Arctic Night. Painting #22. Unlocking Creativity

July 29, 2018

Arctic Night is my 22nd painting and my first original oil painting. I did not follow along with any Joy of Painting episode. This is sort of a special one. It is my first painting that I didn’t follow along with a video or use a photo for reference. I planned and composed it entirely by myself and let my creativity flow.

“The more you paint, the more you’re able to visualize…you really can learn to be creative as you paint. It’s like anything else–it just takes a little practice.” – Bob Ross

Let’s Get Started

This post is about my original oil painting, Arctic Night. First, I’ll talk about the inspiration for this painting. When I talk about inspiration in this blog, it will normally be why I chose a certain subject or Bob Ross episode to follow. Then, I will go over the colors and equipment I used and that you will need if you want to try your hand at it or something similar. Next, I will expound a bit about my process. Finally, I’ll wrap up with some lessons that I learned from painting this picture and things I could have done better or wished I had known. So join me on this trip down memory lane as I as I find some hidden creativity and recap my 22nd overall oil painting.

The Inspiration

I got inspired to do this one from the previous painting I did just before this. I took inspiration from various photos and paintings I’ve seen. The subject of these paintings and photos were mainly various spectacular colors and patterns of the Northern Lights. Some friends who saw my previous Northern Lights type paintings sent me photos and Instagram posts with ideas. Though I used some elements for inspiration, the entire composition is mine alone. I sketched my idea and used that for my general composition. I was please to find my creativity finding its way out of my head finally.

Materials Used

Here are the colors and equipment I used. All of the colors are included with the Bob Ross Master Paint Set.

Colors

Equipment

I’ll admit, the kit can get a bit pricey. So here is an alternative starter oil paint set. Windsor and Newton is a solid brand. The only thing is it doesn’t come with any brushes or instructions.

W&N Oil Paint Starter Set

For a list of other items needed to paint or alternative art materials, visit my Getting Started page.

Before We Begin

The black canvas technique has an uncanny way of unlocking creativity in those that don’t believe they are creative. Canvas prep for this this technique is a bit different than your standard liquid white prep. It requires one of the following.

Black gesso
Black Acrylic Paint. It doesn’t need to be fancy, and you’ll need a fair bit.
Black Canvas
Liquid Clear

If you’re not using a pre-made black canvas, you will need to do a little prep work. You will need to cover your entire canvas with either the black gesso or a flat black acrylic paint. For this you will need an old paint brush (I do not recommend using your Bob Ross brushes for this). Alternatively, you can use a foam brush. These are super cheap. You can get a few uses out of them if you clean them properly or you can just throw them out when you’re done. Also, they are everywhere from hobby shops to dollar stores. Another tool that works great for covering the canvas is a mini paint roller. These actually work rather well.

Once you’ve covered the canvas in gesso and let it dry completely, or if you’re using a ready made black canvas, you’re ready for the next step. The next step is to apply the Liquid Clear.

The Liquid Clear works similar to the Liquid White. That is it helps the paint move and blend effortlessly. However, the Liquid Clear is not diluted by the white. Therefore, you retain the true value of the color. In the case of a black canvas painting, its primary purpose is to help the base color move and apply painlessly. I always use a thin layer of the medium when doing black canvases.

Liquid Clear

How to apply Liquid Clear. Applying Liquid Clear is much like applying Liquid White. The trick is to not apply too much. You really don’t need a lot. Bob once said on his show that one jar of Liquid Clear will last you a lifetime. He’s not wrong! I still have the first jar I bought nearly 4 years ago. Having the right amount of medium on the canvas will aid in blending everything together.

The best way to apply the Liquid Clear is to dip your brush into the medium then dab it all over the canvas. After you’ve dabbed it, then you start to spread it around. But, you don’t paint it on like you’re painting a fence. With this medium, you have to spread it around and scrub it in. Really get tough with it. Don’t worry, you’re not going to hurt your brush.

Make sure the medium is spread evenly. To do this, I use the light of the room or outdoors. For example, I look at the canvas at different angles to pick out dry spots. Remember, you don’t need a lot of medium. Once it’s completely covered, take a dry brush or a shop towel and lightly wipe the surface. The medium you need should remain on the surface. Now it’s time to apply the base color.

How I Painted Arctic Night.

Base Color

You apply the base color the same way you would any other sky. Use the little criss-cross or figure eight strokes. Blend the transition of colors with a clean, dry brush. This can get a little tricky if you can’t see the colors. The Liquid Clear will aid in blending.

You will notice where each color is in the sky, from my painting. However, let your creativity flow. Apply the colors wherever you want. You can even use totally different colors, as long as they’re transparent. Transparent paint is a paint that lets the light through to the underlying layer. So if you notice when Bob starts to paint the Northern Lights, you can’t see the color he has already laid down. Adding a thin layer of white will mix with that transparent base color and show through.

The auroras are simple to put in. Just follow Bob’s instructions from S8E13 and you can’t go wrong. There’s not really much I can add to explain it better. He does a pretty good job at demonstrating how to put in the auroras. Just remember, the upstrokes with the white are short and the upstrokes with the dry brush are long. This is important for bringing some of that spectacular color into the sky. The only other thing I would suggest is to carry some of that residual white from the brush all the way to the horizon area. This will come into play later.

Foreground

You can unlock your creativity and paint the rest any way you like. This is your world. You could add a mountain or any feature from your favorite Bob Ross painting. Have fun! Be adventurous! Maybe take your favorite painting Bob does and add a night sky, nebula, or the classic northern lights. Just remember the basics of landscape compositions. If you’ve done enough paintings, that will come to you. Once you come up with a general idea, Bob’s basic principles work amazingly well crafting your very own artistic creation.

Final Thoughts

I had a lot of fun painting this picture. I had my music on, a dram of scotch, and just relaxed. It was a fun one. I was doing my own thing and finding my creativity. I’m pleased with the painting. I think the mountains, especially the distant mountains, turned out good. My only issue with it is the cabin. The proportions didn’t turn out quite right. It was only the second time I attempted a cabin. I wasn’t going to put one in but that empty space needed something so I got brave. I truly experienced the joy of painting.

This one received a fair bit of attention on Reddit and I had a lot of inquiries about selling it. Despite all the initial interest, it didn’t sell at that time. I still have this painting but if you would like it to be yours, check out my Art store or at the link below.

Arctic Night.