Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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Quick Sketch Painting Process

Quick painting sketch using water-mixable oils, focusing on simplicity and essential techniques.

Setup & Materials:
Simple Setup: A blue-patterned pot with pink hyacinths on a kitchen countertop.

Water-Mixable Oils:
Winsor & Newton Artisan range (Cobra and Holbein are also good).

Dilution: Use Winsor & Newton water-mixable thinner for better flow; water alone doesn't work as well for dilution.

Brushes can still be cleaned with water in a larger pot.

No Extra Oil: Only thinner is used for dilution, I don’t add any extra oil medium.

Painting Surface: Oil paper. I paint a muted acrylic ground before drawing out the subject

Brushes: A round, a flat, but I use the flat for 99% of the painting.

Process:
Base Tones: Mix base tones:

* Three shades of green.
* Three shades of pink
* Three muted yellows

Paint:
1. Block in the white first so it can start to slightly dry.
2. Block in the foreground and wooden top
3. Wash in the green leaves mid tone
4. Block on the pink shapes of the flower heads
5. Add darker contrast to the leaves
6. Paint the blue pattern ontop of the white pot
7. Refine the value range within the flowers
8. Add highlights or darker accents