My oil painting tips

• Avoid black - I tend not to have black in my paint selection. To create a dark colour, I mix blue, red and brown or just blue and brown. You will quickly learn to create all the colours you need by blending primary and complimentary colours.

• Keep your brushes clean - This does not mean constantly washing you brush, but keep a rag handy to remove excess paint. Be careful with the bristles by cleaning from top to tip.

• Thin to thick - Start with a thin layer of paint for you background. I often thin out the paint with white spirits at this stage.

• Consider direction - I always of the direction of my brush strokes. This is particularly important for animals with fur, but once you begin to think in terms of direction, it makes sense for nearly everything.

• Be patient - An oil painting is a long term commitment. Allow time for layers to dry. My animal painting have each taken at least three days.

• Recycle - Plastic food containers and trays make brilliant pallets. If you want to keep the unused paint from dried out, cling wrap the container or just turn it upside down. This should give you another day at least.