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.