I began this painting with the intent to explore laying down a value underpainting painted opaquely with Half Tone Black and Titanium White, then glazing Casein transparently over the underpainting. I accidentally cut a piece of 140 lb HP paper (I always work on 300 lb to ensure my support is stiff enough to accomodate Casein). I realized my mistake after I had gone to the trouble of having transferring the drawing so changed the direction of my test. I mounted the 140 lb paper, with the drawing and imprimatura already complete, to a cradled birch panel. I had also intended to try using Casein as an underpainting for an oil painting, and, as I was mounting the piece, decided to finish it in oil.

Once I completed the underpainting, I sealed the painted paper surface with Liquitex Acrylic Matte Varnish (three coats). Once that had dried, I glazed the oil colors. I am not quite finished with the painting, but it is getting close.

I am quite happy with how this test is progressing, but am itching to try the same thing, except entirely in Casein (and without the Acrylic Varnish separation).

The images attached show the drawing in process. My initial drawing I completed digitally – I printed it at 30% onto the watercolor paper, then redraw over that sketch with a black colored pencil. The first image shows the inprocess drawing, the second shows the completed drawing. Next, I washed a gray imprimatura over the piece, allowing it to dry completely before continuing. Then I painted the value painting in Casein, using Half Tone Black and Titanium White. The last image shows the current state of the oil glazes over the Casein underpainting.

Chuck