Woodland Demo in Oils

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Woodland Demo

The afternoon of the 13th September found me at the friendly group – The Lyme Regis Art Soceity.
Here I was to do a demonstration on painting a Woodland landscape in oils.

Obviously as we are meeting in Woodmead Hall, I’m working from a photo. It’s of the bluebells, woods and embankments at Blackbury Camp, in Devon. I have only two hours to paint, which also includes a tea break. So time is of the essence – let’s get that easel set up and paints out!

I had sketched my woodland scene onto a 30 x 40 cm canvas board, using black coloured pencil. In order to speed up the process.

Getting the paint down

I started by thinning down the dark oil paint. Which I painted on quickly, with a flat brush. Not worring too much, if the paint ‘ran’ a bit. As this can create some interesting things happening in those darker areas. I was working over the whole canvas, trying to get the paint down as quickly as possible. The thinned-down oil paint will dry very quickly. I had finished this initial stage and was just starting to add the dappled light coming through the leaves when it was time for tea.

After tea the dark areas were dry and I could add the lighter elements. I added some Liquin to my paint to speed up drying but knowing that this layer would take longer to dry. Again, working over the whole canvas, building up the light as it comes through the trees. For this I was using the side of my flat brush and a smaller round brush.
I was also adding a central figure, walking away from the viewer. So this was the time to add more detail here too. Also, an impression of the bluebells and embankments of Blackbury Camp. I was working over the canvas as a whole so that when I ran out of time, the picture would work as a whole. And not just be finished in one area.

Lastly

You can check out Lyme Regis Art Society’s Report here.

And here’s a link to their friendly Society: Lyme Regis Art Society