http://www.richardgroskopf.com/oil-painting-technique/
Do the oil painters out there have a technique for painting a velvet (techture, richness) affect in oils?
Do an underpainting in the darkest value of the color of the object, example: a pillow that is royal blue would be massed in deepest navy blue. Let it dry completely. Mix up paint in the actual color of the pillow as nearly as your eye sees it and add a little medium just to help spread it around evenly over dark object (the pillow). With t-shirt fabric over your fingers wipe away the areas of SHADOW only to let the dark underpainting show through to model the folds and depressions and shadows of the fabric of the pillow. Let this dry completely and “go back in” with the lightest value of the blue mixed with a little of the glazing medium and lay in the highlights where the light hits the fabric of the pillow. Soften all edges with a soft fan brush. When the whole thing has dried completely you can really go for drama and punch by using more of the darkest value mixed with a glazing medium to glaze the dark parts even darker. This is a fun process and is just magic to watch happen.
Oil Painting Techniques : Varnishing Oil Paintings
Here's my opinion: artistic talent is largely learned. Most of the so-called experts will argue this statement, of course. They’ll proclaim that artistic oil painting techniques are only in the grasp of those rare individuals that are born with a mysteriously God-like ability to create art. Being lowly mortals, we should never even try to understand art let alone try to create it. Give me a break! Click here For the rest of the story: Free Painting Lesson