Waterfall & Rocks, Oil Painting Tutorial. Small Painting Series #2

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Hello, Steve here! I want to thank all of you who have supported me on my "Buy Me a Tube of Paint" page, you're simply awesome and I'm incredibly grateful to you!! If you wish to support this channel, you can make a donation, any amount is appreciated. When I reach my goal, I'll be buying another camera to record my painting palette so you can watch me mix colors as well. Thanks for your generosity: www.buymeacoffee.com/steveatkinson IF YOU'D LIKE TO OWN ONE OF MY ORIGINAL SKETCHES! You can get one here: www.buymeacoffee.com/steveatkinson/e/39257

[@JenetLevyNYC_AZ]

Just discovered your channel yesterday. Thanks for these wonderful videos from another Prescott resident! I love your work and am learning a lot.

[@johnslawson3917]

Hello Steve, really enjoy your lessons, but I wish you would take the time to explain what colours your using & if you mix them, what colours were used in the mixing process. Thank you, I’m going to try this demo of rocks & waterfall.

[@Artist_Crafter]

Thank you for sharing!!!

[@jordanwymer8240]

I really love how you teach us how you do it and make sure to tell us that it takes time and that it took you time to get to where you are it really helps me not to get discouraged when my painting isn’t perfect

[@ArtActivePk]

Woaow so beautiful painting

[@stevenwmclean]

I really love watching these little demos. Fantastic. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Steve. Much appreciated.

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Thank you Steve! I appreciate you watching these demos. I hope they're helpful for you!

[@ThaEzzy]

Mentioning that specifically how you're building from thin to thick is something I've had a very difficult time finding. I read it all the time, but to see you demonstrate and comment on the viscosity makes it much easier for me to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. As a self-taught finding instructions on how to handle the literal paint, rather than theory about what good paintings are, has been my biggest challenge so far. So thanks for talking about that.

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Great to hear "It's Nacho Time...Yet"! You're going in the right direction if you paint thicker layers of paint over the top of what you already put down, or at least as thick. Use a light touch and be decisive in applying your paint (ie, no "mooshie-smooshie" paint application, lol.) Other than a number of plein air workshops, I'm self taught too. I was just too stubborn or dumb to admit failure, so I kept at it.

[@rcherrin1]

Very awesome, beautiful, and extremely helpful Steve! As all of your videos are. Thanks so much for taking the time to share these and looking forward to more soon!

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Thank you buddy, that makes my day... very kind of you!

[@karenjohnson6487]

Thanks Steve. Enjoyed the video.

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Thanks for showing up Karen, and for the thumbs up! I can always count on you 👏👏👏

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Thank you steve 🙏

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

You're very welcome Sujanith!

[@michaelmakemore633]

Do you ever do detailed underdrawings? I find it difficult to keep it loose when I use a detailed underdrawings, however I cannot seem to capture the tight detailed look I desire without it. I do like the expressionistic look. But its not my goal. I want loose and detailed. thanks for the great content!

[@domhardycreative1635]

Great series, learn lots from you 👍

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Thanks Dom, I appreciate that!

[@wakeupuk3860]

Hi Steve, since taking up Oil Painting after some moderate success with watercolours, just end up with making a mess, especially trying to 'really' understand the actual technical skills of fat over lean. I have watched a great number of tutorials on here but even though the artists are very good, they, as with most people who reach a high level of skill are no longer capable of remembering how they felt, when they began even though they think they do. It is also especially true that so many artists (dare I say think) they can teach because they can paint. It is somewhat of an arrogance that teaching is undervalued as an art or a skill. Why do I say this, as I have taught, trained, lectured and presented a wide range of topics and for over 35 years and I was very good at it, not much else though. I know this sounds weird some of those topics especially Maths (my first subject) I was not actually very good at doing maths but I was very good at teaching the 'techniques' required, because for me, it was never obvious. Not once in all those years did I say to any child or adult "Can't you see, it is obvious", I always tried to do what I called 'Technique' when everything could be broken down into individual steps that are master one at a time and then done collectively in the order required. This tutorial had 'Technique'! The reason I have said all this, is that you 'Sir' either have had teacher training, able to break down the actual steps and processes or like me, you are just a natural teacher. This video, have not seen others of yours yet, was for me, just ticking all the boxes and was allowing me to say "Oh, I see", especially when you spoke about the consistency of the first coat (i.e. not runny) and then the softness/lightness of the brush stroke, these two and many other points you made - I have never heard before from others artist. I shall certainly be subscribing and hope to learn more from you.

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Dear Wake Up UK, what an incredibly kind comment you've posted. I've taken so long to reply because I'm not sure what I can say that won't sound big-headed of me. Just know that I truly appreciate your thoughtful comment! I haven't had any formal teaching training to speak of. If I do any of this well, I believe it's because, even though I've been painting for decades now, it has never come easy or become second nature to me. I still talk to myself (internally, mostly) to remind me of what I need to think about and remember to be successful in whatever painting or drawing I'm working on at the time. I guess that mental repetition has helped me to be able to share what's important in these videos. Of course, over the years, I've been blessed to have been taught by some extraordinary artist/teachers. I remember what they've shared with me and some of the lessons have really stuck out and stayed with me. I feel so blessed to be able to have a platform here on KZbin to pass along what I know, not holding anything back. I much prefer this to teaching in person since I'm an introvert by nature. Thank you for subscribing and for making my week just a bit better by your vote of confidence. Paint on!!!

[@taylorvanbuskirk8040]

I've always tried to paint exactly what I see. I always thought that's what I was supposed to do. It's nice to know I have permission to change things up. LOL! See how much influence you have? Ha!

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Haaha, Taylor, the ultimate is painting a river scene while standing and painting in the desert. Good luck and go get 'em!! lol

[@fuzzydragons]

snicker 'rocks that look like cowpies' pretty city folks wont get that 😜

[@williambodine2549]

Hi Steve enjoy watching your videos. My question is for a beginner do you suggest starting out with primary colors? I was told to stay away from student grade paints and learn with professional artist oil paint. What do you suggest? Thank you for your help.

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

Hi William, thanks for the thumbs up! For a basic palette, I started with a warm and a cool of each of the three primaries. For example, Reds could be Cadmium Red Medium and Alizarin Crimson. Yellow could just be Cadmium Yellow Lemon and Cadmium Yellow Medium. Your blues can be French Ultramarine and Cerulean blue. White would be Titanium and optionally, you can use a touch of Ivory Black. Try to use the black as little as possible, but sometimes it's good to have it to be able to get to your deep grey shadows quickly, but really, you can mix all but your very darkest darks by using the other colors on your palette (but you get a beautiful green by mixing black with your yellow). For instance, mixing Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine blue with a touch of yellow will give you a deep black, and depending on how much or how little of each color you use, you can bend it towards cool shadows or warm. I don't recommend starting out with a very limited palette, such as the Zorn palette right off. This can lead to frustration. And yes, buy the best paints you can afford. The student grade paint is not always lightfast and has way more vehicle than pigment. If you have to skip something, skip meals. 😂 Hope that helps and Happy Painting!

[@williambodine2549]

@@SteveAtkinsonFineArt ty very much.

[@starbucks1971]

How many brushes were used in the video? I am a beginner student. When you paint at home, using multiple brushes confuses your mind and you don't know where each brush is supposed to paint. When I come to my senses, the house is a mess.

[@dougg1075]

If you wipe off, do you use a dry rag?

[@SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

I use a sheet of Bounty paper towels.

[@dougg1075]

@@SteveAtkinsonFineArt The quicker picker upper

[@rozzamarquiza797]

I won't Sam your penteng bat I can not 😢

[@doreneanderson9077]

you don't tell us your colors