This video tip comes from a painting Bill did for video. He wasn’t constrained to 28 minutes therefore he is able to explain why he does what he does, in more detail.

Points To Consider:

• Bill is painting on a wet canvas.
• He has a thin coat of paint on the canvas.
• Alexander Titanium White is a thick, firm paint, developed by Bill Alexander. Notice when Bill uses this paint, he doesn’t have to struggle. He uses fewer strokes because the paint does the work.
• Bill thinks in milage. He knew that the further away something is to the viewer, the lighter in color it will be. It will be in a blue tone. His first range of mountains is about 30- miles away.
• He darkens the base color as he moves closer to the viewer.
• He mixes his color in a marbled consistency. This gives variety in color and prevents over-mixing which would give a flat appearance.
• Bill says if it is nice for your eyes on the palette, it will be nice on the canvas.
• He tests the color and determines he needs more contrast. He doesn’t worry about it, he just adds a bit more dark and goes over the same area to darken.
• It is important to not go on if it isn’t right.
• Notice Bill created a deep “V” shape to represent a canyon for the water to collect. This gives the starting point for the water he will add later.
• When Bill was alive, he loved to go into the mountains alone. He said the animals talked to him and he just found so much peace!
• Bill starts from the back and moves forward towards the foreground.
• He sees the finished painting in his mind.
• Bill always shared his techniques with anyone who would listen. He never wanted to hide anything. Many people condemned him for sharing the secrets of oil painting. Many artists wanted people to think that it was a given talent to only them. Bill wanted everyone to paint!

Bill told a story once of a partnership he developed with a gallery owner. Bill was supposed to stay in the backroom and paint while the gallery owner would sell the paintings in the gallery. Bill could hear through the walls. He heard the gallery owner telling someone Bill spent months painting one of his big paintings. Bill knew that wasn’t true so he hurried out to tell the customer that it only took him a few hours to paint it and that Bill could show him how to paint it too! Needless to say, this partnership didn’t last too long. We love Bill for his honesty!

Happy Painting!

Laurie and Dawn

PLUS: So whenever you’re ready…here are a few ways we can help you become the artist you’ve always wanted to be.

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