artinoils
11-04-2003, 11:15 PM
Chiaroscuro portrait example done last spring. This was a forty minute pose.
The method:
Step1: Mix a dark from burnt umber and ultramarine blue, add a very tiny bit of linseed oil and thin to a wash consistency (but not runny). Cover the entire canvas so a dark ground is formed. After covering, use a large soft brush with vertical strokes lightly to make a smooth even color but keeping it dark.
Step2: Take a paper towel or rag, SQUINT, and carefully wipe out the large shape of the light. If necessary moisten in turp. The object is to get back the white of the canvas for the lights in your painting. Pay no attention at this point to the values or color changes found in the lights.
Remember this: NO MORE TURP AFTER THIS POINT. Use only a bit of linseed to thin from now on.
Step 3: Mix a very light skintone in the and apply in the light area you just wiped out. Don't worry about changing values or colors at this point.
Step 4: Now mix up a large amount of background color and apply next to the light especially. This way as you work back into the lights you have your background indicated because all colors are relative to their adjacent color. You may also want to indicate the clothing color at this point for the same reason.
Step 5: You can now begin working back into the light with more color paying attention to value and whether it's warm or cool. The face generally cools as it gets toward the lower half. The nose and ears are usually warmest.
Step6: For the shadowed side keep values simple and dark, probably darker than you think. SQUINT! The darkness makes the lights pop. Some of the background color often works in the mixtures you make for the shadows.
Step 7: Where the form turns or planes change the color, value, temperature changes. Add halftones where the light meets the dark. Determine their warmth or coolness. Try to mix accurate color and place accurate shape and LEAVE IT ALONE. DO NOT BLEND.
Hope this helps any wishing to try chiaroscuro. Unfortunately I have no process photos.
The method:
Step1: Mix a dark from burnt umber and ultramarine blue, add a very tiny bit of linseed oil and thin to a wash consistency (but not runny). Cover the entire canvas so a dark ground is formed. After covering, use a large soft brush with vertical strokes lightly to make a smooth even color but keeping it dark.
Step2: Take a paper towel or rag, SQUINT, and carefully wipe out the large shape of the light. If necessary moisten in turp. The object is to get back the white of the canvas for the lights in your painting. Pay no attention at this point to the values or color changes found in the lights.
Remember this: NO MORE TURP AFTER THIS POINT. Use only a bit of linseed to thin from now on.
Step 3: Mix a very light skintone in the and apply in the light area you just wiped out. Don't worry about changing values or colors at this point.
Step 4: Now mix up a large amount of background color and apply next to the light especially. This way as you work back into the lights you have your background indicated because all colors are relative to their adjacent color. You may also want to indicate the clothing color at this point for the same reason.
Step 5: You can now begin working back into the light with more color paying attention to value and whether it's warm or cool. The face generally cools as it gets toward the lower half. The nose and ears are usually warmest.
Step6: For the shadowed side keep values simple and dark, probably darker than you think. SQUINT! The darkness makes the lights pop. Some of the background color often works in the mixtures you make for the shadows.
Step 7: Where the form turns or planes change the color, value, temperature changes. Add halftones where the light meets the dark. Determine their warmth or coolness. Try to mix accurate color and place accurate shape and LEAVE IT ALONE. DO NOT BLEND.
Hope this helps any wishing to try chiaroscuro. Unfortunately I have no process photos.