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FT Pro, Mem SOG,'08 Cert Excellence PSA, '02 Schroeder Portrait Award Copley Soc, '99 1st Place PSA, '98 Sp Recognition Washington Soc Portrait Artists, '97 1st Prize ASOPA, '97 Best Prtfolio ASOPA
Joined: Jun 2001
Location: Peterborough, NH
Posts: 1,114
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NOTE: This reply is to a (deleted) question slightly off subject, but still informative so I am leaving it in this thread. - Karin
Shadows are indeed a compositional element. And with the particular approach that I am trying to explain, the cast shadows within those shadows are subcompositional elements to be added into the upper layers.
Also, a narrow range of tones clearly defined in an underpainting will unify a composition. A broad range of value will oftentimes fragment a composition.
Underpainting is the most basic foundation for a painting, and as a foundation, it will not have all of the value range of a finished piece.
Underpainting is not supposed to deal with hue, chroma, or color, but is meant to be a solid foundation that forms the bed for it to lie on.
Oil paint is translucent -- not opaque as most imagine. The underpainting shows through the upper layers and will make a painting sing.
Underpainting does indeed require one to think ahead and it resolves your composition early on. I feel that this is an advantage, but there are those who may find the method limits them. All points of view are certainly OK, as long as the result is a good painting.
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