Unifying Glaze
 

Again I am amazed at how a thin glaze of raw umber, or sienna, when applied over a large portion of the painting acts to unify it. Any transparent or semi transparent color can be used really.

The glaze can be very very thin and the effect it has on the individual passages is almost imperceptable. But when seen as a whole, it can tie everything in the painting together.

Hi, Michael.

Is this glaze a final step?

When you say a "large portion" of the painting, what criteria do you use?

Never 100% of the painting?

What kind of medium do you use? Liquin? Galkyd?
Other?

I'm intrigued.

David:

I usually mean glazing the entire background as an example. I have done this on the portrait I have in the critiques forum and it is just amazing how it all seems to tie together a little more after it is done. In certain portraits, I have run a glaze over the entire painting - including the subject because it needed it. That unifying glaze is usually among the last thing I do.

As for mediums, I use several, but primarily Galkyd or Liquin on the undertone, and a mixed medium for the color stages. The mixed medium contains Damar, Rectified Turps, Stand Oil, Venice Turp, and a couple of drops of dryer. It is a nice medium for spraying and painting into, and for glazing.

The "atmosphere" of unifying glazes
 

I often do a warm unifying glaze inbetween layers in a painting in order to "pull it all together" as I work. I seldom do this as the final finish because it would destroy the contrast between my warm and cool colors.

Mostly I use raw umber for my glazes and it is mixed with enough Liquin to become transparent.

This technique gives my work "lots of 'old masterish' atmosphere."