Ever wonder how the masters achieved those rich colors and life like images? Well read on.
In this tutorial you can follow along as I create a beautiful portrait of a child done in oils using traditional painting techniques.
In this tutorial you can follow along as I create a beautiful portrait of a child done in oils using traditional painting techniques.
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The early painters used wood panels as supports for their paintings. Canvas came along later. I like painting on Masonite panels treated on both sides with gesso. You can also use primed canvas if that is your preference.
Gesso is a quick drying acrylic paint that is used to prime what ever surface you choose to paint on. As it drys it shrinks, so by priming both sides of a rigid surface like Masonite it prevents warping. I apply a minimum of three coats alternating the direction of brush strokes by 90 degrees between each coat.
After the gesso has fully dried I sand the surface with fine sand paper to get a smooth surface. While some sanding is necessary how smooth you sand it is a matter of personal preference.
Gesso is a quick drying acrylic paint that is used to prime what ever surface you choose to paint on. As it drys it shrinks, so by priming both sides of a rigid surface like Masonite it prevents warping. I apply a minimum of three coats alternating the direction of brush strokes by 90 degrees between each coat.
After the gesso has fully dried I sand the surface with fine sand paper to get a smooth surface. While some sanding is necessary how smooth you sand it is a matter of personal preference.
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The main reason I use charcoal is due to its inherent softness. I don't have to worry about it damaging the ground I am painting on. You can use a fixative or go over your charcoal drawing with ink as some of the old masters did and then lift the charcoal out if you find it troublesome. Also since I am doing a greyscale underpainting, I don't really have to worry about muddying the colors. If I was using a different technique such as starting with a color pallette I would probably approach my initial set up differently.... Remember in art there are no absolutes and many different ways to approach your subject....Thanks for your interest. Happy painting!
If exposure to fumes is the only thing giving you pause, you may want to consider water soluble oils. I haven't worked with them, but I have heard good things about them. Also oils are not too bad when it comes to fumes, it's all the solvents you can use with them. Some are worse than others. I don't use turpentine because of its strong odor. There are also synthetic additives that work well such as OSM, Liquin and Galkyd.
There are always trade-offs when choosing methods and materials. One medium isn't necessarily better than another, it's probably best to consider your environment and what you're trying to achieve and choose your tools and materials accordingly.
happy painting to you! :)