Some people (maybe you!) tend to shy away from ‘uncontrollable oils’ because they have the reputation of ending up a muddy mess. 

You might feel frustrated and/or disappointed with the results. If you are like me, (a control freak), you might have an expectation of where you want your painting to go, and end up over-working it as you try to control it.

As I learned to release control and just placed my strokes and let them sit, my paintings became cleaner, less “contrived” and more expressive.

I’ve embraced allowing them to do their own thing.

Working Alla Prima Style:

Oils are fluid, and thinning them with medium to lay down the 1^st layer keeps shapes loose and general, and helps you let go of control. The more medium added, the more translucent the oils, and the more they will tend to move around on the surface. I like to stick with transparent colors for the 1^st layer to create a beautiful luminosity. The goal at this stage is to get the surface covered quickly. This not only helps start the painting off loose, but also helps take away the “fear of staring at a blank canvas”.

In my process, as I build the next layer, I use straight, opaque paint and gradually get thicker. At this stage, it’s important to just “lay it and leave it” (if you are one of my students, you’ve heard me say this quite often!)

Put down that brush stroke and move on. Don’t fiddle with it. As you begin to build strokes throughout the surface, the painting will begin to make sense.

I save the “refining” for the very end, that way I’m not over brushing the paint, which can lead to muddiness and lose its freshness. Laying those strokes down and leaving them produces a more spontaneous look. Plus, leaving some of those transparent colors from the 1^st layer to peek through gives the painting a wonderful vibrancy!

Being very selective on which strokes and edges to refine is important. (Hard edges bring things into focus and draw attention, and soft edges push it back and make them less important). It’s best to stop earlier than you think you need to, walk away for an hour or so, and come back with fresh eyes. At that point, if needed, make a few final, brief touches.

Remember, being a control freak crushes the joy of painting. Learn to be spontaneous and just let it happen. Yes, technique and painting knowledge is important, but the magic happens when you become so familiar with technique that it becomes second nature, which allows you to be more intuitive and spontaneous! The more you practice, the easier it becomes to let go.