Home Forums Explore Media Oil Painting Leonardo da Vinci’s painting technique

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  • #991986
    ianos dan
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        Hello guys !
        It took me some time to put together some information found online,books l’ve read and personal thoughts ,because l am planning in the near future to make a DVD .l simply don’t know when or if a will have the time ,but anyway ,it’s my believe that l should share my opinions whit you,mainly,because it’s better to consult other artists ,some of them more experienced then me ,other more mature (from the artistic point of view ),and it helps a lot in constructing something that l’ve wanted to do all my life.
        To begin ,l’ve read ,years ago ,the book called “Techniques of painting of the old masters”,written by Kiplik (if you have it translated ,it’s pure gold),and l’ve found interesting information there ,but for Leonardo ,there was to little .
        By reading ,again and again his “Treatise on painting” ,l found a paragraph,called “about painting a face”,where he “coded” some valuable information.
        l don’t have the book in front of my eyes ,but this is how it sounds ,approximately:
        “stretch a piece of canvas ,lay a thin layer of ground and let it dry.
        Paint the shadows ,whit black and oxide red.
        Make the lights with white ,yellow ,and a little red ,and let it dry ”
        He also speaks about “lake”,which l interpret as being a “red lake”,a darker and cooler color then vermillion .
        And continues”you can deepen the shadow with lake melted in arabic gum,it will make it bluer ”
        That was all….and then ,l found another paragraph ,in which he describes the color of the ground “make a ground color ,with lead white and Naples Yellow”.
        He also speaks ,about using colored class ,to explore the possibilities of optical mixing of color ,which l interpreted as a experimental “glaze”,over some landscapes he saw thru that colored glass.
        After this ,l’ve discovered the online information ,published by National Gallery ,that technical bulletin ,and it was a big WOW for me ,because it seems that the colors described in his treatise was true.
        So,reading this ,l’ve begin to experiment ,on a digital field ,because it was easier for for me to find samples of colors ,and also ,to play whit the opacity of layers ,almost like on a real painting.
        l choose one of my drawings ,made after Leonardo ,scan it ,and begin to work on top of that drawing.

        Here are some images ,of the cross section of “Madonna of the rocks”,the second version ,and some online samples of colors ,that were available then;
        #1207010
        ianos dan
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            Continuing the information:
            The cross section shows the cream like imprimatura ,with lead white and lead thin yellow(not Naples yellow ,but we know he experimented a lot) ,and follows the monochromatic underpainting ,described as being composed from earth colors and black ,that is ,burnt umber,red earth,cassel earth type color ,in different quantities.
            The light parts of the flesh was made whit lead white ,in larger masses of light,and vermillion ,plus small quantities of red lake ,that is exactly what Leonardo recommend.
            The foliage and the rocks where painted with earth colors ,different quantities of yellow ,verdigris ,according to his needs .(you can find the information here;http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/technical-bulletin/technical-bulletin-vol-32).
            No traces what so ever of “dead layer”,only a paler version of the final colors,upon which he worked by scumbling ,or glazing ,saturating and desaturating ,according to his needs.
            (l will have to say that this applies only on this painting ,but it could be sufficient ,to have an idea about his approach ).
            So ,on the scanned drawing ,l’ve applied a layer ,about 20% opacity of a yellowish hue :
            Here ,l forgot to put the first coat of color ,l think it was a water based ink ,you could see it on the adoration of the magi ,and it seems to be a blue grey green color ,probably to fix the pale drawing ,and establishing the large masses of shadows and halftone ,but the hatched drawing has a similar effect ,under the imprimatura,that was applied sometimes with the palm.
            Here , l need some extra information about what ink could have been used ,or ,what kind of gouache,if it’s the case ,maybe Gigalot could have an idea,and all of you interested :)

            #1207011
            ianos dan
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                l’ve began here to paint the shadows ,or the monochromatic underpainting ,by using a red pigment and black ,but first a bring back the drawing ,with a thin brush ,this contour is visible in the monochromatic uunderpainting ,and l like it to call it “graffia” ,the line work

                #1207012
                ianos dan
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                    after l’ve established the shadows ,l’ve began immediately to paint the high points of lights,smudging it ,to give me a tonal value ;in this way l can visualize better ,the range between the maximum lights and darkest shadows ,imprimatura being ,for the moment ,the mid tone.(l saw this ,on the nostrils of the horse ,from the Adoration).
                    This method differs a lot from the principles of classical painting,where the tones were putted on local colors without blending it immediately .Here ,a single light tone ,could be only white,is used to drag it into the yellowish tone of the canvas.The explanation could be found on the drawings ,made by Leonardo ,and executed on a toned canvas ,and it was a method learned on Verocchio’s studio ,and not only ,and it has the role of giving the form ,to make it to look like a sculpture .Leonardo was a supreme master on this.

                    #1207013
                    ianos dan
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                        What follows it’s a process of scumbling and glazing ,to give more “fleshy” look .
                        Darker glazes in shadows ,scumbling in lighter areas ,and also a warm orange brown was applied ,on the reflections.
                        On the last stages ,l’ve made some penciling ,to make the hair,l think this was kept for the final touches.
                        PS: Comments ,critiques,ideas ,technical support ,extra information is more than welcomed :thumbsup:

                        #1206992
                        Alan P. in OC
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                            Very informative and excellent information here. Please keep updating, going to bookmark this post for sure:).

                            #1206990
                            mang
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                                Fascinating! Thank you so much

                                www.margaretfergusonart.com
                                Member Pastel Society of France

                                #1207014
                                ianos dan
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                                    Thanks Alan ,your are my guest!
                                    Any information is useful for me, l am open minded !
                                    If you have something to share about this subject ,you can easily post here !
                                    Cheers!

                                    #1207015
                                    ianos dan
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                                        mang ,you are welcome!My pleasure!

                                        #1207016
                                        ianos dan
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                                            Continuing :l’ve putted here some images ,were the washy look of an possible water based ink? ,with arabic gum ,is visible .
                                            This could be underneath the imprimatura ,that cream yellow layer,and it could have ,early on ,a pale blueish color ,but the effect of ghost like appearance ,maybe be due to this imprimatura ,that could hide ,and melt the hard appearance of that first drawing.
                                            This kind of underdrawing ,is not described (l didn’t fin informations about it),on any other resources ,but helps ,form the beginning ,to the sfumato effect ,because every layer had an important role on the final picture ,much more than l previously thought.
                                            Now ,the term of ink ,could be debated here .the common process ,was probably by using a pigment ,or some plants ,adding water and arabic gum ,but it could also be easily ,a prepared gouache ,some of his studies ,are described ,as being made with this type of paint,once varnished ,or isolated ,could take the appearance of an oil painting.
                                            This is faster and easier than oils ,because it dries immediately ,giving to the painter extra time ,to develop the upper layers.

                                            My believe ,is that ,this layer is made with other emulsions ,than oil.
                                            #1207017
                                            ianos dan
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                                                Over this ink or gouache unerdrawing ,its possible that Leonardo would have been laid on ,the imprimatura ,that could have been very rich in oil ,sealing the entire surface ,making it more receptive to oils.
                                                Now ,the surface would not have been so absorbent ,giving him the opportunity to work in sfumato ,because the color will not sink in ,and it will remain wet ,for the master to drag ,stipple ,scrub ,lift blend ,until he would have obtain the effect he wanted.
                                                l have a simple natural ink ,for coloring the wood ,and l will try to use it ,with different quantities of water ,l see what it might look.

                                                #1206995

                                                Thank you, Dan, for starting this thread and sharing your ideas! It is going to be very interesting and informative thread.

                                                Since I am also very interested in Leonardo da Vinci technique and did some researches too, I will be glad to participate and help.

                                                I think it kind of tricky to describe and reconstruct the exact painting techniques of Leonardo Da Vinci, because he used different approaches to oil painting techniques and experimented with it . For instance, two of his paintings in Hermitage museum in St.Petersburg :”Madonna Litta ” and “Madonna Benois” and “Portrait of Ginevra de Benci” in Washington was executed in tempera and oil, or some experts states it was a special mixture of tempera and oil which Leonardo invented and was using for painting.
                                                In famous “Mona Lisa” painting he used completely different technique – glazing, scumbling and etc., while in “La Belle ferroniere” , what I understood, he used more or less traditional approach to oil painting of his time. In the technical report of National gallery in London written that only two color layers was used to establish a flesh tone. So, his techniques are varies from painting to painting:).

                                                About the ink drawing : I use ink , usually Umber ( Terre d’ombre) ink, for underdrawing on panels and canvas, but, I have to say, if it not diluted with water, it leaves quiet bold and bright lines, which sometimes difficult to cover with oil, especially if it applied in very thin layers. Lately I started to use tempera for underdrawing – it also dries fast, and when diluted with water gives more soft and transparent result. For my lately started couple of paintings I used mixture of Carbon black and Ultramarine tempera – it gives a bluish-greyish hue, but will change the tone slightly when Imprimatura applied over it. I find the usage of tempera is more suitable for glasing technique.

                                                Also the Renaissance painters used Bistre ink -a shade of brown made from soot. It color varies from yellow to brown-black-brown. Pigment tends to fade in the light.

                                                In technical report of copy of “Mona Lisa” which was lately found in Prado museum in Madrid, and scientists think that this copy was made in parallel with the original painting and with same materials: experts says that the underlying drawing was done in black chalk and brush.

                                                #1206991
                                                AllisonR
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                                                    Dan, this is going to be a very interesting thread. I will follow what I can. I do not understand why you do these tests digitally though. I mean if you have a yellowish imprimatura and then put lead white over lightly, the yellow will show through and the color will not be white anymore. This is what you wrote as well. But to see how it actually works, then I think you need to use actual oils, or tempura or ink or whatever you think Leonardo was using. I don’t understand how the digital images will work correctly.

                                                    About the ink drawing : I use ink , usually Umber ( Terre d’ombre) ink, for underdrawing on panels and canvas, but, I have to say, if it not diluted with water, it leaves quiet bold and bright lines, which sometimes difficult to cover with oil, especially if it applied in very thin layers. Lately I started to use tempera for underdrawing – it also dries fast, and when diluted with water gives more soft and transparent result.

                                                    Perhaps a bit off topic, and not what Leonardo did, but I have recently “discovered” a technique of drawing transfer that works wonderfully. I made a yellow ochre imprimatura. I then covered the back of my drawing with pure pigment umber oil (so it is “dry-ish”) and then put it on my painting and draw over the lines. Nothing new with that. You get umber lines on the painting.

                                                    But recently I made a mistake – I had a very wet imprimatura. So when I did the drawing transfer, instead of dark umber lines, I got white lines. The yellow imprimatura layer came off on the lines, softly revealing the whitish of the canvas beneath the imprimatura. Then, while the paints were still wet, I additionally “erased” the highlight areas with a brush and fingers and cloth, to reveal more of the white. So it is like a drawing transfer plus form making highlights all in one go, and without those dark, hard to cover up later lines.

                                                    Being born places you at a greater risk of dying later in life.

                                                    http://www.artallison.com/
                                                    #1206993
                                                    lovin art
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                                                        Have just been standing at his work in front of my very eyes in the Uffizi , in Firenze Italy , it’s more amazing to see a masters work in person and I can’t even begin to say how beautifully aesthetic his or Michangelos and any Masters work of that period really is , it’s just gota been seen to be understood ….:D and even then it’s mind blowing …

                                                        The head is looking soild , nice work , and I think maybe the key to this working (approach ) is thinking of layers as a very subtle progression because that is Immediate when you look at their work in person …

                                                        #1207009
                                                        thevaliantx
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                                                            This is far beyond where I’m at, but I’m still bookmarking it!

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