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Description
Ville Valo from HIM. This is the second time I've done this particular drawing, and I can say without a doubt that I did much better on my first attempt. However, this is not a drawing, but an oil painting, using the dry brush method. I found this technique on youtube last night and it looked really easy. *laughs hysterically* Nothing is ever easy.

For those not familiar with this technique, you will need the following supplies:

200 lb. wt. watercolor paper
bristle brushes
black oil paint
mineral spirits or sewing machine oil
kneaded eraser
white colored pencil
the patience of a saint

To do a dry brush oil painting, first you do a sketch like in a regular pencil drawing. Then you dilute a very small amount of black oil paint with a few drops of mineral spirits or sewing machine oil. I had neither, so I used 3in1 Household oil. Maybe that was part of my problem. Anyway, you paint with the diluted oil paint and it seeps right into the watercolor paper and dries almost instantly. You use more paint for areas you want really dark and less paint for light areas. To shade, you use a tiny amount of paint on a large bristle brush and blend it in lightly, using sweeping or circular motions. If you want an area darker, you just keep brushing over that area and build it up slowly. Then you can go in with the eraser and put in highlights.

Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.

I had all sorts of problems with this technique. First of all, if you paint an area really dark, it is going to stay that way. No amount of erasing will get rid of it completely. Also, you cannot blend smoothly like you can with charcoal or pencils. At least I couldn't. This frustrated the heck out of me, as did the entire process, to be honest. I suspect I did not have the right kind of brushes...or oil...or paper...or technique....

But...then again....I guess it's not too bad for my first time trying this technique. The point is, though, I thought it was going to be easier and faster than drawing with charcoal, but it took me hours and hours and hours to do. And I have a slight headache from inhaling turpentine fumes to top it all off. lol

Perhaps I will try it again someday, when I am feeling really masochistic and want to torture myself slowly and painfully. lol

Thanks for viewing!

Description
Ville Valo from HIM. This is the second time I've done this particular drawing, and I can say without a doubt that I did much better on my first attempt. However, this is not a drawing, but an oil painting, using the dry brush method. I found this technique on youtube last night and it looked really easy. *laughs hysterically* Nothing is ever easy.

For those not familiar with this technique, you will need the following supplies:

200 lb. wt. watercolor paper
bristle brushes
black oil paint
mineral spirits or sewing machine oil
kneaded eraser
white colored pencil
the patience of a saint

To do a dry brush oil painting, first you do a sketch like in a regular pencil drawing. Then you dilute a very small amount of black oil paint with a few drops of mineral spirits or sewing machine oil. I had neither, so I used 3in1 Household oil. Maybe that was part of my problem. Anyway, you paint with the diluted oil paint and it seeps right into the watercolor paper and dries almost instantly. You use more paint for areas you want really dark and less paint for light areas. To shade, you use a tiny amount of paint on a large bristle brush and blend it in lightly, using sweeping or circular motions. If you want an area darker, you just keep brushing over that area and build it up slowly. Then you can go in with the eraser and put in highlights.

Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.

I had all sorts of problems with this technique. First of all, if you paint an area really dark, it is going to stay that way. No amount of erasing will get rid of it completely. Also, you cannot blend smoothly like you can with charcoal or pencils. At least I couldn't. This frustrated the heck out of me, as did the entire process, to be honest. I suspect I did not have the right kind of brushes...or oil...or paper...or technique....

But...then again....I guess it's not too bad for my first time trying this technique. The point is, though, I thought it was going to be easier and faster than drawing with charcoal, but it took me hours and hours and hours to do. And I have a slight headache from inhaling turpentine fumes to top it all off. lol

Perhaps I will try it again someday, when I am feeling really masochistic and want to torture myself slowly and painfully. lol

Thanks for viewing!