A minor Key-Create depth,
This painting incorporates many techniques that you can put to work in your representational art.
SHADOWS. Base layer is cadmium red glaze that will show through subsequent glazes.
Shadows are glazes in many layers so that the viewer sees through them. Study the paints and you will discover opaque, transparent and translucent hues. Combine to create the effect your desire. I use a cool color-way. (Terre verte stays in the background.)
Note: the reflected white on the shadow side is created by lightly lifting off some of the upper glazes to reveal the glowing underpainting. (Vermeer mastered this effect).
LIGHT SIDE. My light side colors are opaque and much thicker. I use flake white (it is a gentle white) mostly and and paint very softly with soft bright brushes directly into the wet paint. (Barely "disturb" the white paint.) In the "live" oil the skin seems almost palpable.
EYES LIPS. These translucent areas involve building up multiple layers of transparent paint in a thick medium and literally softly painting into the medium. I like real copal (which is hard to find and expensive.) Eyes (as in real life) have depth that seem to make a connection with the viewer. This effect was noted by a recent newspaper art critique wrote, "White Linen reveals his subject's mug shot with her glorified soft flesh and piercing but still gentle eyes." Unfortunately this depth doesn't come through via photographs.
DEPTH. To enhance the 3D sense of the painting I often use a loaded palate knife here and there. I sometimes use Titanium White for highlights and opaque passages because it is brighter than lead white.
Comments and questions are welcomed.
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posted by painter at
9:23 PM
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