50 Ways To Break the Rules in Oils

Introduction 6

Breaking rules of colour 12
Rule 1Avoid using black at all costs 14
Rule 2Never use black from a tube 18
Rule 3Don’t use too much white 22
Rule 4Don’t use white too soon 24
Rule 5You must tint with pure white 26
Rule 6Never paint straight from the tube 30
Rule 7You need all three primary colours 34
Rule 8You must paint only the colours you see 38
Rule 9Never use black in portraits 42
Rule 10Distant shapes are always blue 44
Rule 11Don’t use greens from the tube 46
Rule 12You must not use too many colours 50
Rule 13You must not use warm colours in the distance 54
Rule 14Don’t overmix colours 56

Breaking rules of structure 60
Rule 15Don’t place anything in the centre 62
Rule 16Figures must have accurate proportions 66
Rule 17Don’t lead the eye out of the painting 68
Rule 18You must guide the viewer’s eye 70
Rule 19You can’t hide the subject 74
Rule 20You must not paint a boring subject 76
Rule 21At all costs, avoid symmetry and repetition 78
Rule 22Don’t paint over the lines 80
Rule 23You must paint on a rectangular surface 84
Rule 24You must have one clear focal point 86

Breaking rules of materials 88
Rule 25You must paint on a top-quality surface 90
Rule 26Painting must be done with proper brushes 92
Rule 27Stain your darks, load your lights 94
Rule 28Big brushes to start, small brushes to finish 98
Rule 29Always start from an outline drawing 102
Rule 30You must work thick over thin 106
Rule 31You must work fat over lean 110
Rule 32You must paint on a smooth surface 112
Rule 33Standard brushes give the best results 114
Rule 34You must start from a blank canvas 116
Rule 35Blending must be soft and gentle 120

Breaking rules of behaviour 122
Rule 36You can only paint outside on sunny days 124
Rule 37You can’t paint in the rain 126
Rule 38Your studio must have north light 128
Rule 39You can’t paint a moving subject from life 132
Rule 40Don’t paint in the midday light 136
Rule 41Always work from dark to light 138
Rule 42You can’t paint outside in the dark 140
Rule 43Don’t skip the planning 142
Rule 44You must cover the whole surface 144
Rule 45You’ve got to do your best work every time 146
Rule 46You can’t paint using your non-dominant hand 148
Rule 47Don’t paint too sparsely 150
Rule 48Criticism is the only way to improve 152
Rule 49You can’t start a painting without a subject in mind 154
Rule 50You must follow all the rules 156

Afterword 158
Index 160

About Haidee-Jo Summers

Haidee-Jo Summers is an award-winning artist whose work has appeared in exhibitions worldwide. Oils are her preferred medium, though she has taught in many different media, on subjects ranging from gardens to portraits. Hooked on painting and exploring, Haidee-Jo paints anywhere, no matter how busy or crowded the setting, how complex the scene or how difficult the weather.

Since graduating from De Montfort University in 1994, Haidee-Jo has received many awards for her work. She serves as the Vice-President of the prestigious Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and has also been elected to membership of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. Her work, which features fresh and vibrant brushwork coupled with keen drawing and observational skills, has an international following. She is an editorial consultant for The Artist magazine and has published two bestselling books on oil painting, Vibrant Oils and Plein Air Painting in Oils, in 2017 and 2022 respectively.

Visit her website www.haideejo.com