to change."
I didn't realize what a difference not using actual black made. Just by you scrubbing, the dog took on character from the colors. The snow is perfection and it is not "white" as I would have used before this quick tip...I am thrilled you showed us this!
Thanks once again, Dianne - you did an amazing job with the dog in the snow - loved how you did the snow and the the way you painted the dog it didn't even need any further painting - loved it!
Amazing as always! I loved learning about snow... both using shadow and not in shadow areas to define the composition and the subject! Learned soooo much!
Whew, this quick tip was packed with valuable info, Dianne! The observation-versus-expectation tip for the initial sketch could easily be a lesson subject on its own. You are a remarkable teacher.
lol where were you with this tutorial while I was doing Christmas Card Paintings last year 😘 They'll be better this year, going to be doing a lot more snow! Thank you! (I had to laugh, you were getting awwwwfully close to doing a whole painting hehe)
Ms. Diane, I wanna just thank you so very much for your RU-vid tip videos. I’m saving up to check your “real” videos, but you’ve helped me understand so much! You’re skill as an artist is surpassed only by your skill as a teacher...Anyhoo, idk that you’ll even see this, but I hope it brings ya a teeny bit of sunshine if ya do... Your friend Wayne (in VA)
Dianne, you never cease to amaze. could you do the same idea but with a white animal on snow. I am struggling with a white sheep on a field of white. thanks so much. Canada Loves you
Anna Hi Dianne, your explanations and demonstrations are very clear and informative. Could you please show how to draw a white cat on a white bed quilt. Thanks.
Thank you very much Dianne for the great quick lesson! I have a question for you.. How do you blend paint so easily the way you do with acrylic painting? I always have problem blending acrylic seamlessly, because it dries too fast..
THAT is one reason why I abandoned acrylics as a medium once I finished my undergraduate work. It's been so many years since then that I don't have the current experience with acrylics to answer your question. I do know, however, that the Open acrylics dry slower and that you can add a retardant to slow the drying.
Good quality (artist grade) paint, good brushes and carefully produced linnen are essential for a serious painter. Prof Leonid Gervits once said: “Painting is so difficult! Don’t make it even more difficult by not using the best materials!” However, can anyone tell me what the difference is in refined / distilled OMS and the OMS I buy at the hardware store? I am using both and I really can’t feel or see a difference. The only difference I know is the price........ Honestly, I think that it is the same with wodka. A wodka producer confessed that the only difference between regular wodka and premium wodka is . . . . the price!
Don't underestimate the things we can't see. For keeping brushes rinsed, seems to me any refined OMS is safe enough to use, but for creating washes or using in a medium preparation, I wouldn't trust the hardware store variety. Manufacturers of artists' paints and materials go to great lengths to carefully refine their mineral spirits so that no impurities remain which could contaminate the paint and cause problems as it cures.
Thanks you so much I learned a lot But I have a question for you Do you no the water soluble oil paint ? If so can you give a demonstration Thank you 😘
Water soluble oil paint works just the same as regular oil paint. The only difference is that you use water for rinsing brushes and water-based mediums when painting.
Thanks, very well explained. However after watching many of your "quick tips" I do have a suggestion. I understand why you don't complete a study like this, I also feel that sometimes you should go farther because people also need to learn how to make the final subject "pop" and I don't know how you can teach that without at least nearing a complete study.
I appreciate your sentiment, but my six decades of teaching has taught me that people learn concepts better one chunk at a time. It takes the combination of techniques and principles to make the "final subject 'pop"\' ". We learn them best one at a time as we build our vocabulary of them.
I'm having major issue with my oils drying on my pallet. Makes it very difficult to place stroke. I've used stand oil mixed 1to 2 with mineral spirit and linseed oil mixed with mineral spirit and just straight mineral spirit. Nothing seems to work. Have you ever had the same issue.
If you're not using a fast drying medium, your oils should not dry on the palette during a single painting session. If you're leaving your paint out overnight or painting over a long period of time, some of the colors will skim over. Can you be a little more specific: What brand of oils are you using? Are you referring to their drying during a single painting session?