The Oil Painting Companion: A Complete Beginner-to-Confident Guide (70-page PDF)

From your first tube of paint to a finished, varnished painting. The Oil Painting Companion is a 70-page illustrated guide from Blend & Reveal, written in plain words for complete beginners and anyone who wants their oil paintings to finally make sense.

WHAT'S INSIDE

- Materials: only what you need, and what to skip

- Painting solvent-free: the full workflow, if you'd rather avoid solvents

- A ten-colour palette, mixing charts and 20 numbered starting mixes

- The rules that make paintings last (fat over lean, explained simply)

- 16 illustrated techniques, from wet-into-wet and glazing to palette knife and sgraffito

- The five-stage Blend & Reveal Method: Plan, Tone & draw, Block, Build, Reveal

- 4 guided projects, each in five stages: a pear, a sunset over the sea, a summer landscape, and our signature Flag Colour Reveal knife painting

- Subject guides: skies, water, trees, rocks, buildings, snow, skin, glass and metal, flowers

- Varnishing, cleaning up, and a troubleshooting table for 13 common problems

- A 30-day practice plan and printable worksheets

DETAILS

- 70-page PDF, US Letter (8.5 × 11 in), instant download

- Clickable contents and bookmarks, with a "Contents" link on every page

- Technical advice checked against published guidance from Winsor & Newton, Gamblin and Golden, with a sources page

- A free 11-page preview is available on this page

Please note: the paintings, stage demonstrations and swatches are digital illustrations that show what to aim for. Real paint varies by brand and light. For personal use only; please don't share or resell the file.