Why Choose Still Life for Your First Oil Painting?
Still life painting is an ideal starting point for beginners. The controlled environment allows you to focus on observing shapes, values (light and dark), colors, and textures without the unpredictability of outdoor scenes or the complexities of portraits. Simple objects such as fruit, a mug, or a bottle placed under a single light source help you understand how light interacts with form—one of the most important skills in painting.
Still lifes can be set up anywhere with everyday objects, making this a convenient and effective practice. Check out this Oil Painting Still Life I finished in May of 2016 while living and teaching art in Shanghai, China.
Essential Materials Checklist for Beginners
Before you begin, gather the following supplies. Investing in good-quality materials will make your painting experience smoother and more enjoyable.
Oil Paints – Basic Starter Palette
- Titanium White: Your primary mixing white—bright and opaque.
- Cadmium Red or Alizarin Crimson: For warm reds and rich shadows.
- Cadmium Yellow: A bright, warm yellow essential for mixing.
- Ultramarine Blue: A deep, versatile blue for shadows and mixing.
- Burnt Umber: A dark brown for shadows and underpainting.
- Ivory Black (optional): Use sparingly to deepen shadows without dulling color.
Recommended Sets:
- Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Colour Basic Set — High-quality student-grade paints.
- Gamblin 1980 Oil Colors Starter Set — Professional-quality paints in a beginner-friendly set.
Brushes You’ll Need
- Large flat brush (1” or larger): For blocking in shapes and backgrounds.
- Medium flat brush (½” to ¾”): For shaping forms and larger details.
- Small round brush (size 2 or 4): For fine details and highlights.
Recommended Brushes:
- Princeton Select Artiste Oil Brushes Set — Excellent synthetic brushes for oil paint.
- Winsor & Newton Winton Brushes — Durable and versatile natural hair brushes.
Canvas or Painting Surface
- Pre-primed cotton canvas or canvas board, 11x14 or 16x20 inches are perfect beginner sizes.
Mediums & Solvents to Speed Drying and Improve Paint Handling
Working with oil paint requires patience, especially during drying. Luckily, fast-drying solvents and mediums can speed up the process and improve paint flow.
-
Gamsol (Odorless Mineral Spirits): A safer, low-odor solvent used to thin paint and clean brushes.
Shop Gamsol at Blick Art Materials -
Liquin Original (Winsor & Newton): An alkyd-based medium that significantly reduces drying time, improves paint flow, and increases gloss. Paint layers mixed with Liquin can dry to the touch in 24 hours or less.
Shop Liquin Original -
Galkyd (Gamblin): Another alkyd medium that speeds drying and adds a beautiful gloss while maintaining buttery paint consistency.
Shop Galkyd -
Neo Megilp (Gamblin): A soft gel medium that dries quickly and keeps paint workable and smooth, ideal for glazing and blending.
Shop Neo Megilp
Step 1: Setting Up Your Still Life and Lighting
Select 2 or 3 simple objects with varying shapes, textures, and colors—for example, an apple, a ceramic cup, and a folded cloth. Arrange them on a table with a single directional light source (a desk lamp or window light from one side). This setup creates strong shadows and highlights that will add depth and realism to your painting.
Step 2: Sketch the Composition Lightly on the Canvas
Use a charcoal pencil or thinned burnt umber mixed with Gamsol to lightly sketch the shapes of your still life on the canvas. Keep your sketch loose and simple, focusing on proportion and placement rather than details. This initial drawing will serve as your roadmap for painting.
Step 3: Blocking In—Lay Down the Basic Colors and Shapes
Using a large brush and thinned paint (thinned with Gamsol or mixed with Liquin), block in the main areas of color on the canvas. Paint the background, table surface, and each object with their base colors, paying attention to large shapes rather than details.
Pro Tip: Squint your eyes at your still life and canvas to better judge values (lightness and darkness) — this simplifies what can feel complex at first.
Step 4: Build Form with Shadows and Midtones
Begin mixing darker values for the shadow areas of each object. Apply these with a medium flat brush, gradually building the form by layering midtones and shadows. Use soft blending where edges should be gradual, and harder edges where shadows are sharp.
Incorporate mediums like Liquin or Galkyd here to improve blending and accelerate drying times.
Step 5: Add Highlights and Refine Details
Switch to smaller round brushes to paint highlights and sharpen edges where needed. Highlights define the light’s strongest impact, such as the shine on an apple or the rim of a ceramic cup. Adding details like texture and subtle color variations will bring your painting to life.
Mix white paint with Liquin or a fast-drying medium to keep your highlights fresh and workable without cracking.
Step 6: Evaluate, Adjust, and Let Dry
Take a step back to look at your painting from a distance. Assess overall value balance, color harmony, and composition. Make any necessary adjustments—deepening shadows, brightening highlights, or softening edges.
Thanks to your use of fast-drying mediums, your painting will be touch dry much sooner—often within 12 to 24 hours—allowing you to varnish, frame, or add new layers more quickly.
Helpful Tips for Oil Painting Beginners
- Follow “Fat Over Lean”: Apply thinner layers with more solvent first; use thicker, oil-rich layers on top to avoid cracking.
- Ventilate Well: Always paint in a well-ventilated space when working with solvents or mediums.
- Clean Brushes Promptly: Use Gamsol to remove paint from brushes, then wash with soap and water to maintain brush life.
- Practice Regularly: Building skill and confidence takes time—make painting a habit!
- Don’t Rush Perfection: Each painting teaches you something new. Enjoy the process and be patient with your growth.
Final Thoughts
Oil painting is a rewarding and beautiful medium with incredible versatility. Starting with a simple still life and using fast-drying solvents and mediums will help you develop foundational skills quickly, reduce wait times, and stay motivated.
Gather your materials, set up your still life, and dive in. Your journey with oil painting starts now!
Keywords:
oil painting for beginners, still life painting, fast drying oil painting, beginner oil painting tutorial, oil painting mediums, oil painting techniques, oil painting step-by-step, how to paint with oils
Below is a link to the Oil Painting Beginner's Kit Checklist