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.

[@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.

[@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 ❤️

[@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.

[@trinejensen1707]

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

[@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.

[@stephengray6996]

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

[@sweeseng2012]

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

[@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👏👏👏

[@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.

[@beverlyfrederick7670]

You are most definitely an ARTIST!

[@riverrun1616]

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

[@johnmason4430]

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

[@alinserea4179]

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

[@koonsie1987]

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

[@edianaventrice31]

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

[@jeanniewatson6820]

Beautiful! I’m amazed! ♥️

[@aymanrufaiye8541]

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

[@juliestropp4713]

I love this! The green is perfect 💚

[@paintwithbram]

Thanks Julie!

[@anitamanning2690]

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

[@josverstraeten6759]

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

[@catgir5x]

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

[@paintwithbram]

Thanks Miss D!

[@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.

[@orbitflyer9275]

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

[@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!

[@teddyfrau1]

Looks wonderful ❤

[@pergal4]

This looks sooo beautiful.

[@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!

[@Scenescapeshop]

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

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you! Mine too!

[@nathaliechoury3538]

C'est magnifique !

[@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 😊😊😊❤

[@kristi1949]

Oh YES you DO have talent!

[@anniedarkhorse6791]

Cool. Thanks. I might try this.

[@t.caruso104]

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

[@paintwithbram]

Welcome!

[@stanmerrell5390]

Very nice. Sure make it look easy.

[@Kwood10]

That’s gorgeous .

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!

[@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

[@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.

[@ellonysman]

E P I C ❤ I want to try that!😅

[@littlegirl-lc8lh]

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

[@sushmag3904]

soo beautiful ..👌👌👌

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!

[@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

[@donnamullins1271]

Beautiful!

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Julia-lm5hg]

Thank you 💓

[@fabricelelan1224]

Merci pour ce tuto, je m'abonne 👍💕🌞🌈

[@kirstenbotten3017]

You have awesome Bob Ross vibes

[@maitetorres911]

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

[@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 ?

[@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.

[@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!

[@asmakhusro6317]

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

[@kenul384]

So awesome!!! Is it possible to paint it using acrylic?

[@TerryPaulson]

Thank you!!

[@paintwithbram]

You're welcome!

[@andred212]

Great job, did you use a black or white canvas?

[@laurencechristianb2942]

Top !

[@TheEmma231]

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

[@txd5904]

Amazing 🥰🥰🥰

[@paintwithbram]

Thanks 🤗

[@abhithakur4502]

Hi! Amazing Painting! Can I ask, do you have a clear medium applied to the black canvas already before you start to make the 3 strokes?

[@paintwithbram]

Yes, clear medium then a transparent color.

[@carpemaniac9405]

Amazing

[@paintwithbram]

Thank you!

[@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

[@batesbates203]

Great video Bram! Did you change the lighting in your studio? For some reason this painting seems better lit. I'm not sure if it's the liquid clear or what but it was shot well!

[@paintwithbram]

Not yet. It may just be the angle. Still figuring out the lighting that is best.

[@danacagasova2617]

👍👍👍👍

[@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

[@Hurrai]

Thanks Bram

[@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?

[@danielaguareschi8330]

great job! I want to try this one, is there liquid clear first?

[@paintwithbram]

Yes! Use a bit of liquid clear all over the canvas then apply sap green.

[@ivartangen2076]

Hi. Very beautiful. I see that you use the fanbrush with white paint on, but when you blend the color gets green. How do you do that? Regards from Norway.

[@dricus81]

The canvas is covered in sap green, so when he applies the titanium white it blends with the sap green and turns green.

[@abtcabt622]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@jannas60]

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

[@IzabellaBorgkvist]

I wonder too😊

[@nellacoiro]

Dis you use black gesso to prime the canvas?

[@roywhittle1431]

I’m a complete novice but can you tell me if at the start of your painting do you use the wet on wet style Thank you Roy

[@Valery2000]

👌

[@paintwithbram]

👍

[@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👍🏼

[@Bo-nk3ol]

Oh, this is perfect, thank you. Two questions if I may. Will this also work with acrylic paint and anything I have to do differently? And I don't quite understand how the aurora becomes so green... is it just the green and white mixed together for the first strokes?

[@paintwithbram]

Hey Bo. It could work in acrylic but not near as easily. One reason it works so well with oil is that the white blends with the green and makes a super vibrant green. That process is aided by the liquid clear medium used as well. You could use an acrylic medium and definitely try it.

[@Bo-nk3ol]

I see, thanks. Well, I'll give it a try and otherwise I suppose I'll get some oil paints. What kind of a medium should I be using? (Absolute beginner)

[@shraddhamanapure924]

Already tried and It's quite hard with acrylic..As it dried quickly

[@atx_josuee]

Hello!! I love your painting! But I have a small question.., How'd you get the green canvas?

[@Artist_Crafter]

At the 16:22 mark, he says he uses liquid clear and sap green. Of course, he uses black gesso on canvas first, and let’s it dry. Hope this helps!

[@beckylangley4833]

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

[@kennethandersen7122]

Finally mentioned at the end he prepped the canvas with liquid clear before covering with Sap Green in case you missed it.

[@hayleylawes9407]

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.

[@daviddesoto7525]

What color did you use for the trees?

[@cindylancaster2572]

Do you put anything on the canvas before the green? It looks like you used a black canvas.

[@sassyfrasssy]

Love this painting! I have never painted oils (yet) and I'm wondering if this can be accomplished in acrylics? I'm a total newby! :)

[@paintwithbram]

It will be more difficult in acrylic to get this look but you should try it.

[@kristineking4271]

Did you try it? I’m wondering the same lol

[@susansparke6347]

The Sap Green seems dark. Did you add a bit of black?

[@neilcartwright100]

Hi, can you tell me how you prepared the canvas? Is it sap green with some oil (almost like liquid green)??

[@paintwithbram]

I used a clear medium then sap green applied over that medium.

[@user-mg2cb2jw8m]

Здравствуйте. А масло Вы наносите на высохший холст, на сухую краску?

[@roywhittle1431]

Great and wow, I’m a complete beginner so I’m going to ask you a probably daft question?? is your northern lights painting wet on wet ? Sorry if this is a stupid question, I’ve just completed my second picture and I’m using a wet on wet style Thank you Roy

[@tanjahirsch3728]

Was wondering the same, but given the way the white color mixes up with the background color i have a hunch that it is a fresh painted background.

[@yblackned]

Did you use black gesso?

[@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.

[@riverrun1616]

Id definitely pay for classes from you😊

[@paintwithbram]

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

[@banditva8040]

Was canvas black before putting on sap green.

[@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.

[@marleebee1820]

is the black background still wet? Or completely dried?

[@benbethel4093]

how much sap green should i apply before i start painting?

[@paintwithbram]

A thin coat but enough for you to see it on our finger if you touch the canvas.

[@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?

[@jmartin9653]

Was that sap green applied on a white or black canvas?

[@amberb.5964]

Am I supposed to let the liquid clear dry first then apply sap green and while the sap green is still wet apply the white?

[@dricus81]

The sap green is supposed to be wet yes, otherwise it wont blend with the white.

[@paintwithbram]

Exactly!

[@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???

[@ellawegener1040]

This is a great tutorial, thank you! I do have a question though: when you first draw in the lines where you want to have the lights dod you use titanium white or liquid white? TIA

[@paintwithbram]

Titanium white