Can anyone help me with glazing?

Leslie Bohoss · 10-29-2002, 01:59 PM

Hallo !

I have painted my first picture. The underpainting is ready.( Better said: I'm satisfied as first one.) Now I'm afraid to ruin with the false glazing.

For example: If I decide to paint the skin tones with Cadmium Yellow, Alizarin crimson, Ultramarine, which is the first, second, and so forth, layer? Or doesn't it matter? Or should I be mixing out first the right tone, rather than glazing with it?

I have Liquin, which is the consistency of glazing paint, like watercolor just not dropped.
So I understand glazing: keep the form and color separated.(I see this somehow total normally.)Meaning that, if your underpainting worked out, then you should layer "only" (almost mechanically) your transparent paints?

Can I alter something with glazing (and after) or only with difficulty?

I said, I'm a greenhorn.

I need a kick

for the first step, please.

Michael Georges · 10-29-2002, 02:12 PM

Hello Leslie:

I hope you will get lots of replies on this one. Your underpainting is very nice and it looks like it will be a good first portrait!

There are many different ways to paint using a monochromatic underpainting. My advice to you is to paint with glazes in the areas where a glaze will work (i.e., the background, possibly her shirt, and her hair), and paint with solid paint in the areas where that is more appropriate (i.e., her hairband, her flesh).

As to her flesh, I have not tried the combination of Cadmium Yellow, Alizarin, and Ultramarine that you refer to, but I believe that skin has a lot of lighter colors and lighter colors tend to be more opaque and thereby not entirely suitable for glazes. You might try to mix your flesh tones from an earth red, yellow ochre, black, and white. You would mix several values of skin color from dark to light. Don't make them too orange. Use your underpainting as a map of where to put what skin value.

I hope that helps and I am sure you will get others with advice as well.

Leslie Bohoss · 10-30-2002, 12:35 PM

Hello Michael!

Thank you for your comments! I'll try it today. Your verdaccio method meets my favour too, but I haven't COG and MB. I'll try to buy (or order) next week. I feel painting is a very funny job for me; I would be doing it without interruption for 10 or 12 hours. This is a special feeling, as the 2D became 3D.

I'll post the final result next week.

Thanks again.

Karin Wells · 10-30-2002, 10:39 PM

Do NOT use any colors in a glaze that are not absolutely transparent. Also, I cannot imagine getting a skin tone with any of the colors you listed.

For a skin color try a simple glaze of burnt umber first. If you don't like it, wipe it off before it is dry and try something else. Experiment with earth tones first...burnt umber, raw sienna, raw umber.

Be sure and glaze over the entire face...lips and eyes included.

By the way, it is hard to tell from your picture, but the underpainting needs to be done with your paint applied very THICKLY. This looks thin to me. If the underpainting is too "thin" your glazes will not go on smoothly and evenly.

Somewhere on this forum I have demonstrated an underpainting and you can see in the pictures of the process that the paint is THICK.

Leslie Bohoss · 10-31-2002, 01:45 PM

Dear Karin,

It's very nice for you to take the time to reply. I thought more about the order of mixing than the paint itself (as examples). I read your superior posting about underpainting (dog). I have the example from Michael Georges with Cupido, too. I painted the underpainting with raw umber + zinc white. I used your 5 tones and mixed with blackoil and a little bit of Venetian turpentine. It dried very rapidly, perhaps too fast (tacky). But I think you are right, mine was too thin. The second attempt would be better.

Now I've glazed the background with burnt sienna + slightly french ultramarine, her hair with ivory black (more Liquin). Result: the original chestnut tone, and shirt only rose (originally rose and part.gray). I will try what you say about earth tones.

This picture must be ready Saturday. After, they're back to Milano. My thoughts are too complicated for my English.

With respect,
Leslie