My First Ever Oil Painting

I never got a chance to try oil painting while I was in school, and for that reason it has always been classified as “the forbidden paint” in my head. But for my birthday, I decided it was time to try. I bought titanium, vermilion, ochre, and mars black (the Zorn palette - my forever favorite). I painted the following in the next week. I frequently got stuck at the under painting, not realizing just how much paint you needed to use in order to achieve a rich, creamy look. I tried to paint in layers, leaning on acrylic techniques, before realizing I had to block out colors. This new mode of painting really fascinated me, and while I can’t say I’ve developed enough skills yet to translate my ideas onto the canvas, it has been a growthful experience. I’m trying to remain open to being a beginner, reveling in what I don’t know yet, rather than trying to rush through this exploratory phase.