Many consider Norman Rockwell the father of illustration. His artwork has endured for almost a century, focusing on realism and emotion. His technique was an amalgamation of techniques perfected through centuries of painting and learned from the earliest illustrators. With the right tools, and by following a specific step-by-step process, the Norman Rockwell technique can be reproduced with similar results.
Supplies
Rockwell paintings were generally executed on canvas with oil paints. Underdrawings can be completed with either graphite pencil or charcoal. This technique also requires a fair amount of suspension medium (either turpentine, linseed oil or painter's varnish) to thin down paints. Every type of oil painting brush should be used in this process, but a few extra small brushes could be useful for detail work.
Planning
One of the most prominent features of Norman Rockwell's work is how realistic they look. That level of realism was only achieved by meticulously planning his artwork before paint ever touched canvas. He used models to paint his figures from, and spent much of his time acquiring the specific pieces of wardrobe he would later use in his paintings.
The Drawing
Probably the most important stage in Norman Rockwell's technique was the drawing stage. In this stage, subjects are drawn in great detail, going so far as to indicate differences in light and shade by filling in areas with varying values of grey. If you look closely at a Norman Rockwell painting, much of his pencil lines can be seen lurking below the paint.
The Wash
The next step is to create a single color wash (Rockwell would commonly complete this stage in sepia) where all of the values that will appear in the final painting are put in. This is done with paints that have been thinned down considerably with either turpentine or linseed oil.
Glazing
The final stage of the Norman Rockwell technique involves laying thin layers of different colored paint over the wash. The new layers will pick up the darks and lights underneath to create a multi-valued, multi-color painting. Thicker paint can be used to paint in more prominent shapes of light highlights and deep shadows. More layers of thin paint can be added to adjust colors and to bring the painting into color harmony.
Finishing touches
To finish off your painting, you can add different techniques like stippling (little dots) or splatter to add texture to the painting. Rockwell himself was known to poke his canvas with a needle to accomplish a more textured look.
