Oil painting copying a master

Is it good or bad to copy others work? Do you learn anything? Does it make you better? Does it make you worse? Is it good for beginner oil painters? All the answers to these questions can be found in this video which includes a full oil painting time lapse.

Materials
Titanium White
Cadmium Red Hue
Cadmium Lemon
French Ultramarine
Yellow Ochre
Cerulean blue

Lighting

Hi, I am the son of two artists and began painting in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia before I could walk. I was a rare combination of artist and athlete so I moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to play football for USC. I left the team my sophomore year to focus on painting and filmmaking, applying the same focus and discipline from my football career to my art. I primarily work in oils, and spend most free days painting "en plein air" in my new home of Sarasota Florida.

Where to find me:

[MYSTRYLC]

I copied two artists that I really look up to. I really learned alot by doing so. While painting I even changed things up. Such a good way to practice and to find your own style!

[ProfessorBraus]

I love doing master copies. I’m surprised ppl don’t do them more.

[gershonclay]

What a great video, I would love to see a Caravaggio copy painting.

[NickyAspey]

I will paint my first master copy soon, so came here to see how you do it. I'm curious to know why you didn't do your usual block in with light and dark tones before going specific in each color/brushstroke. Maybe it would make the process easier? Would love to see new videos about master copies. Thank you Chris!

[davidkennedy]

Great painting and a fun video to watch.

[sttarch]

Sargent is top of my list. His technique appears very wet/fluid. Your approach here is specific areas of color without that soft blending. Were you tempted to blend? That is something I struggle with.

[theartsypixie]

In chinese watercoloring training, the student was taught by being required to copy the master until it was exact. Sargeant was messy, like Michaelangelo, and I don't mean their style but them adding secrets to their works. Try Thomas Fearnley but only after seeing his work in person cause his work loses so much on electronic or print media. In real life, his highlights add sooo much more drama to the piece, and they draw you into the scene like you standing their in RL.

[smartix]

I started to Paint portraits but i've been struggling with hair, would you make a video about that?

[claygreen]

Hey Coach! Where can I get pics or prints of an artist to copy? I would like to try some of the plein aire painters of the West to start. Thanks for any help you, or anybody else, can offer.

[susanwong]

Can you do Ramon Casas. I copy Rembrandt portraits study and Thomas Couture and learn that very subtle hue variations on the face that create a 3D effect, however I still blend too much! I also noticed they painted the eyes very abstractly !

[giuliacortina.]

You Explain Very Well as Always! ;) ;)!
You Are Very Good!! :):)!!
Can You Create Uniqueness in Your Paintings with Your Talent.. the Expressiveness of the Eyes, of the Gaze, is Fantastic in All Your Works!
You Are an Amazing Artist!! :) :)!!
Grazie^.^^.^!!

[giacomorimatori]

Great job, I really love it. I was wandering...did Sargent use to paint "alla prima" or he used to layer? I guess the second one, but not sure about that...

[arvetis]

I'd like to see an imitation of someone far from the Sargent school, like Raphael or Caravaggio. I have no idea how they do some of the things they do.

[smiths]

Dali would be good. To show how he got such clean, sharp definition

[jayarnbert]

I would love to see a Marie Laurencin copy

[babba]

Brilliant! Would love to see Caravaggio copy.

[DB-zong]

Only just found this channel, but I'm going to answer the question anyway: Fragonard's Young Girl Reading

[yogieswar]

hey this is mar 2 2021 after one year iam seeing this

[joshuaarmijo]

I'm sucks in portrait, I can't even make it look not perfect but not even a human face.

[jetsonjoe]

all artists to learn to paint better should copy at some time to learn...this is a non issue, as is the use of projections, tracing and all the other silly notions...art requires years of work and learning.