Bill Alexander's Art Secrets: Understanding the Black Canvas

Discover Bill's unique technique for turning a black canvas into a masterpiece in this insightful video. Join him as he guides you through the process, offering expert tips and showcasing mesmerizing brushstrokes. Ready to elevate your art? Hit play now and subscribe for a journey into the world of black canvas magic.

[@kopel4384]

This is the first video I have seen of Bill Alexander the first of many to come

[@anaygupta3512]

First he coated the White canvas with Black gesso and let it dry completely and do all this. ❤️

[@jude1515]

Wow, that looks great!

[@Xitaychin]

What a beautiful technique!!! Will definitely try it!

[@darthkek1953]

I love and adore Bob Ross, his personality is so reassuring and he gave me the confidence to pick up a brush. But Bill Alexander is the real deal. He was the lifelong artist. The innovator. The genius. I have no contribution to their feud - it was between them not me - but after you have done one or two Bob Ross paintings there is nothing new left he can teach you. Now go to Alexander Art and just *LOOK* at the shows/demonstrations you can get. They are so massively, massively ahead of Bob it's not a comparison. Bill was a master artist, someone who deserves a place in art history. Bob, well, his correct place is cultural not artistic.

[@johnperkens600]

R.I.P bill.

[@testshietchannel]

Who´s the better artist? Bill or Bob? Well, that´s objective and has no real answer. But I like Bill so much more because he actually explains stuff - which helps a total amateur like me a whole lot more than Bob´s constant "see how easy that is?". If it were *that* easy, we wouldn´t need you as an instructor, would we? :D

[@mariaxose2884]

Los mejores...

[@dennis876]

Iam very happy with you my dear guy

[@missbehaving4710]

If I put blue on a black canvas will it have a navy blue hint/reflect?

[@mds525700]

Is this Bob Ross' mentor?

[@nola305]

Yep, he taught Bob Ross!

[@zachsaroo3136]

@@morgancalvi6675 That is one view point on the two, the other is that nobody can take ownership of a technique, as Bill did. You cannot claim you invented an art technique, just that it can be used to make money - that seems to be the major problem that Bill refers to in an article where Bob failed to mention his teacher. The first few episodes of 'The joy of painting' were dedicated to Bill and I assume, like others, that dedicating and paying homage to someone that has taught you and that you have expanded on the technique is honour enough. Also, that is an incredible disgusting thing to say, to down right suggest that someone deserves to die of cancer (which you have implied) is a cruel and hurtful thing to suggest. As someone who has a family member who is going through cancer for a second time, I would not wish that on anyone and if you haven't had that experience (I'm assuming not based on that comment) then you would not want that at all. Bob Ross is an artist in his own right, he didn't steal anything, you cannot steal a technique for if that was the result then Bill would also be stealing from the artists before him - it's a very easy goggle to know that he didn't do what he claims he did. Bill is also a fantastic artist and the rivalry between the two was about money and product and not about their character. It is not your place to state that ones man life is more better than the other and one deserved to die before the other. You should be ashamed of yourself for putting such a disgusting and sickening comment on a public platform. Perhaps stick to keeping those sort of thoughts in your mind.

[@anaygupta3512]

Yes

[@taylurrwolf]

Where can I purchase the oil? I am a bit lost as to if he using oil paints or acrylics on top of the clear oil base? How fast does the oil dry? I'll go check for other videos this was just the first to show up for me lol.

[@AAlexanderArt]

Bill painted exclusively in oils. We find a lot of acrylic painters avoid oils because of the toxins. No need to worry about that with our products. You can buy the oil on our store site (store.alexanderart.com/products/medium-alexander-magic-clear). Our oil is very concentrated (approximately 4:1) (no thinners or solvents in it). It is slow drying which is what you want. It's why the Old Masters switched from Tempera painting to oils (and never looked back).

[@taylurrwolf]

Alexander Art Is there anything hobby lobby or Michaels would sell for a beginner? I've never painted with oils of back canvas before so I've been doing a lot of search on them both to start. Would you recommend any videos for acrylics on black canvas?

[@AAlexanderArt]

Can't help with acrylic recommendations, sorry. We have an excellent art course for beginners. Bill's "Fundamentals" Art Course will teach you everything you need to know about Bill's method of oil painting. Sign up for our mailing list and you can buy the course for over 1/2 off. We'll also email you a neat artist's guide: 3 Steps to Confident Painting. Here's the link: alexanderart.com/3-steps/

[@taylurrwolf]

Alexander Art thanks so much!

[@mds525700]

Amazon, Oils that can take weeks to dry.

[@coyhampton3087]

Does anyone know what "liquid clear" is?

[@AAlexanderArt]

Coy Hampton In the "old days" Alexander Art made Magic White, Magic Black and Magic Clear. The clear was, basically, just oil - no color at all. The purpose was for exactly what you see Bill doing in this video - to create a "slick" surface to the canvas (like Magic White and Magic Black did). As Bill explains in another video, Magic White was developed because he was always combining his colors with white on his palette. Putting Magic White on the canvas, allowed him to mix directly on the canvas. Using Magic Clear is really an advanced technique. It allows you to mix colors other than white directly on the canvas as well as the technique Bill uses in this video. Hope that helps.

[@coyhampton3087]

Alexander Art Thanks so much for your reply, it really helped

[@deliverytraining6646]

Thank you

[@pradeepphatak4248]

Pls tell whether sir is applying blue paint on dried varnish or immediately after varnishing ?

[@testshietchannel]

You might as well mix both of it up and apply it at once . Same result :)

[@dconfused9919]

@@testshietchannel no no no not the same technic at all ! Bill will not talk to you if you use soupy paint and flippy little brush.

[@dconfused9919]

Clear varnish?

[@AAlexanderArt]

store.alexanderart.com/products/medium-alexander-magic-clear™?_pos=1&_sid=b1877f71d&_ss=r

[@marktwain6635]

Please can someone tell how he made canvas black? Do they sell black canvases or did he paint it black and let it dry. What is the varnish he is applying?

[@kikihazel6269]

He paintet the canvas with black gesso but there are also black canvases you can buy. With the varnish I‘m not quiet sure. I think he uses it to have a wet canvas so the colours blend more effortlessly into eachother with out haveing to use thick layers of paint all over.

[@Cre8iveSignWorks]

video not long enough

[@AAlexanderArt]

Shedz Channel Interesting! When I look at the analytics very few folks watch a full length video. We're also getting comments from folks asking for more short videos like this. All of Bill's videos will be available at alexanderart.com beginning within the next six to eight weeks. We have over 25TB of video data we have to process and edit. So there is a lot we have to do - let alone build out the platform. There will be short clips and full length videos - everything a Bill fan would want.

[@Cre8iveSignWorks]

Alexander Art i agree. i rather like the shorter vids myself...but i really wanted to see what he was going to paint! i guess ill just have to make time to watch all 25tb of his vids. haha cheers

[@MellowJelly]

+Alexander Art i'm so glad this channel exists and I appreciate that you try to listen to your audience