So far I have been demonstrating the painting of an Elephant on primed 16″ x 20″ canvas using Winsor and Newton oil paint.

The technique I am using is the glazing technique. See the different types of oil painting techniques.

I started in step 1 with a charcoal sketch and monochrome under-painting. This formed the basic structure or skeleton of the painting.

In subsequent steps from step 2 to step 4, I carefully built up the painting with the application of thin layers of paint on one another after leaving each previous layer to dry.

In this step, I have continued to touch up the painting by enhancing the darkest areas (shadows) with a dark tone which is  a mixture of prussian blue and burnt umber.I also used the same mixture to outline the creases and wrinkles on the trunk and legs.

For the tusks I used a mixture of titanuim white + yellow ochre to produce an off white colour.

I also added the grasses in the foreground. For this I used a size 0 round brush and a mixture of sap green + prussian blue for the darkest tones. For the lighter tones I used yellow ochre and a bit of cadmium yellow and painted it in while the paint was wet.

The image on your left shows a close up shot of the painting as it is so far. You can see the grass she is eating and some other features.

For the grass in her mouth I used a mixture of raw sienna + sap green and a bit of titanium white.

There is a smoothness to the painting which is characteristic of glazing. This is quite unlike the alla prima technique I used to paint the African drummers.

The alla prima technique is faster to use and the paint stays fresh with rich brushstrokes. Each technique has its beauties and they all produce awesome works of art.

Every artist has a signature style which often takes time to discover and entails trying out different styles on hundreds of paintings.

I try out different techniques and though over time I am inclining more to a particular technique; I still continue to explore.

Below is a closer shot of the painting. The next post would show the finished painting.

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Tags: Elephant, oil painting, painting

There is a big leap from the painting in Step 3 which was reddish. That is the beauty of oil paint and painting in general. You can play around with your paints till you arrive at what suits you best and every brushstroke is magical in its own way.

In this step, I have applied a layer of burnt umber with a bit of ultramarine blue. I have also added a dab of white around the lighter areas to enhance the effect of light .

The one quality every painter that uses oil paint and the glazing technique has to master is patience.

Unfortunately I am not a very patient person and the glazing technique is one technique I hardly use now. But like I mentioned in Step 1, I enjoy trying out new things and techniques.

What is the colour of my Elephant? Elephants can be black, brown, gray or just any colour that you want to make them. I try not to be limited to a particular colour or look.

As an artist I believe having the ability to create should go hand in hand with a freedom to explore. Great discoveries have been made on the canvas by the masters and I too keep making discoveries each time I paint.

There is never an end to what you can do when you put aside all inhibitions and restrictions and paint the way your soul prompts you. Thus, never limit yourself to what the world considers normal.

This snap shot shows my palette and the colours I am using to create this painting. Because the size of the painting is not very big (16″ x 20″) I have limited myself to 4 brushes. I also use a rag to wipe off excess paint from my brushes.

I must confess that the best part of making this painting is painting the little baby. She is so tiny and the way she snuggles close to her mother shows the beauty that lies in the security and protection motherhood harbors. I guess that may be why I was so drawn to the image.

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Tags: Elephant, oil painting, painting

In this step I have applied a thin glaze of cadmium red deep hue all over the entire painting. This makes it appear reddish.

For the lighter areas I wiped off some paint with a rag. This lets the 1st layer of paint which I applied in step 2 to show through creating the effect of light.

You can see how the monochrome under-painting I did in step 1 is adding form and structure to the work.

For the tusks I have left it unpainted, thus the whiteness of the canvas makes them stand out remarkably.

I have also started work on the sky, background and foreground.

For the sky I used titanium white and cerulean blue.

For the shrubs in the background I have used sap green with prussian blue (for the darker parts).  I blended it in a bit into the sky to create a distant effect and soften the edges. Thus the titanium white and cerulean blue of the sky also appear in the shrubs.

For the foreground I have used Sap green, cadmium yellow and titanium white. To create the effect of distance I made the foreground lighter in the distance.

I have kept everything loose because I want the focus to be on the elephant.

Tags: Elephant, oil painting, painting

I started off previously in Step 1 by making an initial sketch on canvas using a charcoal pencil and fixing with a fixative. After the sketch I made a monochrome under-painting with Prussian blue and left it to dry. Now I   am going to use the glaze technique to finish the painting.

Glazing is an Oil painting technique that involves the application of several thin washes of transparent colours on each other. The previous layer has to be dry before you apply the next. The colours qualify each other and mix in the eye thus producing a richness that one colour or mixture of colours cannot produce. I am using liquin as my diluent.

After making the monochrome under painting, I applied a thin glaze mixture of raw sienna + burnt sienna + cadmium yellow pale hue. Mixing my paints with liquin in a ratio of 1:3.

Sorry about the poor picture quality. At least I hope you can see what I have achieved so far. The monochrome under painting has given the painting a solid structure and all I’ll be doing is to apply thin layers of paint to keep enhancing the painting. Like I pointed out in Step 1; this is the first time I am painting an elephant, so I am also learning as I go on.

What do you think?

Tags: Elephant, oil painting, painting