Head Painting with Britt Snyder Video

Lee White · 5 May 2016, 20:23

Britt's video is all done and launching soon! It's more a demo on how he works vs. a beginner instructional on head painting. He is AMAZING!

Charlie Eve Ryan · 6 May 2016, 00:02

Incredible.!! is that oil paint?

NM I just saw his site, it is oil! Really incredible work, it all looks like each subject is behind a wall of rain. I love it!!

Charlie Eve Ryan · 5 May 2016, 23:58

BTW, how are you guys reeling in all these artists?? They are amazing!!

Lee White · 6 May 2016, 00:07

It's all smushy oil paint! I can't wait to try it out. I haven't painted in oil in forever!

We are getting these artists because we are bad ass! No really, we have all been in the industry a long time and know almost everybody (it's a small world). Between Jake, Will, and I, I think we know almost everyone. Lot's of people that we went to school with have been pros for quite some time now. I actually took my first college art class with Britt! Neither of us knew what we were doing at all. That was in January of 2000. Now he's a known and respected oil painter and I've done like a million books. It's funny how things seem to progress so slowly at the time, then 10-15 years later there is this massive body of work. That is what is so exciting about teaching you guys! We get to watch it all unfold for you! : )

Charlie Eve Ryan · 6 May 2016, 00:19

@Lee-White Haha love it! You guys are TOTALLY BAD ASS, it's ok to admit it! You've earned it. That's awesome! So happy SVS is pulling in so much UBER talent and I get to learn from the best! It's an exciting thing to be a part of this community. The struggle is real and who knows what 10 years will look like for a lot of us. I'm pulling my hair out and having a blast all at the same time! WOOT!!

I would love to see what you do with Oil paint too!

Lee White · 6 May 2016, 21:31

honestly, I don't know why everyone doesn't switch to oil paint. it has so many advantages. Long working time, no change in color from wet to dry, etc. It doesn't have that crazy PANIC that sets in with watercolor. (OH S- - t! I THINK I JUST RUINED IT! OH GOD, PLEASE HELP! THE PAPER IS TOO WET, NO WAIT, NOW IT'S TOO DRY. AHHHHH!!!!).

I think the only reason I don't switch is because I don't like cleaning my brushes. haha!

Charlie Eve Ryan · 6 May 2016, 21:43

@Lee-White LOL, yeah in oil paint you need a 20 step tutorial just to learn how to clean them properly and not ruin the brushes or poison yourself with turpentine! I can see how that would be off putting, but yeah watercolor is purely panic inducing. I may need to go with abstract painting in acrylics where most anything goes and any mistake can be painted over with relative ease.

Or I just stick with digital and the UNDO button!!

But I do love playing with watercolor even though she is a complete B most of the time. She just doesn't listen at all and does her own thing!

smceccarelli · 7 May 2016, 13:35

@Lee-White Really this is what I needed to hear right now - wait until you look back in 10 years from now - puts everything in perspective! Seriously you guys are awesome and the sense of community at SVS is unique. I really get a sense that you care for everyone at their stage of the journey and want everyone to succeed.
Looking forward to the course. I used to paint in oils a lot before giving in to the digital side of the force. Now I miss it a lot: it is an awesome medium, no wonder it has been an artists´ favorite for so long. I really encourage everyone to give it a try. Maybe I will also get my old box of paints and solvents out! And if anybody is interested in a super simple and non toxic way of cleaning brushes, I have a secret

Dulcie · 7 May 2016, 13:47

I agree that it’s really encouraging to think of it in terms of a 10-15 year perspective…maybe we won’t have achieved everything by next week, but if we keep taking those small steps then by next year, 5 years, 10 years hopefully we will be where we want to be..

I also get a sense that everyone running SVS does really want us to succeed and get where we want - it makes me want to push so much further than if I were on my own.

I haven’t done oil painting for years! But I did truly love it, at the time…the walls of our house have got a lot of paintings on them…I look at them now and think, well I could do better these days - but no time to pick it up again with the focus on illustration and children’s books. Hopefully sometime I’ll be able to.

Charlie Eve Ryan · 7 May 2016, 18:44

@smceccarelli I would love to hear your secret for cleaning oil brushes!

smceccarelli · 7 May 2016, 20:21

@Charlie-Eve-Ryan Well, I am a chemist by training (it´s my first degree) and though I am used to solvents I hated turpentine as well as turpentine analogs. I live in an open space with my family, so solvents were a real no-go. Simple soap is designed to mix oil and water, so I thought it must work. Indeed, if you use pure undiluted liquid soap (the kind used to wash dishes) and rub the brushes with it thoroughly BEFORE the oil paint dries and let the soap coat all fibers throughly for a couple of minutes, you can then rinse them with water and they get really clean. Rinse and repeat a couple of times for super clean brushes that also stay springy and soft.
I also used a fast-drying medium instead of linseed oil (it´s called liquid or galkyd) and sometimes added a drop of siccative to the white paint. Also, depending on which white you use, you can have faster drying times (white is mixed in almost all colors). As I did not want to use turpentine, I did the underpainting with acrylics, and then diluted the paints only with galkyd. I painted completely solvent-free and had the paintings dry to the touch (and ready for the next pass) within 24-30 hours. It is maybe not the most archival way to use oils, but well...I do not paint anything that needs to survive the centuries at the moment

Lynn Larson · 7 May 2016, 21:16

I started painting in oil before watercolor...and watercolor still terrifies me lol! Love all that smooshieness

Lee White · 17 May 2016, 20:00

Hey, I don't know if you guys noticed, but this class is LIVE!!https://svslearn.com/classDetail/-KHxKs6KTu77PRp-vM0p

Jason Bowen · 17 May 2016, 20:02

@Lee-White Use water mixable oils they clean easy

Lee White · 17 May 2016, 23:22

@Jason-Bowen I tried those, but they never really felt "right" to me. I like the idea behind them though.

Leslie Walker · 24 May 2016, 02:57

Oil doesn't have that instant gratification for me. I like to be able to handle my art right away. With oil you basically have to wait for it to cure. Even out here in Arizona where it is hotter than Satan's butt in the summer, it takes a bit to dry. I am too impatient for that. I work at an art store to be able to get my supplies so I see some amazing pieces come through. I just don't have the temperament for it.

MOO · 25 May 2016, 17:41

I haven't used oils because they stink really bad, I am impatient with the though of waiting for it to dry, it sounds complicated with all the turpentine mixing, etc. that goes on....I am used to watercolor and acrylic (love watercolors) BUT, I bought some water soluble oils because I do like the effects and I like painting people so, this will give mine a chance to try those paints out and do something I enjoy. I like to work fast though. We'll see how it goes.

evilrobot · 25 May 2016, 21:37

I'd love to use oils but the chemicals bother me too much. I can't handle the smell.

Camomilla · 26 May 2016, 10:09

I'm currently watching this AND the Painting color and light course. Fantastic to watch the traditional painting-process implementing the things Will and Jake emphasize in their courses; values, shapes and colour-harmonies. I was mesmerized watching Britt paint - we need more real-time videos like this