Paint a realistic rubber duck canvas in oils

Step 1: Rubber duck drawing

-    You can use the grid method to accurately sketch the rubber duck and glass

-    Keep pencil lines light, especially on the duck, as darker lines may show through the paint

Step 2: Canvas tint

-    Apply a thin, even coat of Medium Yellow Acrylic Colour over the entire canvas

-    This seals the graphite outline and provides a flexible base for oil paint

-    Use a large brush and dip it into water for a smoother application

-    Allow the yellow layer to fully dry before moving to the next step

Step 3: Background painting

-    Mask the lower section of canvas with duct tape to separate the background and glass

-    The background is a gradient of blue shades:

-    Cyan (light blue) for the right side

-    Prussian Blue (deep blue) for the left side

-    Blend them together smoothly, to create the gradient

-    Add Titanium White for highlights

-    Remove the duct tape and paint the table reflection with Neutral Grey

-    Soften the transition between the blue background and grey tabletop

Step 4: How to paint a duck

-    Mix Orange + Yellow to create a light orange for the beak

-    Apply this to the entire beak area

-    Add Brilliant Red to the top and bottom edges to create depth

-    Add highlights inside the beak using Titanium White mixed with Yellow

-    Prepare three shades of yellow for the duck body:

-    Darker yellow: Medium Yellow + Yellow Ochre (for shadows)

-    Base yellow: Medium Yellow (for the main body)

-    Lightest yellow: Titanium White + Lemon Yellow (for highlights)

-    Apply the darker yellow to shaded areas (chest, under the beak, wing edges, forehead)

-    Blend in the base yellow smoothly across the duck’s body

-    Add highlights to wing edges, head, and front chest using the lightest shade

-    Paint the eyes using Payne’s Grey

Step 5: How to paint a glass

-    Refer to the reference photo to observe how light refracts through the glass

-    Mix Cyan + Neutral Grey + Titanium White for the top of the glass

-    Paint yellow reflections underneath the duck and in the middle of the glass

-    Use Raw Umber + Payne’s Grey for darker reflections along the edges

-    The reflections down the glass should be lightened versions of the colours you’ve used

Step 6: How to paint water drops

-    Mix Medium Yellow + Neutral Grey + White for the base droplet colour

-    Paint a circle of this colour onto the duck

-    Add a semi-circle of Titanium White at the bottom of the droplet, blending slightly towards the middle

-    Add a small highlight at the top to complete the water effect

-    Scatter the droplets in a natural, random pattern

Step 7: Final touches

-    Let the painting dry fully – this may take a few days

-    Step back and refine any reflections or highlights

-    Ensure the glass effects and duck’s texture look smooth for a realistic finish

Your macro-style rubber duck painting is complete! 🎨🦆 This quirky project is a great way to experiment with reflections, light refraction, and oil painting techniques.