Chapter 9

The Basic Techniques of Oils

NORTHERN LIGHTS An Original Oil Painting by Darrell Crow

Assignment

The Basic Techniques of Oils

TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 9: Assignment: Darrell Crow

Northern Lights, an original painting by

Overview……………..……………………………………………………………… Supplies You’ll Need…………………………………………………………… Preparation…………………………………………………………………………. Background………………………………………………………………………… Middleground………………………………………………………………………. Foreground……………………………………………………………………………. Final Details…………………………………………………………………………. Reprint Authorization Notice…………………………………………………

9-3 9-3 9-4 9-4 9-5 9-6 9-8 9-9

Northern Lights Darrell Crow Studios, 65 Hixon St., Bellingham, MA 02019 http://www.darrellcrow.biz, http://www.darrellcrow.com, http://www.YouCanPaintClub.com

Northern Lights

An original oil painting by Darrell Crow This is a beautiful painting that absolutely anyone can do, even if they’ve never painted before. Northern Lights will take 2-4 hours to complete depending upon whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced student. Also available on DVD, Northern Lights is an extremely popular painting at the Darrell Crow Studios. A tranquil sky with towering, soft mountains sets the atmosphere for dynamic sky reflections across the river. Northern Lights will delight and astound your family and friends as a gift or as a treasure in your own home. Using a nearly full palette, this exceptional painting can be adapted to any size canvas.

PAINTING SUPPLIES Paints

Alizarin Crimson (AC) Burnt Umber (BU) Burnt Sienna (BS) Ivory Black (IB) Prussian Blue (PB) Cad Yellow (CY) Paynes Gray Orange (OR) Titanium White (TW) Pthalo Green (PTG) Pthalo Blue (PTB) Brushes 2 1/2” Landscape 1” Landscape #2 Script Liner #3 Fan Brush #6 Fan #4 Flat Bristle #5 Palette knife #10 Palette Knife Hake Blender Sponge Brush (1-2” Medium Medium Clear (MC) Black Gesso Canvas 18”x24” although any size can be used. Miscellaneous: Paper Towels, Baby Wipes, Baby Oil (or Odorless thinner), Container & Cleaning Screen for oil, Beater rack and waste receptacle, table top easel, paper palette.

P R Page 2 E P A R A T IO N

Northern Lights

Our Basic Supplies and Paints for this lesson.

Cover the entire canvas with 2 coats of Black Gesso.

We’ll be using PB and MC to prepare black canvas.

Add a thin coat of Medium Clear and then wipe off

Then cover entire canvas with a coat of PB

Mix PTG and TW to make a Turquoise color.

Using #3 Fan load with paint, add three curved lines.

Dry 1” Brush pull color down and up.

Stroke horizontally as though painting reflections.

B a c k g ro u n d

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Northern Lights

Mix PB, AC, IB, PG. W/ knife paint mountain edges.

Fill in the mountain with the knife.

Blend bottom of mountains so they fade.

Using knife, highlight dulled or PG/PTG/TW mixture.

Paint entire moonlit sides. Add 2nd highlight.

Add PG Gray darks right side of mountains.

Blend Base of mountain and mist bottom of mountains.

With mountain mixture, base in foregrounds.

Paint Evergreen trees on left side of canvas

M ID D L E G R O U N D

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Northern Lights

Paint evergreen trees smaller as you go to mtns.

Mix darker turquoise (TW/ PTG) for highlighting trees.

On canvas left highlight right side of evergreens,

Now tap in snow on ground in front of evergreen trees.

With tree highlight color pull down for reflections.

Using level horizontal strokes, finish reflections.

Block in trees, bushes, land with mountain color.

Check to make sure of your background/middleground.

Using tree highlight on knife, highlight land snow.

F O R E G R O U N D

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Northern Lights

Make sure the land gets narrow as it goes back. Blend.

Pull paint down from underneath all bushes for shadows

On right, highlight left side of evergreen trees.

Remember, very light pressure when making bushes.

Paint outsides. Softer pressure as you move inside.

Keep your darks. They separate the bushes.

Lighter, lighter, lighter as you move down on bushes

You can optionally add a campfire in this painting.

Paint oval with the mountain mix.

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Northern Lights

Using #4 Flat, stroke in rocks to border oval.

Blend center of campfire with #3 Fan Brush.

Blend outside of campfire stones with #3 Fan Brush.

Using BU, add logs onto the campfire using #10 knife.

See the realistic effects…?

Add BR to show the campfire burning brightly.

Using Side of brush quickly add all of your rocks.

Check details, retouching highlight as required.

Sign your masterpiece.

Page 7

Northern Lights Published by the Darrell Crow Studios www.darrellcrow.com 65 Hixon St., Bellingham, MA 02019

You can visit us here ... Twitter YouTube (DarrellCrowStudioes) FaceBook http://www.darrellcrow.com http://www.darrellcrow.biz http://www.YouCanPaintClub.com We offer Basic Technique Series of Instructional Painting DVDs on …. Landscapes Seascapes People Flowers Tall Ships Wildlife Pop Art Paint From Photos Color Mixing Techniques Teach Kids To Paint Water Mixable Oils Acrylics Much, much more. Reproduction Rights The contents of this document are copyrighted©(2011) by and for the Darrell Crow Studios. Only Owners of The Basic Techniques of Oils book, may reproduce copies of this Assignment: Northern Lights for distribution to their students when teaching Northern Lights.

YES! You Can Paint. I absolutely guarantee it.