Oil Painting Brush Techniques: Expert Tips for Beginners with Helen Van Wyk

In this engaging video, Helen Van Wyk introduces the brush for oil painting by exploring different brush types and their specific uses. She begins by discussing the fundamental role of brushes in painting, highlighting their importance in achieving various effects—from making brass shine to capturing the delicate light on flowers. Helen then delves into the five basic shapes of oil painting brushes, including brights, filberts, and round brushes, explaining their unique characteristics and applications.

Helen demonstrates how to use these brushes effectively, offering practical tips on starting with a solid drawing stage before moving on to painting. She also covers the difference between bristle and sable brushes, explaining how synthetic alternatives mimic these traditional types. Throughout the video, Helen emphasizes the importance of brush techniques for achieving precise and expressive results in your artwork.

Helen took the time to teach us the principles and reasons behind painting each element in the progression of a work. Her sensibility in basic natural fundamentals taught us we can paint anything by employing these basics. Subject matter was a minor consequence to Helen. Using the basics, thousands of artists received the confidence to paint any type of subject.

Subscribe now and embark on an unforgettable journey of artistic discovery with Helen Van Wyk!

00:00 Intro Graphics and Music
00:15 Brush Techniques: Your Paintings Handwriting
01:19 Basic Brush Techniques
05:44 Placement and Drawing Stage
06:45 How to Begin Your Painting
11:10 First Painting Stage
17:20 Progression of Application: Landscape
19:18 Progression of Application: Portrait
21:37 Work From Top Down: Painting a Brass Tray
25:10 Work From Top Down: Painting a Flower
29:08 Work From Top Down: Painting an Eye
33:04 Modeling and Blending
37:30 Highlights: Make It - Break It - Make It
40:33 Opposite Brush Strokes: Onion and Hair
44:41 Using What You Learned: Rose
49:30 Using What You Learned: Daisy
51:50 Using What You Learned: Apple
55:33 Using What You Learned: Glass