What are the three rules of oil painting?
In oil painting, there are three important basic rules that are often mentioned, which help artists better use the characteristics of oil painting to achieve the desired visual effect. These three rules are: "Fat over Thin, Fat over Lean, Light and Dark Contrast". Let's take a closer look at these three rules:
1. Fat over Lean
- Explanation: This rule means that during the creation process, each new layer of oil paint should contain more fat or be thicker than the layer below. In other words, the bottom layer uses relatively less oil or diluted paint, while the upper layer uses more fat paint.
- Reason: If the bottom layer of oil paint contains more fat and the upper layer has less fat, the upper layer will dry faster than the bottom layer, which may cause the upper layer of paint to crack or peel. The "thick over thin" method can prevent cracking and peeling of the paint layer, ensuring the long-term preservation and stability of the painting.
- Application: Usually, in the initial stage of oil painting (such as the base layer or primer), the artist will use diluted paint (using a thinner such as turpentine), and gradually increase the proportion of oil (such as adding linseed oil) in subsequent layers to ensure that each layer dries at a reasonable speed, the surface is smooth and cracking is prevented.
2. Thick over Thin
- Explanation: This rule refers to the fact that during the painting process, the upper layer of the painting should be thicker than the lower layer. The first few layers of oil painting are usually thin layers, and the subsequent layers can be gradually thickened.
- Reason: Because oil paint has strong covering power and adhesion, as the painting progresses, the artist gradually increases the thickness of the upper layer of paint, which can make the color fuller and the texture richer. At the same time, if the bottom layer of paint is thicker and the upper layer is thinner, it may cause the paint layer to be unstable, thus affecting the overall effect and durability of the painting.
- Application: Artists use the thick painting (Impasto) technique in the picture to express the texture, light and shadow changes and three-dimensional effects in the picture, in this way to enhance the expressiveness and visual impact of the picture.
3. Light and Dark Contrast
- Explanation: The law of chiaroscuro emphasizes the use of strong contrasts between light and dark in a painting to create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. By using the contrast of light and shadow correctly, artists can guide the viewer's visual focus and enhance the visual impact of the work.
- Reason: Chiaroscuro is an important visual element in painting, which helps the picture to have a three-dimensional effect and a sense of space. Through the contrast of light and dark, the painting can show the shape, texture and spatial relationship of objects, creating a vivid visual effect.
- Application: In the painting process, artists often use a dark background to set off bright foreground objects, or use strong light to emphasize certain parts to create a dramatic effect. This contrast not only plays an important role in the use of color, but also enhances the visual expression of the work in the arrangement of light and shadow.
Extra Tips: Avoid situations that break the law
- Notes on mixing oils: When applying the "thick painting thin" rule, be careful not to use too much oil on the bottom layer, which will cause an uneven drying process and thus undermine the stability of the painting.
- Pay attention to the base treatment: The base treatment of oil painting should take into account the adhesion of the pigment and the integration of subsequent coloring. Acrylic or egg tempera can be used to ensure the strength and oil absorption of the bottom layer.
- Layer drying time: Before adding a new layer each time, make sure that the previous layer is completely dry to avoid the phenomenon of "dry on the surface and wet inside", which will cause the pigment layer to be unstable or even fall off.
Mastering these three rules can help oil painting artists create more durable and visually impactful works. These rules are not only technical requirements, but also the experience and wisdom accumulated in the process of creating oil paintings.
1. Fat over Lean
- Explanation: This rule means that during the creation process, each new layer of oil paint should contain more fat or be thicker than the layer below. In other words, the bottom layer uses relatively less oil or diluted paint, while the upper layer uses more fat paint.
- Reason: If the bottom layer of oil paint contains more fat and the upper layer has less fat, the upper layer will dry faster than the bottom layer, which may cause the upper layer of paint to crack or peel. The "thick over thin" method can prevent cracking and peeling of the paint layer, ensuring the long-term preservation and stability of the painting.
- Application: Usually, in the initial stage of oil painting (such as the base layer or primer), the artist will use diluted paint (using a thinner such as turpentine), and gradually increase the proportion of oil (such as adding linseed oil) in subsequent layers to ensure that each layer dries at a reasonable speed, the surface is smooth and cracking is prevented.
2. Thick over Thin
- Explanation: This rule refers to the fact that during the painting process, the upper layer of the painting should be thicker than the lower layer. The first few layers of oil painting are usually thin layers, and the subsequent layers can be gradually thickened.
- Reason: Because oil paint has strong covering power and adhesion, as the painting progresses, the artist gradually increases the thickness of the upper layer of paint, which can make the color fuller and the texture richer. At the same time, if the bottom layer of paint is thicker and the upper layer is thinner, it may cause the paint layer to be unstable, thus affecting the overall effect and durability of the painting.
- Application: Artists use the thick painting (Impasto) technique in the picture to express the texture, light and shadow changes and three-dimensional effects in the picture, in this way to enhance the expressiveness and visual impact of the picture.
3. Light and Dark Contrast
- Explanation: The law of chiaroscuro emphasizes the use of strong contrasts between light and dark in a painting to create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. By using the contrast of light and shadow correctly, artists can guide the viewer's visual focus and enhance the visual impact of the work.
- Reason: Chiaroscuro is an important visual element in painting, which helps the picture to have a three-dimensional effect and a sense of space. Through the contrast of light and dark, the painting can show the shape, texture and spatial relationship of objects, creating a vivid visual effect.
- Application: In the painting process, artists often use a dark background to set off bright foreground objects, or use strong light to emphasize certain parts to create a dramatic effect. This contrast not only plays an important role in the use of color, but also enhances the visual expression of the work in the arrangement of light and shadow.
Extra Tips: Avoid situations that break the law
- Notes on mixing oils: When applying the "thick painting thin" rule, be careful not to use too much oil on the bottom layer, which will cause an uneven drying process and thus undermine the stability of the painting.
- Pay attention to the base treatment: The base treatment of oil painting should take into account the adhesion of the pigment and the integration of subsequent coloring. Acrylic or egg tempera can be used to ensure the strength and oil absorption of the bottom layer.
- Layer drying time: Before adding a new layer each time, make sure that the previous layer is completely dry to avoid the phenomenon of "dry on the surface and wet inside", which will cause the pigment layer to be unstable or even fall off.
Mastering these three rules can help oil painting artists create more durable and visually impactful works. These rules are not only technical requirements, but also the experience and wisdom accumulated in the process of creating oil paintings.