Staining your canvas . . . what do you use

[Sharon Knettell]

Terry,

Yes, Blockx and Micheal Harding.

You could also try this trick I learned on a Daniel Greene tape. When the paint is still quite wet run a soft fan brush gently across the surace in one direction without destroying the strokes.

[Dianne Gardner]

I will not use any kind of acrylic under-painting, not even Liquin or Galkyd, or acrylic gessoed canvasses.

That is interesting because I have also heard that liquin is not a good substance to use. However, I know someone taking classes and her instructor uses a method of layering that involves applying a liquin glaze over each layer of dried paint before applying the next coat. Her paintings are smooth and beautiful with a lovely reflective shine to them. I would be interested to know what is going to happen to them in the future.

Dianne

[Paul Foxton]

I find it interesting that Sargent used thick paint for darks. Lately I've been experimenting with a method of building up paintings based mostly on some reading I've been doing about Rubens's technique, at least what the author assumed his technique was:

He contends that Rubens used a grey ground, in which he left texture from the brush strokes visible. He would then build up shadow areas with brown transparent glazes, which would allow the brush strokes of the ground to show through the glazes in shadow areas to give the shadows variation and life. The light reflecting off the ground behind the glazes would give the shadows depth. Apparently Rembrandt's way of handling shadows and lights was similar, but with a slower, more methodical approach and much thicker impastos for light areas with the colour applied over them in glazes.

I work alla prima, so don't build up successive glazes, but based on the above have been trying out a similar approach:

First the support is covered with a couple of coats of Roberson's acrylic gesso, with a big brush to leave brush strokes standing proud. Then, when dry, the gesso is sanded back a bit but still with some texture from the brush strokes left. I then apply a mix of ultramarine and burnt sienna in fast drying alkyd, rubbing it with a cloth rather than painting it. This brings up the texture of the brush strokes in the ground.

Next stage is to lay in the shadows with a mixture of burnt sienna and ultramarine, laid in quite thin but with quite a high percentage of whatever medium I'm using - lately I've been favouring Roberson's maroger. These shadow areas are kind of scumbled in, letting the mix shift more to ultramarine or sienna depending on whether the shadow area looks warmer or cooler. This isn't strictly a tonal underpainting, since tone supplied by local colour is ignored, I only paint the shadows at this point.

Once this is done, I start laying in colour on the areas in full light with thicker, opaque paint, followed by dragging some colour into the shadow gazes where it's needed, i.e. where I can see some colour in the shadow. Throughout I'm trying to match the colours I see as closely as I possibly can.

So far I'm finding that this method gives me a stronger impression of light in the painting, with the opaque areas with full light falling on them coming forward, set off by warm, soft shadows. I'm pretty happy with the way the experiments are going so far, but I've also found that it's easy to overdo the texture in the ground. On a recent small painting of a bottle and a lemon, the bottle was painted with very thin paint in this way, and it did give some impression of the transparency of the glass, against the thicker opaque paint of the highlights on the lemon. Far be it from me to argue with Sargent of course, I'm just describing a different approach to shadows and transparency which seems to be working for me so far.

I've yet to try this on a portrait though, I'm not painting portraits yet. The above is a very crude version of what I've read about Rubens's technique, applied to small still life paintings on MDF, (Medium Density Fibre Board - I don't know what the name for it is in the US.)

Sharon, you've got me worried with what Michael Harding's been saying to you about acrylic gesso and alkyd based under painting. I recently switched to using his paints on your recommendation, and I'm very impressed with them. This man really knows his stuff. I too would very much appreciate a bit more information on that if you can find it. No problem if you can't though, I can drop him a line myself.

Sorry for the long post. This thread has got me exited!

[Richard Budig]

Paul:

Interesting about how you texture your mdf.

For the last couple of years, I've been doing a seires of little oil sketches of local kids that I sketch at the local library. I go there twice a week and do free pencil sketches. It costs less than hiring a model, and is more taxing but more "learning-ful" because you have to get on with it and do it in about five minutes or the kids will fall asleep or get restless and lose pose. When I find an interesting face, I grab a shot with my digital camera, and from that, I'll do a 12X16 oil sketch on mdf which the library puts up in my "library kids" section.

But, my point is, I've been experimenting with texturing the surfaces of these little boards. I use an old wall paper paste brush, an old and well worn hand held whisk broom, wadded up newspaper for pressing down into the thick gesso, or the same thing with a balled up wad of plastic Saran wrap.

The point is, I keep fiddling, looking for odd ways to texture the gesso, which, as you know by now, sometimes makes for a very interesting painting surface.

I don't do this for more serious portrait work. I don't now why. Not sure "they" would understand.

But, it's fun to texture the stuff and see what happens in/on the painting surface.

[Paul Foxton]

Originally Posted by Richard Budig

The point is, I keep fiddling, looking for odd ways to texture the gesso, which, as you know by now, sometimes makes for a very interesting painting surface.

It certainly does, sometimes a bit too interesting! In the Lemon and Bottle painting I think overdid it.

One thing that strikes me about this is that it would be very nice to be able to apply texture to the ground depending on the subject, or perhaps the desired feel, of the painting. But since the panels need preparing ahead of time and the ground needs to be dry, it would perhaps take some of the spontanaiety out the painting.

By the way Richard, I love your idea of painting kids in the local library. Their parents must love you.

P.S. I'd love to see some of those oil sketches, if you have any pics.

[Michele Rushworth]

Paul, thanks for that detailed and interesting post about transparency in shadow areas. I've never read such a thorough explanation before. I've always painted alla prima and have never tried it before. Maybe I'll try a little still life painting, as you did, to see how I like it.

[Paul Foxton]

Thanks Michele, I'm glad you found it interesting. Actually I'm just glad you made it through the post!

I'm really hoping that we both mean something slightly different by "alla prima." Please don't tell me you do those beautiful, highly finished portraits in one sitting, or I'm about ready to give up altogether. Perhaps you just don't sleep for days on end until you've finished?

I'm guessing that you are referring to painting wet into wet - pretty much the same thing I guess in terms of technique.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I have a 'no white paint in shadows' rule at the moment, although I confess I do break it sometimes. I find that white is too opaque and spoils the translucency, if I need to lighten a shadow I wipe off some paint with my finger to let more ground show through.