Basic Oil Painting - I need some starting tips

[J.R.Segura]

Hi! I tried all medias, but, still don't tried oils. So I bought some oils this weekend. Only 3 colors: titanium white, ivory black and phthalo blue. I make a try on this... I started it with no-sense of oils, just know that you have to put some turpentine to make oil more liquid.

So, here's a little proces of what I've done in 3 or 4 hours. Only white, black and phtalo blue as palette. Please, I need some guideline to learn oils in some progressive way. From less to more. Some advices of the steps to follow in a painting. Remember that all the help is welcome. So, everything you know for helping: books, videotutorials, exercices for starting, color theory, what to paint first... everything!!

Thanks to everyone helping here!

PD: I feel sorry If there's an especific course for oil painting in somewhere else in the forum. If it exists please, notice it to me and i'll start following this course. And sorry for the badass english!

Some photos of my first attempt with oils: Process from left to right...

[J.R.Segura]

I left some info. The painting is on 22x30 cm, 370gr paper (yes I used a paper, not a canvas. I find canvas too expensive for just make some illustrations)

[rusko-berger]

J.R.--

You're on the right track, so keep painting! I visited your website, and you're doing just fine with those landscape paintings of yours--you seem to need less instruction than you think.

Paint away!

:)

best,
Nick

p.s. Painting on paper is great, and it's nothing to be ashamed of! Are you priming it with gesso? You can also use shellac mixed with alcohol for a different feel.

[i hate art]

I think the best way to improve at something by yourself is just to be very mindful of what you're doing while you're doing it. As in, don't just paint a still life but paint it and be very conscious of everything you're doing, mistakes and good parts alike, so that you can adjust to it with your next painting. Search around for videos, read books on painting, etc, and see if you can incorporate anything from those sources into your practice. Again, don't just read something from a good artist and accept it as canon, meditate on it and reflect on it to see if it suits you or makes any sort of sense.

[Zazerzs]

For an effective way to set up your pallet and mixing colors check out my Fletcher link. Clean,simple, extremely useful.