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ChakotayDgryphon — Painting Tutorial

Published: 2008-02-27 09:28:34 +0000 UTC; Views: 75061; Favourites: 1258; Downloads: 1524
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Description Alrighty then!

This “tutorial” of sorts has been a long time in the making. It actually only took me a week and ½ to complete once I kicked myself in the arse and forced myself to finish it. The picture on the canvas was sketched out almost three years ago, and has been sitting on my stand-up easel ever since. When I came back from Guatemala I swore that it would be one of those many things I was going to complete. It was originally requested by as a way to give a brief illustration, and a few instructions on the rules and tips of basic painting.

Now, I am certainly not the greatest painter. In fact, I feel that I am as talent-less in the medium as they come, but I do try. I know I'm not really much of realistic painter— My paintings are more like, illusions of paintings... or something. I also don’t have the patience nor the talent for tiny, perfect details that others have. Oy. 'Kay, shutting up.

To begin this tut, I want to say that I know that there are several different kinds of paint out there. Some folks like the gushey, squishy oil paints that get into and onto everything… it takes all kinds of chemicals to clean them up… and most of the time you have to make sure they’re being used in a well ventilated area. Oil paints also take a millennium to dry… which to be blunt, frustrates the hell out of me. SO! I don’t use oil paints. Yuck. Some folks like to use the watercolors… Now those are some people with a lot of patience and a LOT of talent. I’m too much of a “control Nazi” to get the hang of watercolors. Everytime I’ve tried watercolor I ended up with a canvas full of mud. SO! Other than an occasional watercolor pencilon a drawing, I don’t use watercolors either. Tempera paints? No… absolutely not! Again Chako shall be blunt. Temperas suck. Let’s just say that those are the kinds of paints they use in a kindergarten classroom for a reason. Unless you’re purchasing paints for a 5yr old, do not waste your time even looking at tempera paints. Gouache paints are kinda nice. Gouache are like a cross between watercolors and acrylics. They behave like watercolors, but dry uber fast like acrylics… but I personally find them to be too “chalky” in texture and appearance when they dry. I have a set leftover from one of my college classes, but I hardly use them at all… in fact… hmmm… I wonder where they are…. Anywho, SO! You guessed it, this illustration will be focusing on the use of acrylics. Why? Because I like acrylics…


Um… I’ll probably be doing more talking than anything else. My apologies if I get too boring. It’s kinda big/long so I’m switching on the “download” option for a change. Anything else? No, I don’t think so.

Finished result of this tutorial can be found here: [link]

Offspring tutorial "Color Blending Advice" can be found here: [link]
Related content
Comments: 143

hannahestar In reply to ??? [2008-08-29 09:58:53 +0000 UTC]

I used to wake up with my sister's cat on my face, but now he just sleeps on my stomach or next to me

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Ookami-Yokai [2008-07-30 19:11:09 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! This is a wonderful tutorial! I am still learning how to paint properly (I've only painted once, and it was during my art class) It looks like alot of fun I have a whole butt-load (it's actually a basket full ) of good paint brushes that were my Grandmother's. I recently bought a few bottles of paint from Micheals to test them out (they're the "Apple Barrel" brand or something).

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to Ookami-Yokai [2008-08-21 18:18:57 +0000 UTC]

Awesome! *purrs* Apple Barrel is okay. They dry out a little faster than some of the other ones, but they have some really vibrant colors. Can't wait to see what you can create!

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Ookami-Yokai In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-08-25 02:11:02 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I hope that the art class I'm in at school will give me some opurtunities (omg sp?) to experient!

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Yori14 [2008-07-24 12:08:29 +0000 UTC]

okay I have a major question. Do you know where I can get the cheapest paint and cavas borads at? cause I don't make a lot of money.

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to Yori14 [2008-07-25 15:34:16 +0000 UTC]

It depends where you go and what's available in your area. I personally do most of my shopping at Micheal's or Wal-Mart. But I also have picked up supplies at locally owned hobby shops (they can get the really good stuff like 100% cotton watercolor canvas... very nice... expensive but nice... ^_^ ) or I've picked up stuff at the last place you'd expect to find it... hardware stores! There's also an online store [link] that has good prices and good deals availabled. I get a new cataloge in the mail from them every year. They have sales and stuff so that you can get like a $30 box of pencils for 60% off! Very nice, yes?

Hunt around, check the prices and make your best call. That's the only about the only advice I can give you.

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Yori14 In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-07-26 12:02:04 +0000 UTC]

thanks I'll look into it. I wonder if the hobby town near me will have cheap cavas if not oh well. Well and thanks again to take the time to answer my question.

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sesameK [2008-07-07 13:49:48 +0000 UTC]

thanks

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AlineMendes In reply to ??? [2008-07-05 12:34:49 +0000 UTC]

very cool!
ps.: You have a cute cat =3

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Psychotic-Reality [2008-06-26 17:26:34 +0000 UTC]

very descriptive!

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PolarisAstrum In reply to ??? [2008-06-16 15:12:15 +0000 UTC]

It sure was helpful. I like the abuse brushes, never thought of calling them that
You know, I've been meaning to start practicing with acrylics for a while now but never got around to do it serisously and your tutorial really gave me some motivation. Thank you!

And your cat is so beautiful, why do you call it stupid? XD

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mobster-animeartist1 In reply to ??? [2008-05-29 22:24:33 +0000 UTC]

Such a wonderful tutorial!

Another thing for dark colors: to get a very subtle black, mix burnt umber with ultramarine. It's a great color for shadows. ^^

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tansylemon In reply to ??? [2008-04-15 18:37:13 +0000 UTC]

-randomly found this-

this is a really great tutorial! I recently bought some gouache colours and have been wondering what to do with them xD

but - can I ask - do you think the kind of paper you'd find in art classrooms/sketchbooks be okay for this type of thing? thanks if you know!

-fave-

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to tansylemon [2008-04-15 23:11:34 +0000 UTC]

You have to use a lot of water when working with gouache paints, more so than you do with arcylics... well in my opinion anyways. I can tell you from experience that when I took my first 2D-design course for college and was told that I had to use gouache, I was like; "What?!" So I had to go out and by $40 worth of a medium that I never really use. I started out with my one of my usual 50lb-press, 11 x 14in sketch pads. Some of my assignments crinkled and rippled do to the weakness of the paper, thus docking my grade on otherwise nice-looking projects. By week 3 I ended up switching to a low-textured water-color sketch bad... the problem of the crinkling pictures was solved~ (Whoo.) Bristol pads are nice too. They're what I work with now. They're not "bumpy" like the watercolor paper. It's more like card stock. Depending on the size/weight of the bristol-pad the cost ranges from $15 to $25. (Go to Micheal's during a 50% off sale! ) SO, I guess I would say that a thicker paper is definately recommended for gouache medium.

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LiChiba [2008-04-01 13:27:42 +0000 UTC]

fantastic tutorial it should come in handy last this year as I'm hoping to try canvas painting XD haha btw do you use something to 'finish' or 'fix' the painting... like a gloss or sprey or something?

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to LiChiba [2008-04-05 04:58:01 +0000 UTC]

Nope, I didn't use any gloss sprays or fixatives. I actually mixed a "gloss-medium" right in with the paint so I could control how much I wanted of the image to "shine back," and where. It's not like... an exact science or anything. You just have to mess around with the palette, a discreet test spot on the painting, 'n such to get exactly which effect you're looking for. Did that make sense? I'm sorry, I suck at explaining such things so late at night.

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LiChiba In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-04-09 20:20:04 +0000 UTC]

ah ok that did make sense thanks ^^

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Silver-Archer2525 In reply to ??? [2008-03-30 17:14:10 +0000 UTC]

OMG! Finally it's done!! Only now I'm in college and I don't have time. Funny how things work out like that. Right?

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to Silver-Archer2525 [2008-04-05 05:00:51 +0000 UTC]

Yeah~ My bad.

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Silver-Archer2525 In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-05-24 04:30:10 +0000 UTC]

Np. I'll just take a look at it over the summer or somthing. ^_^

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InknPaper In reply to ??? [2008-03-23 17:20:14 +0000 UTC]

brilliant! thanks

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kaaper In reply to ??? [2008-03-20 11:38:07 +0000 UTC]

wonderful... O_O and lovely cat!

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to kaaper [2008-03-21 05:05:31 +0000 UTC]

*laughs* Thanks. Want 'im? I'll mail him to you in a box. JK~ That cat is a royal pain...

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kaaper In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-03-21 06:25:20 +0000 UTC]

ok... I have big cat band but no one look like him they´re all striped (bad bad bad english O_O) I love cats!!!!! (and you too surely )

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Menikaio In reply to ??? [2008-02-28 16:28:12 +0000 UTC]

Thats awesome ^_^

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Cloud-Sky In reply to ??? [2008-02-28 01:43:18 +0000 UTC]

Holy cow...

That is a beautiful picture you made though out of this, thus I shall fave it. It's obvious you put a lot of work into this ^^. Really, the end result is really good.

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to Cloud-Sky [2008-03-02 07:02:19 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, Silver.

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MissCassidy In reply to ??? [2008-02-27 23:36:55 +0000 UTC]

very nice, I have the Liquitex BASIC set of acrylic paint, but I also like using oils as well.

I'll upload a photograph of one oil painting "completed" as well as I guess I should upload another of the "work in progress" dragon pic.

Benefits of Oils - layers layers layers
nice blending, and it dries slowly so you can work and rework into the painted image

Benefits of Acrylics - fast drying, you can layer but you have to work fast. Using a flow medium helps to lengthen the drying time, but I never used it.

Also Acrylics are water based, so yeah generally it's safe to say clean up is "easier" than oils.
No turpentine needed.

Still I'm very impressed with the results, and this has tempted me to break out the acrylics and have a go with them again.

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to MissCassidy [2008-03-02 06:52:06 +0000 UTC]

I hate oil paints because they take so darn long to dry, and they get on everything. They're a pain to get cleaned out of the brushes, and I don't like spending an eternity on a picture. Once I've started a painting, I want it done and over with. If I stop, it doesn't get finished. I've got like three sitting in my closet waiting to be finished... but I don't think it's going to happen.

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henrideacon In reply to ??? [2008-02-27 22:15:31 +0000 UTC]

Thankyou, very interesting and useful tut.

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silvermoonnw In reply to ??? [2008-02-27 14:57:05 +0000 UTC]

It's always interesting to see how other people go about painting and explaining their techniques. I personally dislike acrylics with a passion, so I use oils. If you're into doing really detailed work, try painting on masonite. The only drawback to that is you have to sand your gesso down after each coat, but it makes a very smooth surface that takes fine detail very well. I'm using that for this piece here: [link]


By the way, the finished painting looks awesome.

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silvermoonnw In reply to silvermoonnw [2008-03-02 14:04:36 +0000 UTC]

I actually use the newer water mixable ones, and they dry fairly rapidly, I maybe have to let things sit for a week or two, but the whole thing will dry reasonably quickly, especially during the summer. Best part about that too is that they don't stink, and don't require any chemicals/solvents to clean up. Very good thing when you have small children living in your household. They results you get with those are nearly identical to traditional oils, but without the stench and the cleanup. And yeah, the prep work for masonite is a pain in the butt, which is why I generally will prep more than one board at a time. I also thin down my gesso a bit with acrylic medium and add some paynes gray and raw sienna to it to tint it a bit. I find that it gives a much more natural look to the colors than straight white would.

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to silvermoonnw [2008-03-02 06:41:39 +0000 UTC]

Thanks.

Wow... that's a really pretty painting you're working on. All the little tufts in the grass...

Yeah, I don't much care for oils because they take so darn long to dry. I did one with eagles on it during my senior year in highschool... took the darn thing 2 years to dry. The only reason I used the oils that year is because my art instructer insisted that I try them out. (She liked her oils too... ) Anywho, I haven't tried painting on masonite yet because of all the prep work. I'm so unbelievably lazy~

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PhoenixSAlover In reply to ??? [2008-02-27 14:01:16 +0000 UTC]

Aww calling your cat stupid? aww poor thing. XD

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to PhoenixSAlover [2008-03-02 06:31:52 +0000 UTC]

Yes... Yes I did. Stupid cat, every time I turned my back he'd jump up on the table and walk across my palette. Grrrr~

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PhoenixSAlover In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-03-02 10:10:17 +0000 UTC]

Wow when my cat was alive i always yell at him only when hes on my draws. T-T

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DCLeadboot In reply to ??? [2008-02-27 11:24:35 +0000 UTC]

Nice one! I've been finding I like watercolours myself, lately!

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to DCLeadboot [2008-03-02 06:30:47 +0000 UTC]

I can't do watercolor. They're too hard~

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DCLeadboot In reply to ChakotayDgryphon [2008-03-02 21:26:41 +0000 UTC]

Awww...

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wolfcub [2008-02-27 09:39:56 +0000 UTC]

wow I find painting very hard this will be useful

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veg-fx In reply to ??? [2008-02-27 09:37:49 +0000 UTC]

amazing walkthrough....i'm not a painter, but the effort you have put into this!

will be helpfull to lots of people

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ChakotayDgryphon In reply to veg-fx [2008-03-02 06:30:00 +0000 UTC]

Thanks. I hope it will.

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