Introduction to Oil Painting
with Nataliya Zozulya
The perfect opportunity to get started in oil painting. This course introduces a systematic approach, with exercises to build confidence and unleash the imagination. You will learn techniques relevant to all styles of painting and begin to develop your own style.
Course Dates Autumn Term 2025
12:45-3:15pm each Monday
15, 22, 29 September
6, 13, 20 October
(Half Term 27 October)
3, 10, 17, 24 November
1, 8 December
Topics include:
The equipment: what is and is not necessary. Art shops and sweet shops: knowing the difference
Mark making – the basic skill of using the brush correctly. The DNA of your finished painting
Tonal control. The critical aspect of your painting before you even get to colour
The important attributes of colour. Temperature, saturation, transparency, etc.
Palette management. A whole world in a limited space
Preparing a canvas.
Painting strategies: completing paintings both in stages and alla prima (“all at once”)
Making studies from a variety of reference materials including photographs, prepared images and still life.
Basic materials for the Introduction to Oil Painting Course with Nataliya Zozulya
Oil:
Sufficient amount of Titanium or Zinc White (200ml tube), Ivory Black, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Yellow or Gold Ochre, Red Ochre Transparent, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Oxide of Chromium Green, Viridian, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmiums: Red and Yellow.
(Winsor&Newton Artist’s range is good. Their student version is suitable however they have less colour pigment in them)
Surfaces:
Several artist’s boards, canvas boards or canvases (white gesso primed)
18x14inches
16x12 inches
14x10inches
Brushes:
Range of good quality hog long filberts and flats from number 6 to 12
Solvents:
Low Odour for the lessons, turpentine or white spirit if you prefer at home. Please do not bring turps or white spirit to the classroom.
Jam jar with lid for washing your brushes during work
Linseed oil
Palettes:
Rectangular or oval medium wooden or firm plastic palette (white plastic is good)
size appr 37x23cm (see links below)
Palette knife:
eg Winsor&Newton palette knife N21 or N22
Plenty of rags or kitchen towel, old shirt or apron to protect clothing (or wear old clothes)
Drawing paper pad A3 size (for notes and some sketching), 2B pencils, eraser.
Option for plein air: Portable easel or Pochade Box with tripod sold separately (You can carry paints in pochade box and some of them include a palette. Some boxes can be quite expensive, but if you are planning to stick with your painting and try to paint both indoors and en plein air, they are useful).
You might find these links useful:
“I’ve recently began Nataliya’s oil painting course and I’m so glad I’ve started back from the very beginning. Nataliya’s method is just what I’ve needed as she explains everything very clearly. I’m now starting to understand colour mixing for the first time! Also knowing how to begin a still life is greatly appreciated.”
- Collen Hillman, February 2025
Introduction to Oil Painting with Nataliya Zozulya: Course programme
1. Basic Materials & Introduction to Colour
Beginners
· Oil Paints: How to make your own oil paint.
· Supports & Grounds: Comparison of canvases vs. wood panels; the importance of sealing the support.
· Brushes: Types, sizes, fibres, and cost considerations.
· Palette: How to make your own palette.
· Thinners & Mediums: Understanding their use in oil painting.
· Colour Theory: Creating the colour wheel; secondary and tertiary colours.
· Tree Colours: Exploring the colour possibilities in trees.
· Canvas Panels: Two panels, 30 × 40 cm.
· Optional (time permitting): Painting dark objects against a light background.
Intermediate Project
Domestic Still Life with Drapes and Patterns
· Focus on composition through preliminary sketches.
· Choice the right colour for the project
· Emphasis on accurate drawing, underpainting, and learning to paint patterns.
2. Brushstrokes & Basic Oil Techniques
Beginners
· Learning various brushstrokes with visual references.
· Understanding hue, value, and saturation.
· Painting simple, shaped objects using different brushstroke styles.
Intermediate Project
Domestic Still Life – Second Session
· Use of glazing and scumbling techniques to deepen colours and soften edges.
· Working on details
3. Basic Shapes in Everyday Life: Still Life in Grisaille – Session 1
· Exploring fundamental forms: sphere, cube, pyramid, and cone.
· Painting still life using the grisaille technique (5 tonal values).
· Composition, proportion, and tonal sketches.
· Using a tone scale to understand the tonal framework of a painting.
· Introduction to the "fat-over-lean" rule in layering oil paints.
· Working on an imprimatura (toned ground).
· Canvas: One panel, 30 × 40 cm.
4. Still Life in Grisaille – Session 2
· Understanding how light models form.
· Learning the importance of hard and soft edges.
· Working on fine details.
· Introduction to glazing techniques.
5. Seascape (from reference)
· Drawing boats, shorelines, and reflections., mixing blues and grays.
· Understanding the ever-changing nature of outdoor scenes.
· Working from photographs or sketches taken on location.
6. Still Life with Flowers
· Alla prima (wet-on-wet) painting technique.
· Using a colour-blocking approach.
· Building form with colour masses and minimal underdrawing.
7. Autumn Still Life – Session 1
· Using a viewfinder to aid composition.
· Importance of a strong drawing foundation.
· Simplification of tonal masses.
· Preparatory sketches in tone and colour, choice of the right colours.
· Blocking in the main shapes using washes.
· Underpainting in colour.
· Canvas: One panel, 30 × 40 cm.
8. Still Life – Session 2
· Maintaining visual cohesion without over-focusing on a single object.
· Understanding how the colour of light affects hue and form.
· Studying and analysing brushwork from historical and contemporary artists.
9. Interior painting.
· Short sketch in colour
· White canvas panel or canvas 25x30 cm
10. Christmas project
Bright, reflective objects.
11. Winter landscape from reference
12. Students’ Own Project
The tutor has the right to change the programme due to weather conditions or other factors.