Develop Contrast and Values Before Color
Sometimes when starting a new oil painting, nothing can be more intimidating than a big white blank canvas staring you down. Each paint squeezed out on your palette looking more vibrant, vivid and intimidating. If you’re the type of person who see’s that blank canvas and it terrifies you like a killer clown in white makeup, then maybe under-painting might be the answer for you!
Underpainting and Finished Worked, Evening Flight by Jan Blencowe
In painting, an under-painting is a first layer of paint applied to a canvas or board and it functions as a base for other layers of paint. It acts as a foundation for your painting and is a great way to start your painting off with some built in contrast and tonal values. It’s a technique that was widely used by the old masters as a way to develop a plan for future color placement and to establish certain values and tones within a painting’s color palette. An under-painting, if used correctly, is a great way to unite color values in the overall painting and add a subjective color key to the painting that will create a tonal dominance of the painting. Read More…