# Where to ask bewbie questions?



## jkristia (Dec 17, 2016)

Is this the correct place to ask complete newbie questions regarding oil painting ?.

I have never done any oil painting before, only been playing with painting in Photoshop for a few month. So after watching several videos on YouTube I went to Michaels, got some starter paint and a few brushes and some other material. 

This is my very first attempt. 
On the second attempt I tried to draw a sketch using pencil - and realized it was a big mistake, I'm not able to cover the pencil lines with the light colors. So my newbie question is - what should I use for sketching on an oil painting ?

Any help is much appreciated

Thanks
Jesper


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## Susan Mulno (Apr 13, 2015)

Welcome to the forum! 

Very nice for a first painting. 

I do not paint with oils so I will not try to advise you on what to use, someone who knows what they are doing will come along.


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## buiduchoabdh (Jul 25, 2015)

Hi jkristia !
If you do a pencil sketch on a canvas, and you will be able to cover the pencil lines with the light colors , so when the painting is dry, you should paint the new layer on the surface of canvas , I use oils for sketchings on canvas !


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## jkristia (Dec 17, 2016)

I see, so I should only use pencil if I plan on multiple layers and wait for each layer to dry. If I use a dark diluted oil for sketching then I should still wait for that to dry before start painting I assume?. I will try that for my next attempt. 

Thanks for your help
Jesper


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## M Winther (May 14, 2016)

There are charcoal pencils in the art shop that are ideal for drawings. One can wipe off much charcoal before painting over it. Lead pencils have a tendency to show through. (In fact, the particles can migrate through the layers.) However, some artists, like Georges Braque, appreciated this, presumably because it, in some way, enhances the creative expression. Modern painters tend to like the imprint of the brush hairs, and the lines of the underlying drawing. They often allow the canvas to show through. It should be evident that it is handicraft and preferably look like it was done yesterday. Perfection is not to be sought. Making a sketch with thinned oil paint is fine, too. Many use acrylic paint for this purpose, although some say it's not recommendable. 

Mats Winther


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## jkristia (Dec 17, 2016)

thank you very much for your answer. I will try get a charcoal pencil next time I go to the store.


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