What I Learned From Master Oil Painters (Portrait Society of America 2022)

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I recently had the amazing opportunity to attend the Portrait Society of America conference, and I was able to take away some incredible lessons for my own painting practice.
Links:
Brené Brown: Why Your Critics Aren't The Ones Who Count • Brené Brown: Why Your ...
Friends I met at Portrait Society:
Tanner Steed: / tannersteedart
Jared Brady: / jaredbradyart
Kyle Ma: / kylekcma
Kai Lun Qu: / kailunqu
Junyi Liu: / junyi_liu_art
Julia Maddalina: / jmaddalina
Ashley Glazier: / ashleyglazierart
Kat Krueger: / katkrueger_
Katherine Martinez: / kmartinez.fineart
Marisa Evangelista: / marisase.art
Patrick Okrasinski: / patrickokra
B O N U S C O N T E N T
View my full palette used for this painting, see my full list of holy grail art supplies, and download my favorite brushes all within my free guide to mastering your painting style: findyourstyle.chelsealang.com/
Commission a painting like this one: www.chelsealang.com/portraits
Video Answering your FAQS: • Answering Your Most Fr...
0:00 Intro
F O L L O W
Instagram: / chelsealangart
Facebook: / chelsealangart
TikTok: @chelsealangart
C O L L E C T
Website: www.chelsealang.com/
M U S I C
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[@antmilklover1241]

I can never paint a portrait in oil before this, only watercolor and when they said it doesnt matter how a painting is made I just dropped everything and start painting a self portrait in oil using watercolor technique, and OMG it came out beautifully 😭😭😭

[@tannersteedart]

AMAZING, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE ME! I am so glad we met at the conference, and I really enjoyed this video. Keep killing it!

[@ralvindizon1140]

I thought it was you.

[@AveTyr]

I thought it looked like long-haired Robert Pattinson :)

[@tannersteedart]

@@AveTyr lol

[@qna9022]

Very handsome, Mr Tanner Steed.

[@arielceleda4897]

I knew that was the guy from "The CORRECT Way to Use LIQUIN"!!! one of the first that appeared when i was searching about how the hell i was supposed to used it. Thanks! (you left the rasta style, you looked like my cousin!)

[@liasanma1665]

It's nice hearing another professional artist telling things how they are, simply. No fuss, no exaggeration, just how it is. Thank you! I'll be trying painting more from life, I think. It could be interesting!

[@rolandlemus203]

I think I learned more from this ONE video commentary than ANY other one I have watched, and I have watched hundreds, not kidding, so insightful. I am always trying to gleam information, techniques, and processes, that could help me learn and develop my own oil painting skills. I live in a small community, but I really like the idea to maybe create a studio of fellow painters to learn off of each other. Great advice in this video! Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it!

[@invluo3219]

not much of an oil painter, just happened to see this on my feed and before I knew it, I sat through the whole video 😅. I think it's really invaluable to have likeminded people/people with same goals/skill to collaborate with and bounce ideas off- that said, personally I've yet to come across anyone like that but this video has been a reminder for me to reach out proactively instead of waiting passively.. So often, I'll get excited over those "aha!" moments when I finally figure out what's wrong with my work, or when I find a neat but obscure technique, to then soon realise I can only share it with few people, who may/maynot be indifferent about it

[@leojablonski2309]

Ditto. get a brush, paint, go to it.

[@marisae.3768]

Oh my gosh I saw this in my recommended and was so confused when I saw Tanner then I realized that's your painting!!! Hahaha I love your videos, Chelsea! They're informal, to the point, and inspiring (: thanks for sharing all that you've learned throughout your artistic career with us!

[@chadntx1]

Thank you Chelsea. I really appreciate you sharing your insights. On your last point... I am new to oil painting. I started simply because my mom bought me a beginners oil painting set for Christmas. I'm 50 years old, I'm an Engineer by education, but I'm an executive for an electronics manufacturing company. I have plenty of hobbies and stuff on my plate. But, what I found from exploring painting is 1) I'm surprisingly better at it than I or anyone else thought I'd be, 2) I really enjoy it. I find it calming and therapeutic. I really enjoy sitting at my easel on Saturday morning with a cup of coffee and classical music playing on my phone while I paint a portrait of my dog or the Travelocity Gnome on a trip to Alaska. I honestly could not care less what others think of my paintings, my subject matter, my methods, or the equipment, paints or brushes I use. What matters is does it make me happy (and can I make someone smile with my subjects). In my early college career I went to architecture school for a few years. While I loved to design buildings and the art of architecture, what I hated was how others (especially professors) judged and belittled each other. So, that tainted my experience and I gave up. I appreciate what you and the others you've met are doing to encourage those of us that are new and learning this amazing art.

[@susanwong6471]

Completely agreed! There are many routes to Rome, you just have to adopt those that works for you !one thing I enjoy being an armature painting because it is such a supportive and amazing privilege group for the sole purpose of pursuing beauty 💕

[@eleanordavin294]

Wonderful video and wonderful lesson to all artists at any stage of their career. Thank you, Chelsea!

[@rachelshirkey]

Literally crying listening to your words so relatable and inspiring thank you 🙏

[@red2744]

i currently study fine arts in paris and what the old masters taught me what no one in todays time really teaches is the illusion of realism rather than realism

[@anap1840]

Hearing you say how there are so many different approaches to painting is the reason why I don't feel that it is absolutely necessary for me to go to art school. I discovered my artistic abilities at 30 during the pandemic. I've been listening to various artists online and I really appreciate this opportunity to learn art in this way. I'm not dispensing with formal art training at all, it's just not absolutely necessary for everyone, and fortunately there are abundant resources available online for anyone who is really interested to learn.

[@YourArtJournal]

Everything you say is priceless! thank you for the motivation.

[@dalek7804]

Thanks! I needed this talk!

[@zoomcateldorado236]

This was very much my experience going to the conference the first time (and since). Have missed it the last few years and looking forward to next spring! Excellent video! Following your links, as well.

[@dianacherry1411]

This is such a well articulated video on being an artist. Absolutely fell in love with the words you spoke and the process of your brush strokes. Happy to have found you!

[@alexandrapatricio2727]

I could´nt agree more. I was thinking the same while i was watching the video.

[@alexandrapatricio2727]

I love seeing you produce such an incredible portrait in such a apparently simple way, and thank you for your words about not beeing essencial to have a degree in order to paint.

[@LKemp-lr1ky]

Outstanding--in all aspects. Thx!

[@ScottHebertArt]

Great vid Chelsea! Def going to try and connect with some peers and get out of my studio more

[@marc-artwork]

Nice ambiance, color skin, subject ;-)

[@glaparl]

Excellent recap, Chelsea… thanks!

[@derekrickard3883]

Thanks so much for the video! You made some inciteful observations about how we approach art in general and your work is excellent BTW! 👍😎

[@JeremyLassilaArt]

I love this video! Thank you!

[@plissken2245]

Well done and thank you for your insights.

[@lauriewarner4848]

What a great take away. I am full agreement ably Art School teaching how to make a living at Art. That is why I made my living at designing. I make Art to show my soul that I am listening. As long as we are creating we are then truly happy. Thank you so much for sharing all that you do.

[@kayleenwest]

Watching this a year on but so relate to every word! I had to force myself out to peopleize myself after the lockdowns went in so long here. Playing catch up with life left the art world quieter. I’m venturing out with plein air painters regularly and reconnecting in art societies. Like you looking for sitters knowing the value of painting from life. Would love to see an update video to see how your plans went Chelsea. Lovely portrait study too.

[@iMakeThat]

Great video and painting!

[@MC91B]

BRAVO! Thank you for your honesty. I will use this in a Painting 1 elective class I teach at a small private college where we are reintroducing Fine Art studio courses. Love it! Get in there and paint.

[@funkaruck]

Thanks for the insight into how valuable being around other artists is. I take for granted the interaction I could be having each time I paint with someone.

[@robhead22]

Beautiful ! Thank you!

[@saeedjavanmard_art]

This is a good drawing and thank you for sharing your experiences

[@lenscriv]

Everything you said was spot on. Great video

[@DanielMalstrom]

so much to be gained from contiinuing to paint and learn from your own experience. Great video. The best rule is continued observation...

[@ART.ALEXYS]

what lovely inspiration to come by ❤

[@flyingpiggo101]

this is so funny, i didn't realize you were going to get to this point in the video but as you were talking about asking your friends and family to sit for you and to not stress out too much, I was in the middle of reaching out to a friend to be my model for an afternoon. took a lot of tittering and worrying to get to this point but I'm excited!

[@katherandefy]

Amen on artist block from isolation. Art is not what we see but borne of an ongoing social context to convey significance for the artist and share with others Thanks for inspiring to ask people to sit for a portrait. Looking forward to this project to see where it leads. 😊

[@2want2no]

Very inspiring talk. Truths. Eloquent. Thank You.

[@AbdullahAzrael]

Omg this was just so so helpful I've been really trying to build a community of artists of different sorts so I could step out of my comfort zone

[@Shoshana-xh6hc]

As you say, models can be for free; in the library, subway, park or a bar or restaurant. For me drawing is the basis for everything. Thanks for your lovely videos 💕

[@MarcoMouraArt]

Great talk and great painting!

[@redbrushart]

What I Learned From Master Oil Painters 👍👍 Amazing and new videos are the works of my friends. Grow even bigger in the future. We will always support you together.😍😍

[@howardfriedland4633]

I think you are a very grounded and articulate young lady and will achieve great things in your career!

[@dungeondining2157]

Yes!

[@RatusMax]

I recently tried to digital paint cityscapes and landscapes and kept flopping hard. They looked boring, flat, and just not engaging. Then I learned about perspective. An art fundamental I neglected while I learned how to get my portraits accurate. (I stopped at like 89% likeness before moving on to other things. I can go back to it later but the time to bump it up to 92% or greater, I could be learning a lot of something else) I took about a week or 2 to really learn perspective and then composition followed it. I could make the scene engaging. I of course wish I could go see others painting in person and speak to them, but for now these one way YT is what is helping me unravel some of that mist. I realized I perceive 3D as a concept in my head. I could paint it as I saw it, but I didn't know why it was. Learning perspective now has removed the difficulty of relying 100% on observation and lean on what something is supposed to do as it fades away to the vanishing point. I now can set up the scene and know what I want to show and what doesn't need to be there to sell the effect. I feel a bit free lol.

[@larrymarshall9454]

Wonderful painting of Tanner, Chelsea.

[@hafsasuleiman68]

I really enjoyed this thank u

[@coopart1]

I enjoyed your thoughts !

[@patrickhennessy8040]

This a good video, definitely helped me look back at how I act.

[@marytepes8437]

The portret is wonderful !

[@EmbiggenBooks]

Thank you. And wow.

[@abdelillahessaken2571]

اسلوب متميز ومريح في رسم البورتريه.شكرا على كل الدروس..حتى وان كنت لا أفهم الانجليزية فاني أفهم اللغة البصرية..من خلال رسوماتك..😄❤

[@cristinasalesluis3075]

I love your style Chelsea! It´s an amazing portrait! And the way you painted clothes and background is so beautiful!! I heard you!! Let´s see if I can improve...Thank you !

[@sundarannila6793]

EXCELLENT SIR.

[@Yotrymp]

The pigments, brushes, etc all matter. But... a lot of time must be taken to get used to them. What's most important is your journey through learning, rather than exactly what you must do and use (that will be important later once you have solid skills developed). I once heard an instructor had told his students to use up their paint sets entirely on just mixing colors before even starting the course.

[@eyepatch1157]

This portrait is amazing! Kai Lun Qu is actually a friend of mine, I recently interviewed him on my channel.

[@mynameisjustj]

Wow. We were at the same conference. I was also sooo inspired.

[@gmm6106]

Informative. Thank you!

[@BOXCARARTZ]

Well done!

[@JRafael1949]

Magnífico!!

[@alex24mamba]

I agree with everything except the brush comment. When i first started oil painting I had an anxiety attack looking at the prices of oil paint brushes. I used my acrylic brushes for nearly a year. I cannot believe switching brushes helped me that much. Also the surface you paint on can make another huge difference. Try painting on oil paper and then canvas and see how how much better your painting looks on canvas.

[@markstanton2362]

The aspiring artists you mentioned that were asking questions that really had no overall relevance to improving their skills as painters, reminds me of another art form, photography. It seems like in that medium aspiring photographers are over concerned with photography tools (camera, lenses, etc.) to improving their skills. The old saying rings true " the best camera is the one you carry with you."

[@MM-fb9fi]

Excellent Chelsea.

[@coyoteblue4027]

I knew recognized Tanner from the thumbnail!ķgreat likeness, btw) He also has a great channel here on KZbin.

[@JH-pe3ro]

Not an oil painter(digital and ink are my preferences, and I'm very "multimedia" in my attitudes so I gravitate towards games, comics, animations, etc) but I found this valuable and supportive of my own conclusions after years of seeing results and not really grasping how they were achieved. Some of it is "just practice", some of it is "first do it any way which comes to mind, then start asking questions when you fail." There are fundamental concepts, but what everyone craves at the start is a formula: a way to hold the medium, to set up the canvas, a way to "properly" observe or "cheats" to be avoided, and various smaller rules to follow to get the result. Sharing the formula isn't bad, it's a practical starting point - the problem is that as time goes on, so many ways of doing it have appeared that every generation almost has to start over, especially as one looks at the higher-tech end of the spectrum and the requirements to get any result turn into optional quests. You can set up entire scenes on the computer and delegate the entire rendering process to software, and yet you can still end up with something distinct because there are so many parameters in the configuration, that the only way to not look distinct is because you allowed the defaults - the "formula" - to stay that way. Likewise, so many young people want to learn to "draw anime" and then have their art teachers tell them that they need to stop with the cartoons and do still life studies and realistic portraits first: they want a formula, but not that one. This phenomenon is felt perhaps even more concretely in music, where oftentimes these days, young people with a little bit of knowledge and a lot of perseverance make something good, but they make it good on their own terms, within a theory that they can grasp rather than a conventional one, and then their work actually becomes less distinctive as they learn and tap into more of the traditional approaches and start sounding like their idols. It takes active effort to remain feeling "free" as you learn more and more about what you could be doing instead.

[@jimqartworks]

awesome, 100% agree, thanks

[@kozzietea]

🎵I wanna be the very best 🎶 🎵Painter there ever was 🎶 🎵Painting Portraits is my test🎶 🎵To make this look really cool is my cause 🎶

[@donreither371]

Interesting insights and I believe right on the money.

[@EdgarEVera]

Great video. Thank you

[@rocifier]

Awesome painting and some encouragement for me to also spend time with other artists and especially those at my level. Art school sounds ridiculous!

[@nigeldonaldson1647]

the common denominator when doing underpainting seems to be to use - burnt umber most artists here on you tube do, also it was the preferred choice of the old masters it is widely known, although of course other colours could be used, but MIGHT show beneath the surface paints

[@whatsupbudbud]

I'm 32, I do software development (self-taught) and just a month ago picked up painting. I love it that I can do it while I make money writing code from my apartment. Perhaps one day I'll make money from art but this is not the goal. The goal is to have fun and create beauty where there was just blank canvas. We'll see where that goes. Thanks for the video.

[@Sumrow]

But but WHAT BRUSH DO YOU USE?! Great talk on art making. Your emphasis on "comaraderie" and "process over outcome" really hits home. Thank you! 🧡⚔️🎨

[@irenebaker9904]

I was really lucky. I went to University of North Florida, and had some great professors that taught figure drawing and painting. They taught me how to mix color, how to draw from life and check the accuracy of your drawing, and how to achieve realistic rendering of value. Some professors were more helpful than others. I think if you intend to get a degree in fine art, you look up the work of the professors teaching at the school, and the portfolios being put out by the student body. Go to the faculty and student art shows if you can, and let that guide your choice before committing the time and money to something that doesn't fit with your goals. That being said, I still have a lot to learn, and one of the benefits of being self taught is that there is not a point where you have to learn to paint without the guidance of your mentors, since you have been self guided from the beginning. Its all about your learning style and what helps you to grow! This channel has been a huge inspiration to me, and even though I paint in acrylic I am finding that a lot of the same lessons hold true. I hope that I can create this level of work myself, and am excited to try.

[@chanthoernyem5749]

Beautiful

[@jeffallen559]

I notice what you say a lot in painting forums regarding minuscule details about which brushes to use, brand of paints, specific color palettes etc. I concluded the same things that you did from the conference you went to. Also personally for myself when I focus on that sort of question for myself I don't end up getting anything out of those sorts of queries. You really have to find your own way of constructing an image.

[@guarnerrosales9806]

SUPER QTY....my Respects CONGRATULATIONS

[@msrmaganti]

Superb

[@MoorthysathyaDeku]

Awesome.......my self also in the oil painting stream........ colour sense ..... light and shadows..... wrist free..... brush work......colour mixing..... matured..... artistic thinking...... picture centering ..... finishing..... strockes.......these are essentials .....for the reputation.....this kind of skill only comes when the grace of almighty......

[@wolfgangk1]

You describe a phenomenon that is increasingly pervasive in photography where inexperienced SEASONED photographers are ISO of HACK, a shortcut. What camera did you use, and what were the settings? Sadly "influencers" ISO of freebies from camera gear outfits fuel the gear craze. I can imagine what you experience folks who examine the angle at which the presenter held their brush--so absorbed into technicalities instead of just observing.

[@Toqueville2023]

Your statements are incredibly helpful. I've liked crayons to draw with

[@djh2168]

形准、神态生动、笔触很放松。画得真好！👍

[@robinaart72]

Interesting what you say about a community - I'm quite isolated up here in the Alps...def struggle with motivation:)

[@hd-xc2lz]

Disagree that the learning of formulas and (verbalized) approaches don't matter, and that watching others work is sufficient. Learnt formulas are scaffolds that aid us in building a painting's composition and surface, provide us with options, they're not ends in themselves.

[@JCarrera27]

👏🎉

[@ravindrajahagirdar6444]

Thanks,Chalsea. You are talking about one style here while there can be several ways of painting the subject. One may be representational,do everything the way it shd be but another may create the same effect or different per emotion using a few strokes or bold strokes or a few bobs of colours buy paying attention to volume,size proportion,perspective etc. Maybe that is a topic you wud expand on later.

[@tlangrokhuma3575]

Respected Chelsea Lang.

[@lisavento7474]

THere are as many styles as there are artists, that's the POINT of creation, but one has to know WHAT they want to IMPROVE for themselves to know what to take away from another.

[@larrypoulton6401]

I am an artist. I paint. Some of my best work (IMHO) has come about without dissecting the why's and wherefores and without conscious decisions. I allow myself to surrender to the moment and wonderful things happen.

[@a.anthonycapoccia6102]

I like your work and talking 😉

[@wendyroseartist2178]

Absolutely spot on! I was there for first time as well. Your take always were similar to mine. I emailed you thru your website, let me know if you got it please.

[@MrDequese]

This ls great! What do think about digital and vr painting.

[@LillenArt2]

I'm a digital artist, but I've only recently come to a similar conclusion; that the techniques I've been using do not suit the style I'm going for. This video is very timely.

[@paintingordrawingartwithah2994]

Great

[@dsnchannel9559]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@charlesvanhorn1560]

I went through three colleges before I found one that could teach me to make a living at art. The Art Center College of Design gave me the tools to make a fabulous career as a commercial artist. However painting was my passion and your commentary struck a nerve. The only way to learn to draw and paint is to draw and paint often and with passion.

[@VillainMust]

Man this is such a good point about community but how do you find people. It's so hard

[@rgarewal100]

I am so sorry, and I swear I never ask this question, but what kind of brushes are those orangish yellow handled brushes you used when painting back in your studio (minute 8:54)? Maybe I was just suggestible... :)

[@sunilnair7976]

Wow it’s Amazing your technique and the way you handle your strokes it’s magical, I am an artist myself, would love to share my works..

[@jvermillion1052]

I liked this. As a photographer I strugglw with people who photograph and judge photographs with a bunch of hard and fast rules. The technical execution of the photograph becomes the goal. They measure themselves according to how they can judge another’s work with their rules. They are not artists I guess. That may not be what you meant to present, but like writing what people see in your work is not what you intend many times...

[@Chandu_Katha]

Am an indian And in this full video i just read subtitles instead of looking at painting.