Techniques of the Old Masters by Helen Van Wyk

The glazing technique used by the Old Masters in oil painting involves applying thin, translucent layers of paint over a dried base layer to create depth and complexity. This technique dates back to the Renaissance period.
Dive into the world of painting alongside Helen , a legendary artist and instructor. Discover invaluable tips, techniques, and inspiration as Helen shares her wealth of knowledge. Whether you're a beginner seeking guidance or a seasoned artist looking to refine your existing skills, Helen's timeless wisdom and contagious enthusiasm will ignite your creativity and elevate your art to new heights.
Subscribe now and embark on an unforgettable journey of artistic discovery with Helen.

[@bodyofhope]

And suddenly I understand values and the purpose of underpainting. When that bowl suddenly became copper, with a little golden glaze, she had me hooked!

[@HelenVanWyk]

Great story, thanks for posting.

[@bodyofhope]

@@HelenVanWyk thanks for the pin! Lovely channel you have

[@user-hn2bo2pn7t]

She makes a perfect circle , " how do I get it that round ? Years of drinking ". I like her already 😂

[@troycfrantz]

Upon hearing Her say that, I had to hit the "Subscribe," button.

[@chrismcfadden6934]

The laugh and shimmy afterwards ,was great!

[@damienkearns3654]

🎶"There goes my hero..."

[@susansouthern6704]

Wouldn't she think it wonderful that we are still learning from her even after shes gone ?!!

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Back when I was working at an illustration house in Cleveland in the mid eighties, I would rush home after work to watch Helen to see what she was painting that day. I have such a soft spot in my heart for her. I learned more from watching her lessons ( I later bought all of her PBS episodes in VHS) than all of my university art professors or any workshop teachers put together. I'm so happy to see her here on YT, taking her place to teach a completely new batch of today's artists. Ms. VanWyk shows us how to paint... though sometimes she just might make soup!

[@unripetheberrby6283]

I'm happy to see her for the first time, and she's explaining things very well ^^

[@snorkwerk]

She had a great quote that's stuck with me all these years. It was regarding portraits, which she defined as: "A picture where something's wrong with the mouth."

[@ExtremeObservations]

Could you explain? I don’t understand.

[@TruthOrTrick]

@@ExtremeObservations I think its puzzling because you need to understand Helen's way of saying things. I think its actually a bit of an inside joke among Helen and her students. Painting mouths can be surprisingly tricky because they're so expressive and nuanced. It's kind of like trying to capture the essence of a person's personality in just a small area of the canvas. So when someone says "a picture where something's wrong with the mouth," they're poking fun at the challenge of getting it just right. Hope that clears it up a bit. Just one student's opinion. Yours may vary.

[@andrewbellavie795]

Great lesson on the academic techniques of the old masters, thank you! Anyone else wish Helen would paint their portrait?

[@HelenVanWyk]

Good to hear you enjoyed this lesson. It's one of the more popular lessons. Thanks for posting and hope you also enjoy the other lessons.

[@D.Antony]

What an absolutely brilliant artist and instructor. I have no idea why I've never seen her before.

[@HelenVanWyk]

It's great that you found Helen. More lessons are coming.

[@D.Antony]

@@HelenVanWyk Excellent! I've subbed and will follow intently.

[@raksharky]

I'm learning painting and English with her

[@paulinearnold1801]

My goodness. How come ive never seen this woman before!!! Amazing!!!

[@unripetheberrby6283]

I know right?

[@mandaloolux9216]

Such a treat to watch this lady paint! I started reading her books some years ago, checked out from my local library. Her book about painting portraits was my favorite, so when my library lost that book, i took to Amazon and found a used copy that i paid 50 bucks for. Totally worth it. I love her style and the way she explains and simplifies the painting method.

[@HelenVanWyk]

Great to hear you enjoy watching Helen's lessons. Thanks for the support. It's appreciated.

[@_BillyMandalay]

I had no idea she had such charm and wit... I would see her ads on art magazines , but had never seen her on video. Thank you, internet. lol

[@LostSoulSearching]

"Years of drinking." 😂😂😂😂 She makes this so interesting and funny.

[@AMOSLZY]

That's gold LMAO

[@CLos22]

That quote got me to subscribe! Love her already!

[@CraigsLister]

The value in these lessons is Helen's commentary. Listen carefully, she was very knowledgeable.

[@1sacoyle]

Helen was one of my favorite teachers back in the 80s on TV. There were several fun painting shows then and each one offered an inspiring approach to painting.

[@HelenVanWyk]

Nice to hear Helen was one of your favorite teachers. Those shows were great for providing a range of techniques and inspiration. Thanks for posting and sharing your thoughts.

[@YOUCANTDOTHATONTELEVISION]

Great video. by comparison new tutorials are just entertainment. I felt like I came away with some useful knowledge for my next work. Thank you

[@DivaJan]

Well said. 👌

[@HelenVanWyk]

Very happy to hear this lesson was helpful to you. Thanks.

[@scooterose100]

Helen was an amazing artist. Loved watching her, thanks for posting.

[@truecrimeboozer]

11:54 "...our sun gives us a warm, yellowish light" back in the 70s, it sure seemed a warmer light...must be nostalgia, glossing memories

[@PqV72MT4]

Actually l think the light is harsher these days. I can't prove it but l think you're right.

[@paintwithpa8694]

She was the most influential and greatest teacher I ever had.

[@sarwil-gr6bg]

Oh I used to love watching her on PBS. Haven’t thought of this in years. Thank you.

[@KLeonardM]

She had so much to teach. Such talent.

[@ritabykhovsky4175]

Fantastic!!! Helen is alive after death, and so many people enjoy learning from her.

[@Jay-bw3fl]

Wow, all my searching for good glazing videos over the years and this gem is suggested to me. Awesome

[@HelenVanWyk]

Great to hear you enjoyed this lesson. More to come. Thanks for your support.

[@jaehaussling1894]

My first intro to this artist. My mind is blown. I have learned so much. I love the results. I will follow for sure.😊😊😊Thankyou

[@HelenVanWyk]

Happy hearing you enjoyed this lesson and thanks for your support. It is appreciated.

[@deemusch5170]

I like her. I love her ideas

[@jgmlive]

These lessons are so wonderful - completely timeless, sound painting lessons.

[@lamepseudonym4300]

This is a fantatic video and a grear lesson. I love Helen's lessons!

[@anthonymccarthy4164]

She taught something, none of the other PBS painters even tried to.

[@GerarddeSouza-yt3fc]

I am so happy to find Helen Van Wyck. I used to watch her around the same time I would watch Bob Ross on PBS. She is a master and a great teacher.

[@TheMediaMachine]

Nothing has changed over the many years. Nothing except maybe new brands of canvas, brushes, paints and technology. So if you're feeling overwhelmed, find just one artist like Helen VanWyk and learn because nothing has really changed over the years. It's same techniques over and over again.

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Soo true.

[@unripetheberrby6283]

When seeing her do the under-painting I went like, "Oh like in digital art!" lol

[@myroadnottaken]

GOSH I MISS HER! loved her show.

[@felicityfourie1785]

NOW I understand underpainting! Thank you 💕

[@blessOTMA]

Watching Helen. One of her quotes that I love is, "You often have to do something wrong in order to do it right". Meaning get started , you can always fix it later, but don't let the fear of a mistake stop you. Can't tell how many times that quote got me going again! Thank you, Helen.

[@HelenVanWyk]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It's great to hear stories like this. Thanks for your continued support. It's appreciated.

[@susanmitchell4744]

Brilliant effortless and invaluable tutorial Helen. Entertaining and encouraging as well. Thank you.

[@HelenVanWyk]

Thank you for your comment; it's truly appreciated. Helen did have a unique style of teaching that her students, both past and present, thoroughly enjoy. Her approach to instruction resonated deeply with those she has taught, leaving a lasting impact on their learning experience. Thanks again.

[@lubaluft4740]

God teacher and good music. Thanks for that lesson 🙏🏻

[@HelenVanWyk]

Your support is appreciated. Thanks.

[@vermillion6704]

So glad to find her again, I learnt so much from her videos and techniques before 😍

[@HelenVanWyk]

Really nice to hear. Thanks a lot.

[@vflytrap7158]

That’s some excellent precision brush work

[@MotherGosling]

I was not an oil painter when i first saw Helen's tutorials years ago, in fact i was afraid of oils, as i thought it was complicated, but i ahave been won over by the simplicity (and humour) of her explanations. Delightful!

[@WisdomThumbs]

Yet another video I can't show to most of the artists in my peer groups, because the word "Oriental" would crash them out of the video and cause another argument. However, it's a great presentation and highly useful to me. Thanks!

[@rogergreener9457]

I have learned more from you in a half an hour than I did in college for 2 years. Thank you. After taking a 21 year break I plan on start painting again.

[@HelenVanWyk]

lt's great to hear that you're getting back into painting. Helen's lessons are definitely timeless and inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

[@seancrippen2167]

I feel like she could have taught anything in school and made it worth learning.

[@leoalvarado6466]

This is one of the simplist paintings I've have seen out of a 100 videos that i've seen. I'm am very very impressed with this young Lady! Thank you very much! I hope to see more of your work n the future.

[@HelenVanWyk]

Sadly, Helen passed away in 1994, but more archived videos will be posted so everyone can learn from her timeless lessons.

[@MelissaR784]

Couldn't help but noticed how many painters are left handed since I started watching tutorials. Saw she was one too. Funny she would mention it.

[@HelenVanWyk]

@MelissaR784 You will hear mention of Rembrandt (left handed too) occasionally in her lessons, as if she knew him in a past life.

[@elenalatici9568]

Left handed people are frequently --mote than frequently -- very creative. When you watch tv or film pay attention to the hands, you'll see left handed actors all the time. This is not to say that right handed people aren't creative. Not at all. But the left handed thing and creativity is definitely noticeable

[@patriciapiper6294]

I learn from Helen because I like her so much. She seems to like me?❤❤❤❤

[@HelenVanWyk]

Yes, she was a very likeable teacher and it's great to hear you enjoy her teaching style.

[@Jason-pq5mq]

So interesting. I could watch her for hours.

[@marypartridge5154]

Just brilliant as I never knew about this glazing. You explain so simply just the best so thanx a million

[@vanniekerkjohannes5568]

Fantastic Teacher Thank you! 👌💕

[@joselacera8716]

She was great, her techniques are hard but so simple wow.

[@HelenVanWyk]

Agreed. Her talent is undeniable, and it's inspiring how she makes complex techniques look effortless. Thanks for the comment.

[@Pit.Gutzmann]

"How did I get it THAt round? Years of drinking!" 😂

[@bigredfred33]

I learned so much from her when I first started painting and still have some of her books after 25 years. One really good one on color mixing.

[@derankweert]

Welcome back on KZbin love. And R.I.P.

[@CaboLabsHealthInformatics]

What an incredible woman, funny and smart. Oh and the painting too :)

[@The_Cali_Dude_88]

Quite enjoyed this. I definitely learned 🎉

[@fedup745]

She's great!

[@TravisChristopher]

She is funny, love it.

[@jodotarotclub9231]

KZbinrs should use this type of camara to look this cool

[@kcrobinson4210]

Inspiration never dies

[@sincerelyme-777]

Fabulous instruction! Than you!

[@JeanetteParmantie-jq5xy]

Really interesting. Wish I could that kind of drawing.

[@a..c..2469]

I just found this channel, I feel closer to even now😂, she's a masterpiece herself😂😂 very funny

[@jmydn2]

artists are the most fun ppl. Not shocked at all

[@toecutter8002]

People whom worked on the set of her show would fight over her left over unfinished art.

[@lucretiaonutube]

Wow, what a fabulous tutor

[@redatticus7606]

This is......unreal!

[@MarcelHarding]

i love your seance of humour

[@HelenVanWyk]

You are not alone. She was a unique teacher and a joy to learn from. Thanks for your support.

[@dannown]

"How do I get it so round? Years of drinking!"

[@reiniergamboa]

this lady is a trip! :D

[@roxanacastroj]

Thank You...i learn samethinks new ❤

[@HelenVanWyk]

It's great to hear that this lesson helped you. Thanks for visiting. Your support is appreciated. Thank you.

[@DakotaFord592]

Talented!!!

[@DivaJan]

The word "glazing" on the thumbnail looks out of focus for some reason and makes it hard to look. But the video itself is top notch as usual. She's such a great teacher.

[@HelenVanWyk]

@DivaJan Sorry about that but appreciate you letting us know. It will be fixed ASAP.

[@HelenVanWyk]

@DivaJan Fixed

[@ruperterskin2117]

Cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@lisengel2498]

Wonderfull Way of painting and telling what is going on - totally inspiring and very Well demonstrated 🎶🌷🎶♥️

[@davidmckayii752]

Thanks!!

[@user-mi8cj6ji1e]

Good demo

[@Ugluk-Uruk_Hai-Isengard.]

Simplesmente lindo ❤

[@supertrucker99]

YOUR WONDERFUL ❤ THANK YOU

[@bleuvertetforetdepin7308]

thank you

[@MrJimpaint7]

so immpressed. thank you Jim

[@chipcurry]

Technique is good, but I love the commentary - shows a lifetime of experience and desire for knowledge. I especially liked the "by John Singer Sargent: with the paint, I add brains….

[@HelenVanWyk]

She had another clever reply for a question once asked of her. "Helen, How long did it take to paint that picture?" Reply: "35 Years and 2 hours"

[@giuseppemori4620]

wonderful

[@danganne9170]

Thank you

[@HelenVanWyk]

You're welcome... more to come.

[@ReoAard]

Thanks

[@59jaguar]

Your funny . Great stuff this glazing . Not bad for a lefty;)

[@todayipaint4667]

She would make a great pastry chef.

[@belindared3389]

❤❤❤❤

[@syemart]

❤❤❤

[@juancarlosarangomaya9974]

Importante pero mucho 😮

[@thadonis.]

Stil a better blending mode than photoshop.

[@beatrixtracy]

I wonder if the entire monochrome underpainting was done with acrylic. .or if she switched to oils while still in monochrome

[@HelenVanWyk]

Your post has been pinned to the top of the comment list, hopefully someone can provide an answer.

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Oh, I thought that was all acrylic, maybe not? 🤔

[@lonemapper]

Not likely as she would need the speedy drying time of acrylics so she could get to the glazing

[@SojaUhr]

Looks a bit to smooth for "pure" acrylic, without any additives such as drying retarders.

[@beatrixtracy]

@@unripetheberrby6283 I believe the glazing was in oils, with a medium

[@SimonSozzi7258]

It's interesting how she has the painting tilted towards her.

[@donnaleroy1717]

She is funny and witty

[@HelenVanWyk]

Great to hear that you enjoy her style. It is a cool way to teach (and learn).

[@madjidchouarbi3921]

Comme les choses ont l'air faciles quand elles sont faîtes par une maîtresse peintre

[@HelenVanWyk]

c'est très vrai. l'espoir peut continuer à regarder et à apprendre. merci.

[@SAGHAJAR]

Fantastically done.

[@lynnehall2215]

Did Helen say she was using acrylics and what thinner /medium. Can anyone help? Brilliant teacher.

[@HelenVanWyk]

I believe Helen used acrylic in her underpaintings, and I'm not sure about the medium (perhaps a water-based medium?). Hopefully, someone else can confirm. I'm sure she mentioned it during one of her lessons. She was an oil painter/teacher, so her primary medium was mostly a mixture of turpentine, dammar varnish, and linseed oil in equal parts, but she did use other mixes at times.

[@bodyofhope]

I believe the underpinning is in acrylic and the rest is done is oil. I've been watching the Milan Art Institute channel, and they use the same process.

[@bodyofhope]

*underpainting

[@paulashford4155]

to talk...work on camera with time constraints is impressive

[@segamai]

This one’s for the algorithm

[@HelenVanWyk]

Thanks, your support is appreciated.

[@aserodriguez1425]

Can u please post this whole episode?

[@HelenVanWyk]

This is the full 25 minute lesson on this topic. Perhaps you were watching the 60 second trailer of this lesson.

[@theofilikaterina1]

❤💝💖💗🧡🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@johnnyrabenold6133]

“How do I get such a round circle? Years of drinking!“….

[@HelenVanWyk]

You found another...nice. 👍

[@heidipucci9078]

Are these oil?

[@HelenVanWyk]

The underpainting was done in grayscale acrylic. Then, Helen used transparent oils, thinned with a medium of turpentine, damar varnish, and linseed oil to perform the color glazing. Afterwards, she added final details and corrections using her oils.

[@mirekm2043]

Why is your easel tilted towards you ?

[@HelenVanWyk]

Sadly, Helen passed away in 1994 and cannot answer you directly. However, I believe one reason artists tilt their easel like that to prevent glare from the shiny, wet oil paint. Great question. Thanks. It would be great to hear from others as to why they tilt their easel.

[@blessOTMA]

@@HelenVanWyk I'm thinking you are correct and it's to cut out the glare from the lights so the painting can be seen. She did decades of live demos( promoting art materials and of course, teaching) and perhaps just got use to it being that way.

[@lisengel2498]

The only thing I would really like to avoid is the terpentine even if I know that it was part of the ancient Classica painting medium - linseed Oil, damar and terpentine …. 🙃🌷♥️

[@HelenVanWyk]

Many people likely feel the same way. Nitrile gloves is one option to minimize contact with harmful chemicals.