Oil Painters Of America Blog

I consider myself a colorist.  That is, I find that color palette inspires the visual message I wish to convey in my painting.  Interestingly though, color is subordinate in what I do. As a more-or-less representational ... Read More...

Did you know that OPA has been sharing artists’ blog posts for over ten years?  We have an extensive collection available to the public on our website. This summer, OPA will be taking Deep Dives into our archives and sharing our ... Read More...

Wandering by Dan Schultz30" x 30" - Oil I have heard many artists say they wish they could loosen up in their work. Certainly, many of us aspire to create paintings that look effortless, but we find that doing so is easier said than ... Read More...

We are pleased to share this week’s blog from OPA Master artist Albert Handell.  Albert will be giving a live demonstration at the upcoming OPA National Convention in Santa Fe, NM, August 24-29, 2021. Tickets and more information are ... Read More...

Casting by David Boyd Jr OPA18" x 24" - Oil If your 2020 calendar looked like mine, it was packed with paint-outs, workshops, and gallery openings, as well as family and social obligations. Part of that was, what I thought, a “healthy ... Read More...

Did you know that OPA has been sharing artists’ blog posts for over ten years?  We have an extensive collection available to the public on our website. This summer, OPA will be taking Deep Dives into our archives and sharing our ... Read More...

Containment by Stephanie Deshpande40" x 30" - Oil on canvas Creating a successful painting not only requires focus on technical skills such as drawing, color, values, edges, and composition, but also on emotional impact. Incorporating ... Read More...

How to deal with digital reference material Into the Unknown by Leah Lopez40" x 30" - Oil on Dibond In today’s Covid world, artists, like everyone else, have not been exempt from pandemic related problems.  As a realist painter, I ... Read More...