9/24/2009

Oil Painting of Figure Back in Progress


This is what some of my paintings look like underneath. This is a
variation on a grisaille underpainting. I have talked about this before.
That word is based on the French for our word gray, gris, and refers to
a monochromatic underpainting or underdrawing. In this particular
case it isn't completely monochromatic, but as I was working on a toned
canvas, I was able to use just a lot of white and a bit of color to work up
my figure after drawing it in with a pencil.
Because I know that graphite has a tendency to migrate up through paint
layers (weird!!), I sprayed my drawing heavily with both a polymer and
Damar spray. I know I will be also using a lot of glazes and layers of Liquin
painting medium, so I am not that worried about it. I teach this method,
which is called the Indirect method, as opposed to the Direct method
(think Van Gogh and John Singer Sargent - no pencils there, and no
underdrawings either), at the Art League School in Alexandria, Virginia,
where I live.
I am very happy with the way this painting is starting out, and have a
pretty good idea about how the color harmony is going to proceed at this
point. Now, I just have to force myself to stop working in gouache........
Thanks for visiting today.

1 comment:

karen said...

I like the pose, the tension in the arm and figure. Different from so many other figure poses, it is real.