Melanie Cambridge sets out to dispel the myths surrounding the traditional medium of oils by offering simplified, step-by-step guidance on creating successful oil paintings in just one session. Many amateur painters seem wary of oil painting, believing it to be a difficult and messy medium to use that is best left to "the professionals". In this book she reveals that this need not be the case. Showing that oils can in fact be a forgiving medium once you've learned a few basic principles, Melanie starts by looking at how to mix colours, how to master simple techniques, and how to use tone effectively. She then shows you how to paint a variety of colourful, vibrant landscapes in oils from sketches, photographs and on location. Each chapter focuses on a specific subject, such as skies, trees, water, flowers, buildings, figures and boats, and a number of step-by-step demonstrations show exactly how each picture is built up.