Underpainting - A primer for the new painter

[TeAnne]

This was a fantastic article and most useful info. Thank you

[Verdaccio]

TeAnne:

Thanks much!

[DLGardner]

Excellent article! Thank you so much. I have used both methods in the past(undercoating and alla prima), but never have I used the undercoat method to the extend that you have explained. I can't wait to try my hand at charcoal drawing and then matching the values. Thanks so much.

Dianne

[loop]

yes BRAVO that was a wonderful article that answered MANY questions I had now I see green when I sleep

[jiminycricket]

Thanks for a very comprehensive article on the subject of underpainting. I studied with the artist, Frank Covino, who authored a book named "The Controlled Palette", a fine study of the same method. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of the technique you described in your article. The richness, glow, and depth of the finished painting using this method cannot be underestimated. Mr. Covino maintains a website at: http://www.Portrait-Art.com/ (in case anyone wishes to read more about this technique and see some fine examples from his students).

jiminycricket

[Stefan]

I would like to learn more about this technique. Especially focusing on the flesh tones.

In your article you said:
"A word about glazing. Glaze only with transparent or semi-transparent colors over passages that have limited color variance...
...Passages including the fur, hat, and the velvet sleeves of my reproduction painting of Thomas More shown below are an example of the underpainting showing through a glaze to define the detail. However, his flesh, the table, and the curtain behind him were painted opaquely..."

Is that because the flesh tones dont turn out well using glazes?

If you dont mind sharing a bit more information of the steps beyond the underpainting I would be greatly appreciative.
Any links for me to learn from would be great also!

[Verdaccio]

Stefan:

Generally, flesh colors are made with some combination of white. I have not had much luck glazing flesh - so not to say that it cannot be done, but I have not liked the results when I have experimented with it.

As to flesh, I have mixed and tubed a nine value range of flesh which I modify based on my model. I use an academic style flesh palette of Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Titanium White, and Ivory Black. I bought new tubes of all from Old Holland.

Reddish Skin Palette:
I mixed equal amounts of YO and RO. This made a good value 3 base for a redder skin palette. Mixed the value 3 with ivory black to create two darker values 2 and 1. Mixed the value 3 base with titanium white to get values 4-9.

Yellowish/Orangish Skin Palette:
Mixed 2 parts YO to 1 part RO. This again made a good value 3 base for a yellower or oranger skin palette. Followed the same above for the other values.

I have found using these flesh colors that they are too brilliant and I have been squeezing them out and knocking the intensity of each value down with an equal value gray.

Hope that helps! Glad you liked the article.

[Stefan]

Ok well I am a bit confused then.

When I view some peoples underpaintings they are quickly done and dont look real close to the person.
But others (like yourself) do the underpainting so perfect that it could stand alone as a finished piece... IMO

Do you paint the underpainting so exact just to be a road map for the finished layers of opaque paint?

And does that mean you just follow that roadmap precisely with the opaque flesh tones and it should give a finished piece that looks just as beautiful as the underpainting... except in color?

Sorry for the pesky questions... I am new to this.

[Verdaccio]

Stefan:

I used monochromatic underpainting to help teach me about value - I kept seeing it in old master works (charescuro, monochrome underpaintings, grisailles, etc.) and I read that a new student spent 2 years painting in monochrome under most european masters from about the 14th century on.

Values are extremely important in realist painting because the values are what makes the image look 3D.

Once I understood values, and how value translated into color (chromatic value), then I was able to just paint direct in color. But it was the monochrome underpaintings that got me there - I think it will help you too.

The underpainting is meant to be a map for your color. Some areas you can glaze over and let the underpainting show through and define the detail. Other areas need opaque paint and you will indeed cover the underpainting, but you gain the benefit of using it as a map - a value 7 passage in an underpainted cheek gets a value 7 flesh painted over it. This makes painting flesh much easier than doing it all in color from the start - at least for a beginning painter.

[Stefan]

OK,
I use W&N water soluable oils and they dont make red ochre.

So I will try my best to mix the red ochre with two colors available to me.

One final question. You said that you knock the intensity back with equal value gray.

Yellow Ochre + Red Ochre makes a Value 3 flesh.
But equal parts black/white makes a value 5 gray right?

So basically I would need to added some black to make it a value 3 gray correct?

Then I can go from there when matching up the flesh values to the gray values?

Thanks again
-Stefan

[Verdaccio]

Yep.

[jiminycricket]

Stefan,

What do you use as a medium for your W&N water solubles?

I have the Grumbacher Max ones and have been somewhat intimidated about using them.

jiminycricket

[Stefan]

Well it depends on what I am doing I guess.
Im still very new to painting so I dont use the mediums properly im sure.

I have Stand oil and I use it for glazing... though I have only glazed once heh.

I have Linseed Oil and I use it to smooth out the paint some if I need to, it also says I can glaze with it if needed.

I also have some fast dry medium which works pretty well. I can paint with it and it will be dry to the touch in several hours. That comes in handy sometimes.

And finally there is this medium thats called "Painting Medium" it works similar to my linseed basically except its a little thicker and so the paint retains a little more of a butter texture.

I really enjoy these paints though I havent used traditional oils yet. I have a lung problem, blebs form on my lungs and they can pop causing my lung to collapse. So I try and avoid too much smoke or other irritants which hurt those blebs. So the lack of turp in the air is a nice benefit to these.

I hope that helped you, if not, pm me and Ill try and give you more info.

[Wayne Gaudon]

Michael .. read your article today .. very well done .. thank you for sharing .. guess that's why I'm painterly instead of realistic .. all that work and all that work and all that work .. LOL .. I guess it's what part of it we enjoy that designates where we fall when we paint. I still can't help but admire anyone who has all that patience ..

[Verdaccio]

Wayne:

And thank goodness we are not all the same nor like the same things - think how boring the world would be.

Glad you liked the article and you are right - it is a lot of work, but it is work that I love...sooooo off to paint I go.

Paint on my friend...