Oil Painting Approaches: Light GroundsLight GroundsTwo very distinct methods come under this heading: the Pre-Raphaelite approach where the white ground acts as a reflective base for jewel-like glazes, and the direct painting approach where paint is applied so as to entirely and opaquely cover the original white ground.
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Pre-Raphaelites: Painting on a White GroundHere a stained-glass effect is achieved by applying many colored glazes over a drawing. Body color is kept to a minimum, just sufficient to capture highlights, and to control the floating effect of glazes. Steps: 1. Transfer a precise, delicate pencil drawing onto the white ground. 2. Apply a guide to shading with faint colored glaze. 3. Dry. 4. Apply overlapping colored glazes, working wet into wet where necessary. 5. Dry. 6. Retouch shadows. 7. Dry. 8. Apply stronger-colored glazes, oiling out previous surface if too dry to take new glaze. 9. Dry. 10. Add detail in finishing glazes, including white in thin glazes to areas where highlights have been lost. Direct Painting on a White Ground
Steps: 1. Sketch in charcoal. Brush away surplus and trace sketch in turps-thinned paint. 2. Block in broad areas of color with turps-thinned but opaque washes of color Rework these wet into wet with white or more color as necessary. Dry if necessary. 3. Paint with more subtlety and detail in a fatter medium. Previous stage may or may not show through. 4. Add details in fine soft brush. ReferencesThese and other oil painting techniques are covered by the following:
Illustrations 11a. Ophelia by John Everett Millais. 1851-2. The Tate Gallery.
London. A once-famous work, built on a red-green complementaries, but
with the reds rather muddy. Company | Credits | Disclaimer | Email |
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