Artistic expression - 5 easy ways to create a sunset using artistic expression
Have you ever wanted to create a sunset? I needed to experiment with my paints to create the best original oil painted sunsets. I have to say, my first attempts were not the best. I still find little methods that improve each painting.
With oil paints and a blank canvas you can create beautiful original oil painted sunsets even God will admire. I've seen sunsets from coast to coast. When I first picked up a paintbrush I knew I wanted to recreate some of the sunsets I remembered over the years on canvas.
1. How can you paint all those beautiful sunsets you remember?
I asked myself the same question. You start by painting the canvas with liquid white in crisscross strokes until the oil paint covers the entire canvas using a 2” oil brush. After the white is spread evenly, you step back and look for your horizon, try not to put it in the center of the canvas. An inch above the center to a couple inches below works best for me, unless you are making the sunset the major part of your picture in which case you want to go lower with the horizon.
2. Where to put the sun, or the rays of the sun, if you decide it has totally moved under the horizon?
I try to never place the painted sunset exactly in the center, always go a little to the right or the left depending on the oil painted picture you want to create. Put a thin to thick short line with a liner brush of your sun's color, after all it is your memory go with the colors you remember. With your 2” brush, stoke upwards and towards both corners in a crisscross motion carrying the yellow strip of paint with your brush.
3. What about the sky, don't you want the blue already in?
Decide how dark you want the top of the sky with a 1” brush lightly tap your brush into the dark blue. Start at the top corners of the canvas where you want the darkest part of the sky to be. Drag your brush down towards the center, and across to the top center of the canvas; complete the steps with the other corner. Your canvas should be lighter in the center, and darker as you look towards the corners.
4. How do you make the streaks across the rays?
Using a small brush you put it in the blues, pinks, oranges, and purples you want to use as the streaks, then you can dot with the brush, make lines, or wiggle lines across the rays you have brought up to reach the blue of your sky. Use a 1” brush to spread the paint length ways, and up. If you want white to make it look like a cloud touch your brush in the liquid white, and make streaks where you want the sunset lighter. Another method is going around the spread of the colors you used very lightly with your small liner brush. You just barely want to touch the canvas with the white if this is the method you use.
5. Your sunset is coming together, but how do you blend the oil paints?
Pick up your dry blending brush then very lightly starting at the center go out towards the sides, corners, and top of you canvas. Then using a liner brush put a line under the sunset you have created, you are ready for the groundwork. Enjoy and let your imagination take you and your painting wherever you want to go.
Do you have a memory you want to paint, but still need more information?
05/5.07
