Painting the Northern Lights in an Easy Oil Painting Tutorial - Wet on Wet Style

Sometimes I think we all want to put 10 different elements in a painting. It is hard to resist adding more trees, more grass, snowier mountains, etc. Sometimes simplicity is much better. Here is my attempt to keep it simple. A 2 element painting that uses only sap green and titanium white.

[@susanchilders4993]

I love this painting. And I appreciate how you talk us through the process so don’t stop, as you say, running your mouth. Thank you.

[@mlisaacs4514]

I lived in the Interior of Alaska for 24 years...and yes... the "lights" are green...yellow MOST of the time...if other colors come out to play... I always considered it an absolute treat...😊😊😊 Beautiful work👏👏👏

[@RashmiYadav2]

Best tutorial for NORTHERN LIGHTS! 👌

[@beckylangley4833]

This is so beautiful I never thought about Northern Lights being green until you mentioned it but your right most of them are green love this painting my moms favorite color is green and I think I'll paint this for her.

[@melindatong8662]

Lovely! You've done a wonderful job capturing the Northern Lights. This looks like what I see out my window. Green is the most common. Depending on the brightness of the lights you don't need to paint the snow on the trees either.

[@sweeseng2012]

Love the way you did it. I glad I learned something.

[@mkmccue]

Very lovely. I was waiting for a few flicks of white for stars, but the highlighting on the trees is spectacular. I love the flow of the northern lights. Thank you for making it look easy.

[@suyenflores4472]

This is a great Northern lights tutorial. Thank you, Brams!

[@paintwithbram]

Glad you think so!

[@MsPearceSaidSo]

Bram, I just got back from visiting Fairbanks over the Christmas holidays. I was fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights twice during my visit. I have painted Bob's version of the Northern Lights using the Phthalo Green and Phthalo Blue before, but the color doesn't match what I saw in person or the pictures I took. I had been trying to wrap my head around how to get the correct green and wondering if I could mix a yellow in but the sap green that you used in this tutorial absolutely captures the correct green. I'm setting up to paint this afternoon and can't wait to give it a shot with the sap green. Thank you for the tutorial and the different green.

[@supertrucker99]

Bob paints suggestive not realistic...he tells YOU YOU CAN CHOOSE ANY COLOR YOU WANT 😊😊😊❤

[@pergal4]

This looks sooo beautiful.

[@speedingbeast5976]

This is such a useful video, thank you! Ive been wanting to do something on a dark canvas lately, and this is helped so much for inspiration.

[@karenmusa3052]

Some of the most simplest paintings are the most stunning. Thanku so much ❤

[@teddyfrau1]

Looks wonderful ❤

[@josverstraeten6759]

Magnificient Bram.You created a Piece of art with only a few Colors.I Will try it with acrylic.

[@aymanrufaiye8541]

I never thought it was this easy to draw Nothen lights😍😍👍

[@kirstenbotten3017]

You have awesome Bob Ross vibes

[@donnamullins1271]

Beautiful!

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@koonsie1987]

Hi Bram! I love seeing your videos keep it up! You, Steve and Dana are awesome!

[@Kwood10]

That’s gorgeous .

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!

[@70bootsie]

Thanks for the painting I am going to try it. Thanks again Bram. Bootsie from Va.Beach

[@artgeometrix6346]

Such a beautiful looking aurora. This is fantastic.

[@paintwithbram]

Many thanks!

[@andreabuck9445]

Just saw this and it's been the easiest, prettiest way to paint. I love your voice also!

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!

[@sylvia2553]

Thank you so much ,this is the easiest and most beautiful northern lights i have found, I am a complete beginner, and your explanations are clear and very helpful.

[@paintwithbram]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sylvia2553]

@@paintwithbram please keep up with all your great advice ,your easy to follow, so ideal for a beginner like myself . Big thank you from London England.

[@juliestropp4713]

I love this! The green is perfect 💚

[@paintwithbram]

Thanks Julie!

[@Sanjana1988]

Thank you so much, that's a great tutorial. I'm just starting out with oils and I've been pretty intimidated by the blank canvas. But the way you filled that canvas with just trees and northern lights is beautiful. I'm definitely going to try it. I subscribed for more tutorials! Thank you ❤️

[@johnmason4430]

Amazing painting. And you sir are an artist in my book. Thank you for sharing your amazing talent

[@StanleyMerrell]

Very nice. Sure make it look easy.

[@edianaventrice31]

Thank you so much for doing this video in real time .

[@Scenescapeshop]

great work my friend, one of my favourite things to paint, northern lights, yours is beautiful.

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you! Mine too!

[@alinserea4179]

Noteworthy! Thanks for this interesting video! Thank you so much my friend for sharing, stay connected

[@riverrun1616]

I seriously love your tutorials!!! Please keep it up!

[@jeanniewatson6820]

Beautiful! I’m amazed! ♥️

[@raymondusher7672]

ive been quite scared to try northern lights so far but you made it look nice and easy, thanks im going to try it tonight

[@paintwithbram]

Hope you tried it and knocked it out of the park.

[@raymondusher7672]

@@paintwithbram cheers i did try it indeed, first attempt at the sky didnt go to plan so I wiped it off with a paper towel and tried again, 2nd go went much better its hanging in my kitchen right now, turned out much better than i was expecting for my first go at that kind of sky, im going to try incorporate it into a full mountain range painting next time

[@tomgpjr1]

​@paintwithbram do you apply liquid clear under the background color or over top of it

[@Passionforfoodrecipes]

Really love the simplicity here! This is the second of your paintings I followed along with, mine's not nearly as good as yours but I like how they came out!

[@stephengray6996]

Very nice. Luv how you create brilliant pictures and keep it simple

[@trinejensen1707]

Wooow 🤩 I definetly have to try this, i LOVE northern lights 😊

[@kristi1949]

Oh YES you DO have talent!

[@beverlyfrederick7670]

You are most definitely an ARTIST!

[@catgir5x]

Love your work and the sound effect make it perfect!!

[@paintwithbram]

Thanks Miss D!

[@Hjhokhio]

Good effort 🎉❤

[@anitamanning2690]

very pretty, think I will try to paint one for my daughter.

[@t.caruso104]

I am so happy to have found your channel. Amazing work!

[@paintwithbram]

Welcome!

[@orbitflyer9275]

OMG!! You're lights technique has to be the easiest I have come across!! WOW! 😊

[@ellonysman]

E P I C ❤ I want to try that!😅

[@maitetorres911]

¡Saludos! ¡Me encanta esta pintura! ¿Qué colores usaste de fondo? Gracias por compartir tus conocimientos y experiencia.

[@catherinegomez8155]

Hello from France, thank you for sharing and thank you for your valuable advice and for explaining in the comments how you prepare the canvas. I confirm that it's very difficult with acrylic paint, I can't do it.  thank you for your valuable advice and for explaining in the comments how you prepare the canvas. I confirm that it's very difficult with acrylic paint, I can't do it.

[@345345345rtrt]

Thank you for these tutorials. I've taken a class from a CRI and I know they charge around $70 per class. I appreciate your effort! #HappyPainting

[@anniedarkhorse6791]

Cool. Thanks. I might try this.

[@Julia-lm5hg]

Thank you 💓

[@txd5904]

Amazing 🥰🥰🥰

[@paintwithbram]

Thanks 🤗

[@user.ssshpm]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[@nathaliechoury3538]

C'est magnifique !

[@sushmag3904]

soo beautiful ..👌👌👌

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!

[@lyagredos]

Hi nice Job. Could you tellme did you use TB and SAP Green to do this Northern lights Only. Didn ‘t you? Tks. Greetings 😊

[@fabricelelan1224]

Merci pour ce tuto, je m'abonne 👍💕🌞🌈

[@buttonplays8444]

Im just curious was your canvas black before you added the liquid clear? im just wondering as id like to start oil painting and wanted to give northern lights a go, and is there any brands of oil paints you recommend? besides my questions your painting is amazing x

[@littlegirl-lc8lh]

beautiful Thank you very much War Lord!!!!!

[@leilamorone1164]

Muito lindo! Eu AMO aurora boreal!🇧🇷

[@anajuliamatos4752]

Um BR por aqui

[@anajuliamatos4752]

Me ajudaaa, se sabe se é tinta acrílica ou a óleo?

[@leilamorone1164]

​​@@anajuliamatos4752 na descrição do vídeo diz: oil painting...acho que se traduz pintura a óleo!

[@user.ssshpm]

please tell me, should the first layer be completely dry??

[@AprilHolmes-jr3hk]

Can you use acrylic paint to paint the canvas, then the oils for everything else.

[@dorothydoti]

Hi I have two canvas 2,5 meters long together I want to paint first time Northern lights , can you tell me , are you use oil paint?

[@paintwithbram]

Yes, always oil

[@dorothydoti]

@@paintwithbram Can the background be made of acrylics?

[@SpicySteve-tz2so]

So glad this showed up in suggested videos today. Hey Bram, how do you prepare the black canvas? I don't think I have seen any in the store like that. I will do a search for some ideas, but I am interested in how you do it.

[@aprilmcfarlane4942]

You can use black gesso or black Acrylic Paint as your base. Let it dry and then use liquid clear and your say green to prepare your canvas

[@missybrown9391]

Someone is living in the painting.

[@TerryPaulson]

Thank you!!

[@paintwithbram]

You're welcome!

[@nellacoiro]

Dis you use black gesso to prime the canvas?

[@tessmoore3762]

Please don't stop running your mouth! Lol, I don't like the painting tutorials where they play raunchie music and don't talk. I like for you to explain what you are doing.

[@HanSolo616]

Bei mir das komplette Gegenteil

[@jimbicknell7253]

How thick are your fan brushes? I don't think mine are thick enough. They tend to clump together and not stay as one large fan.

[@beverlyfrederick7670]

Love this and I'm a green freak! Can you do this painting with acrylics? I wanted to see the Northern lights and had a trip planned for Alaska...canceled due to Covid. Will probably never happen now.

[@saffron4441]

Was the canvas black to begin with or white? Im brand new to this.. all i heard was liquid clear first then sap green..but is this just a plain white canvas that you used? Thanks for any help.

[@paintwithbram]

Yes, it's a black canvas, then medium, then paint on top, then use white to bring out the color. Any transparent color will work.

[@Ассолька]

А основа должна хорошо высохнуть ? Или сразу наносить линии северного сияния ?

[@Hurrai]

Thanks Bram

[@karenmusa3052]

Im so sorry to ask, but why is that satin green u put down first nearly invisible? Is it a translucent paint, thanku very much❤

[@Ronin-ke5wm]

Excellent video and one of the most amazing effects I've think I've seen. With the sap green, do you paint it straight onto liquid clear, on a blacked gesso canvas ?

[@neelu2656]

How did you prep the canvas sir

[@banditva8040]

Was canvas black before putting on sap green.

[@russklosinski9810]

I thought I would try this so I painted the canvas black and let it dry. Then I covered it in liquid clear then sap green. The whole canvas appeared green rather than the blacker canvas as seen here. Not sure if the order of this was wrong.

[@paintwithbram]

You did it right. Make sure your green is transparent

[@russklosinski9810]

I have searched the internet for a transparent sap green without any luck. Any suggestions?

[@momrobes]

Did you wait for the sap green to dry before putting the lime green on?

[@pergal4]

Does the canvas have to remain 'wet' when adding the white lines? I mean should one let the background paint dry or not?

[@pergal4]

Thank you.

[@Liloldhayles]

This sis a great trutorial. How is the canvas prepped? Is the black background wet?

[@paintwithbram]

You can do it by using a medium then paint or just put the oil paint on the black background.

[@riverrun1616]

Id definitely pay for classes from you😊

[@paintwithbram]

I do zoom classes a couple times a month or you can come to TN.

[@asmakhusro6317]

So beautiful. Is this canvas covered with black gesso as base?

[@dorothygladsjo3510]

I am a newbie to painting, and I would absolutely love to go to a real class, do you happen to have those? I’d be willing to travel all the way from Alaska.

[@daveclark1904]

Beautiful and it seems so simple! I'm gonna try my first northern lights soon. Did you paint the white over wet or dry green background? I'm just getting started so I'm still learning techniques! Thanks!

[@paintwithbram]

Medium then paint then white

[@jannas60]

Do you start paining on the wet green layer or dry? Thank you. Great painting!

[@IzabellaBorgkvist]

I wonder too😊

[@lisaneufeld9791]

Do you let the colour you paint your canvas dry before you paint the Northern Lights?

[@paintwithbram]

No, wet unto wet style

[@CelineBackreedee]

Is it a black canvas with the green oil paint at the start?

[@paintwithbram]

Yes. Black canvas, then add the sap green

[@쟁형]

why does mine look so bad? my brush didnt wipe the lights up as urs and didnt get green-

[@victorianilsen9475]

For how long did you let the base colour of green dry before you started with the white? Or did you go for it right away?

[@paintwithbram]

Go right at it. You want the paint to still be wet.

[@victorianilsen9475]

@@paintwithbram thank you so much!!!😍 I'll try it right away!

[@victorianilsen9475]

​@@paintwithbramallso thanks for answering so quick, you saves me!!!,

[@bettemartin8126]

Is it on a wet background?

[@brucedavis191]

how heavy is that green layered and is there not liquid clear?

[@paintwithbram]

Liquid clear isn't necessary but can be used. A thin coat of paint.

[@trinejensen1707]

What did you do before adding the sap green? Did you paint the canvas black first? Sorry for all my questions but i’m a newbie and i would love to make a painting with northern light too, so i would like to know your tecnique 😌

[@flowerdiy1839]

Yes he painted it black or you can just buy a black canvas which is easier but i prefer painying it👍🏼

[@TheEmma231]

What color to do the high light of the trees. What color did you use to make trees?

[@homtanks9978]

hello Sir, where do you buyin this fan brushes, my Bobs fanbrushes are diferents, yours are original....??!

[@paintwithbram]

I have some older Bob brushes so that may be the difference.

[@beckylangley4833]

I wonder what it would look like if you used cad yellow instead of the white

[@Jim_86]

Nice. How much is it? I would love to buy it.

[@SNSDluvr]

Hi! I was wondering how you’d paint this without liquid clear?

[@paintwithbram]

You can. Use linseed oil or just apply the green all over the canvas.

[@Scar.cam.of.league]

Iris Chan, did you try it out???

[@judymarshall3409]

I absolutely love this painting, do you let it dry a little, ? I tried and all I got were the white streaks. Is there anyway you can tell me what I am doing wrong?

[@paintwithbram]

Did you put sap green all over your canvas?

[@steviekeane]

Its Bob on that . ! Seascape pending?? 🙄😉🤗🤣

[@paintwithbram]

Getting close

[@desiwarrior8279]

Is the whole background painted only in black?

[@carpemaniac9405]

Amazing

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!