3 Tools You Didn't Know You Needed for Oil Painting

Hi fellow Artists! Today I am sharing three totally essential oil painting tools that you may not have even realized you needed, but will never be able to live without once you have used them!

(And I even include a fourth one at the end that you could literally implement today for free!)

The Goods:

(Here are a few affiliate links to the items I'm sharing today. Any purchase here helps to support my channel at no extra cost to you - thank you!!)

Tube Wringers:

Metal:https://bit.ly/3lDCo7O

Plastic: https://bit.ly/3EkuDu8

Mahl Sticks:

Metal: https://bit.ly/3SbXPZW

Wood: https://bit.ly/3IkwyAa

Chamois so you can make your own: https://bit.ly/3KjpoOX

Neutral Lights:

Table Clamp: https://bit.ly/3kaNJMl

Standing: https://bit.ly/3EmoLQZ

(and there’s more through these links if you peek around!)

2.19.2023

The Worst Resin Catastrophe...

…yet? …ever? … that made me decide to change how I approach my 3D oil painting technique??

I wasn’t really sure how to finish that title because ‘yet’ would imply that I am expecting to do worse in the future, whereas ‘ever’ would imply that I am brazen enough to think that I will never have resin issues in the future.

The last line is probably more accurate, but not so catchy as a post title.

Anyhoo, as you can surmise, disaster did in fact befall the Nest in the form of completely ruining the most ambitious painting I have ever created. It’s something I should have known had the potential of happening, but since it never had I figured it was less of a gamble than it truly was. Woe is me for sure…

I completed this epic painting I am calling ‘The Secret Garden’ and gave it ample time to cure (as much or more than others in the past) but did not varnish it (as I never do, expecting the resin to protect it enough) and proceeded to begin pouring the resin as usual after affixing the base layer leaves and real earrings.

Checking on the first layer of resin poured, everything was positively hunky dory for hours. No color change or noticeable chemical heating or reaction with all the bubbles coming out nicely. I set it up with a protective cover and eventually went to bed for the night.

You know that feeling you get on Christmas morning as a little kid? Well imagine if you legitimately woke up to nothing but coal. That’s about how I felt when checking on this the following morning. Like allllllll of the wind had gotten taken out of my sails. Uggggghhhhh

Notice how it didn’t even happen everywhere - the tummy stayed the correct color!

Essentially what happened was the titanium white I used in the skintones somehow reacted with the chemical in the resin turning my lovely shadow-splashed figure into a Marge Simpson lookalike. I wanted to achieve a sun kissed look - not a goldenrod yellow disaster!

I say ‘somehow’ because I honestly don’t know why it happened since I have literally painted with this exact tube of white paint and then layered resin over it using not just this same brand, but these actual bottles of resin, with absolutely fantastic results and no hint of any issue to come. So frusterating and weird at the same time!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Artist, Teacher, Creative Coach (@caleighbirdart)

As far as the resin lumps/striations noticeable in the first pic, those were caused by me because I couldn’t bear to look at her when I first discovered what happened 😭 I leaned the painting up against a Rubbermaid container facing the wall before the resin fully cured causing gravity to drag down the layer a bit.

So after 30+ hours spent painting this extremely complicated piece, it is officially and completely ruined. C’est la vie.

But you know what they say, it’s not about how hard you fall, it’s whether you get back on the horse.

Well I’ve got two words for that notion: saddle up.

The new base drawing and aerosol background next to the ruined resin piece.

After a few months of grieving (and just being ultra busy) I have started to repaint. And wouldn’t you know it, but it’s even better than before?!

The first one is not bad, just a lil more textured and the mouth is less believable. It’s almost like I got a practice round - or at least that’s what I’m telling myself to ease the pain.

Much softer blends and more detail to the lips - plus a shadow on the neck for hair to overlap (which I forgot to add in the first one).

As far as how I will be treating my mixed media paintings in the future, that’s for another blog post. I’ve been doing some research and will need to do a bit of experimenting as well. I know I want to keep the 3D element to my art, but I need to re-evaluate if resin (or perhaps incorporating varnish) is the best way for me to do so going forward.

I’m even adding in more shadow details (because I like driving myself slightly crazy 😜)

It’s been a soul-testing journey, but my outlook is optimistic! Wish me luck, I’ll post about my new artmaking decisions when the time is right!

2.16.2023

3D Skull Reliquary Trio

It's certainly that 'dead but lively' time of year.. but who am I kidding? Every time of year is perfect for skull painting!!

Do you remember the Skull Trio I created back in 2020?

Well I had a blast creating them and obviously you all enjoyed them too because all three of them sold immediately and I sold a bunch of prints as well. Folks are still taking the Skillshare workshop I created sharing how to paint them too!

So in the spooky season spirit, I'm bringing back a favorite theme…

This series of skulls is quite different from the last one for a few reasons. Firstly they are much brighter in color. They come in three different sizes and positions, and they are painted in a diamond orientation rather than square. ( I feel like these ones are almost friendlier too in some way... or maybe that's just me being a weirdo - ha!)

The new skulls still have a great variety of dead things and dried plants, and of course, that lovely sparkly gold leaf within the acrylic resin. The 'expressions' on them definitely get a bit lively too.

After I finished filming this video I came up with the idea of calling these 3D bone depictions a 'Reliquary' series. If you're not familiar with the term, a reliquary is a fancy container for holding a relic (which is a physical piece of a holy person or saint). Even though these don't represent actual saints or what not from any religion, I still like the idea of conceptualizing the bones as special, holy, or sacred.

This is the smallest at 6” square and includes a stink bug exoskeleton, real dries plants and flowers and gold leaf flecks.

This is the middle size one measuring 8” square and includes real butterfly wings and plenty of dried plants and just a hint of gold leaf.

And the biggest one measures 10” square, has a stink bug, wasp, and a lizard skeleton. He’s got dried petals and leaves and features holographic rainbows beaming from the top of the skull. I think of this one as almost like a smiling deity :)

For a limited time…

I have prints available of this skull set as well as the last skull set from 2020. Each high quality giclee print will be hand embellished with gold leaf, and be signed and numbered. I even wrap them in acetate with cardboard so they are ready to display right out of the package.

PS Do you love my Halloween costume this year??? Ha!

10.18.2022

Second Place at an Art Exhibit!!

My recent painting ‘Splendorifica’ just won second place at an art show at the d’Art Center in Norfolk, VA! Which was even more shocking considering I didn’t enter the art show as a contest, just as an opportunity to share my work. I thought I had already ‘won’ just by being accepted, and then I got an email saying that they actually had a juror pick a first, second, and third place winner for cash prizes, along with three honorable mentions. Color me humbled!

Don’t you just love that natural-light-filled space?!

They were kind enough to share a few images from the art exhibit, and it looks like a pretty nice one! It was specifically a portrait show and there are some incredible entries.

The d’Art Center actually sent me a letter as well, and if you noticed they said there was about 770 entries and I won second place out of all of those… Wow… I’m literally speechless!

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the show because it was a little far away, but this recognition is definitely giving me the motivation to continue to apply to various regional shows and hope to get my work seen more in person, and certainly within distances that I can actually attend. I think after these long two years hiding away, people are finally ready to start coming back out into the world and checking out all of the marvelous artistic things we artists have been working on, myself included!

Here’s a little video of me packing up the painting when I was initially accepted. Hopefully I’ll be able to work with the d’Arte gallery again one day!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Artist, Teacher, Mentor (@caleighbirdart)

7.17.2022

Palm Siren Progress...

I’m so excited I can’t wait to share my (almost) finished oil painting of this Palm Princess.. or maybe Palm Siren.. or maybe Zebra Princess… I still don’t know what I want to call her yet.

My last few paintings have been named in some way after Mother Earth, but there’s something a little more intense and a little less nurture-y about this shadow splashed wahine.

And don’t even get me started on figuring out how to do shadow-striped hair! Wowza - that took just as much willpower as it did brainpower!

She’s not finished quite yet, I still have to add in the resin of course… but she’s almost there! Sooo exciting!!

Stay tuned to my YouTube channel because her grand debut is coming out this Sunday!

Thank you to @greatcreatorvision for the collab reference image!

10.13.2021

Featured on Trendy Art Ideas!

Woo hoo! I always appreciate it soooo much when a blog or publication features my artwork - it really does wonders for introducing me to new creatives and collectors. Pretty please go show Trendy Art some love by checking out my feature, and maybe even meet a few new extraordinary artists while you’re there!

6.30.2021

Using Everyday People as Art Models

Welcome to my world of 3Dimensional Figurative Oil Paintings featuring real dried ferns, found objects, and tiny mummified specimens ensconced in layers of clear acrylic resin. I use these intricate shadow-box scenes to highlight the natural beauty of culturally diverse models from all over the world.

Using everyday people as my art models has become an important part of my artistic practice for a number of reasons. Most importantly because I think in this world of unrealistic traditional beauty standards, racism, colorism, body shaming and the like, we as artists should be highlighting the natural beauty all around us, rather than reinforcing outdated, noninclusive, idealistic faces and figures.

I truly find the features and expressions of regular people to be more interesting, have more depth, and tell more stories than generic, manufactured, “aesthetically beautiful” faces of made-up characters. I find that there is so much more personality coming out of my artwork when my subjects are, in fact, real persons.

Another wonderful aspect of discovering and appreciating everyday beauty is that I now have no shortage of models. Friends are elated to pose for me, and I almost always get the most wonderful thank you notes after completing a painting of a friend, usually saying something like, ‘I’ve never felt so beautiful! I’m so honored/humbled/thrilled to be featured in a work of art!’ which honestly brings me more joy than words can say. I genuinely love showing people how truly special and magical they are just as themselves.

I believe that the message of inclusion and body positivity for all the unique men and women of this modern world is an important stepping stone for self-acceptance and love, which is the message I hope viewers of my paintings will choose to take home. From many interactions I’ve experienced over the years, I’ve noticed that once a self-love is achieved it spirals outward forming into social acceptance and a universal love which radiates from such empowered folks into an ever expanding cycle of each of us bringing up the other. Simply put, loved people are loving.

My works celebrate the natural and perfect imperfectness of all of us in hopes to be a catalyst for a world which exchanges love exponentially.

6.20.2021

Palm-Shaded Figure Progress

Whoa I have bit off quite a lot with this painting… but am enjoying taking it slow so far. This is actually a collaborative piece with one of my Instagram followers who offered me a few fab reference photos like this during quarantine when I didn’t have any models. As striking as the original photo is I was a little intimidated, but after a few hours I’m feeling right at home among the palms:)

6.12.21

How to Clean Up After Oil Painting

Do you know how to properly clean up and dispose of old paint and rags once you've finished oil painting? Cleaning up is one of the more nerve-wracking components of oil painting for many newbies since it deals with chemicals that could pose a potential danger to you and your studio.

Have no fear though, your Birdie is going to break down exactly how to safely and effectively clean up your brushes, your paint palette, and even how to clean out your turpenoid jar when the time comes.

Make sure you catch my 'Complete Guide to Oil Painting' for TONS more great info!

1.10.2021

New Animal Skull Art

Wow, my last skulls did so well, not only with tons of lovely folks commenting on my Instagram and Facebook, but by all three finding new homes super quick! I'm so humbled and excited that you all love them so much because I am having so much fun getting even weirder with some animal skulls now!!

This first one is a parrot; isn’t he wild! He’s got quite the attitude, amiright?!? And I really did not alter his brow in any way, he’s just got that natural glare - he almost looks like a mascot, ha!

THis next one is a large feline found all over North America, and it actually goes by many names such as cougar or mountain lions, but my favorite is puma. How majestic right? Although I would not want to run into those teeth at a campground!

I’m actually saving the best for last (this is a trio too!) but I’m not going to tell you til it’s finished. I’ll give one hint: it has horns, but each one is different. Hmmmmmm…??

10.21.2020