Part 1: What paint can do
Introduction
Painting is:
Which paint to use
Oil paint
Colours that have high oil absorption shouldn’t generally be used under colours with low absorption. If the top (lean) layer dries over the lower (fat) layers then cracking may occur as the surface paint shrinks.
Dilutents
Varnish
Supports
Brushes
Palette knives
Acrylic paint
Supports
Colours
Palettes
Brushes
impasto - the process or technique of laying on paint or pigment thickly so that it stands out from a surface.
gouache - a method of painting using opaque pigments ground in water and thickened with a gluelike substance.
tempera - a method of painting with pigments dispersed in an emulsion miscible with water, typically egg yolk. The method was used in Europe for fine painting, mainly on wood panels, from the 12th or early 13th century until the 15th, when it began to give way to oils.
gesso - a hard compound of plaster of Paris or whiting in glue, used in sculpture or as a base for gilding or painting on wood.
- a practical activity that involves materials, tools and the acquisition of skills and techniques
- the motivation to paint and draw is based on individual and personal impulses
- you knowing why you want to paint (only you look at the world the way you do)
- the impulse to represent, to tell stories, to symbolise and to decorate
Which paint to use
- paints are either water- or oil-based.
- In addition to oil and acrylic paint, there is watercolour, gouache and tempera,
Oil paint
- made of pigments that are finely ground into drying oils (fast-drying or semi-drying linseed oil made from the seeds of flax.)
- Flemish van Eyck brothers, especially Jan van Eyck, working in the early fifteenth century, are widely regarded as the founding fathers of oil painting as we know it today.
- colour remains the same once applied
- versatile
- can be used with a wide range of techniques to produce different texture and finishes
- can be used to make rough almost sculptured surfaces
- it can be laid down in transparent layers
- worked straight from the tube or made thicker with additives for heavy impasto effects
- it has a slow drying time
Colours that have high oil absorption shouldn’t generally be used under colours with low absorption. If the top (lean) layer dries over the lower (fat) layers then cracking may occur as the surface paint shrinks.
Dilutents
- linseed oil can be used in conjunction with turpentine to create a smooth and glossy finish
- turpentine is used to thin oil colour or as a solvent to make varnishes.
- spike lavender oil is an alternative to turpentine if you want to avoid the smell
- White spirit is mainly used for diluting varnishes and for cleaning brushes and pallets.
Varnish
- Gloss or matte varnish, applied to a painting once dry, will bring back colour that may have sunk through the use of turpentine.
Supports
- Surfaces for oil painting should be sealed so that the oil doesn't sink through, leaving the pigment to powder on the surface and flake off.
- Many supports come ready-primed.
- There are various kinds of canvas materials: these include flax, hessian, artist’s linen, calico and variously graded cotton duck.
- Gesso is a traditional ground for oil paint and can be used to create textures underneath the paint, allowing for interesting relief effects.
- Other materials such as sand, earth, twigs and grasses or any other lightweight materials can be mixed with gesso, which will then adhere to form a hard surface on which colours can create very particular and striking effects.
- Gesso is absorbent so should have a coat of primer applied over it if it’s to be used with oils.
- The traditional palette for all oil paints is kidney-shaped with a hole cut in it for the thumb.
Brushes
- Bristle brushes come in a multitude of sizes and shapes; these are generally categorised as round, filbert and flat.
Palette knives
- They can be used as a cleaning tool to scrape paint from the palette
- it can be used for the application of paint straight from the tube for heavy textured effects.
Acrylic paint
- They were developed in the 1950s, and in the 1980s
- It is a versatile medium: it can be used in pale washes similarly to watercolour paint or it can be used alone or in conjunction with other materials to create highly textured effects
- Acrylic paints are made up of pigments suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion. They are water- soluble but when dry form into a plasticised skin.
- Water is the diluent for acrylic paint but a variety of mediums can be used to alter the flow and texture of the paint.
- Gloss or matte medium can be used to extend the paint into transparent glazes.
- Flow improver can be used so that acrylic paints can be thinned more easily.
Supports
- Most surfaces are suitable for painting with a range of techniques.
- Acrylic paint can be applied directly onto bare canvas as it forms a bonded skin upon which other layers of paint can then be built.
Colours
- The extreme versatility of acrylic paints allows for many uses and techniques.
- Bottles can be used for dribbling effects
Palettes
- As the paints dry fast and set hard, paper palettes can be a good idea – or the disposable plastic trays that come with foodstuffs
Brushes
- There are many good synthetic brushes available
- a set of decorator’s brushes will be useful.
- Almost any tool can be used to create a wide variety of effects, so keep an open mind.
impasto - the process or technique of laying on paint or pigment thickly so that it stands out from a surface.
gouache - a method of painting using opaque pigments ground in water and thickened with a gluelike substance.
tempera - a method of painting with pigments dispersed in an emulsion miscible with water, typically egg yolk. The method was used in Europe for fine painting, mainly on wood panels, from the 12th or early 13th century until the 15th, when it began to give way to oils.
gesso - a hard compound of plaster of Paris or whiting in glue, used in sculpture or as a base for gilding or painting on wood.
Exercise: Getting to know your brushes
- Make marks with different brushes
![Picture](/uploads/4/9/1/1/49115679/9985019.jpg?411)
These are the brushes that I currently have. I have a set of brushes made with real hair and then I have brushes made with synthetic plastic bristles.
I personally prefer the synthetic brushes as they stay soft and are very easy to clean.
I did some research on the different brushes and artists recommend brushes made with hog hair, which would be too expensive.
Artist also mentioned how real hair brushes create a thicker texture which creeps into the surface of the canvas giving you a nice coverage.
From my own experiment I could tell that the hair brushes did create a thicker texture and coverage at the start. Though what I like about the synthetic brushes is how smooth you can get the lines, which I guess is just a reflection of my own personal style.
I personally prefer the synthetic brushes as they stay soft and are very easy to clean.
I did some research on the different brushes and artists recommend brushes made with hog hair, which would be too expensive.
Artist also mentioned how real hair brushes create a thicker texture which creeps into the surface of the canvas giving you a nice coverage.
From my own experiment I could tell that the hair brushes did create a thicker texture and coverage at the start. Though what I like about the synthetic brushes is how smooth you can get the lines, which I guess is just a reflection of my own personal style.
Paint a small and simple landscape
This was a difficult activity for me, particularly as I am not really a landscape painter. It is the one area of pointing that I haven't yet explored, so I suppose it is good that it is taking me out of my comfort zone!
I used oils to create this painting, however it was not painted on canvas, but on sketchbook paper. This wasn't ideal as the smooth texture of the paper interfered with the spread-ability of the oils.
I used a combination of brushes to create the painting. I will break them down by landscape parts.
Ocean:
I used the real hair flat brush to create better coverage and a thicker texture. I then used the fan brush, first with some darker blue tones and then with white, to create the effect of waves crashing. I also used a synthetic filbert to ad the ares of green around the coastline. I think this green should have been lighter though.
Sky:
I used a flat synthetic brush to paint the sky as I wanted the sky to be smoother. I then put some white on a palette knife and created the clouds that way.
Mountains:
I mostly used the synthetic filbert to create the mountains. Its rounded edge was quite useful in creating different tones and the feel of peaks going up. I used a small flat brush to add the white stones on the peaks.
Landscape:
I used a flat brush to fill in the landscape with green. I then used a smaller flat brush and dabbed it across the landscape with different shades of green. I also used a flat brush to create the buildings around the shore and to create the coastline. The landscape next to the road had more bushes and a few trees. I used a round brush to create some of the grassy looks. I used the filbert to create the trees and a small flat brush to dab bushes around the side of the road and trees.
Road:
I used a flat brush to fill the colour of the road. I then used a round brush with very diluted paint to create some texture to look like dirt. I also used the round brush to blend the side of the road a bit with the edges of the bushes.
I used oils to create this painting, however it was not painted on canvas, but on sketchbook paper. This wasn't ideal as the smooth texture of the paper interfered with the spread-ability of the oils.
I used a combination of brushes to create the painting. I will break them down by landscape parts.
Ocean:
I used the real hair flat brush to create better coverage and a thicker texture. I then used the fan brush, first with some darker blue tones and then with white, to create the effect of waves crashing. I also used a synthetic filbert to ad the ares of green around the coastline. I think this green should have been lighter though.
Sky:
I used a flat synthetic brush to paint the sky as I wanted the sky to be smoother. I then put some white on a palette knife and created the clouds that way.
Mountains:
I mostly used the synthetic filbert to create the mountains. Its rounded edge was quite useful in creating different tones and the feel of peaks going up. I used a small flat brush to add the white stones on the peaks.
Landscape:
I used a flat brush to fill in the landscape with green. I then used a smaller flat brush and dabbed it across the landscape with different shades of green. I also used a flat brush to create the buildings around the shore and to create the coastline. The landscape next to the road had more bushes and a few trees. I used a round brush to create some of the grassy looks. I used the filbert to create the trees and a small flat brush to dab bushes around the side of the road and trees.
Road:
I used a flat brush to fill the colour of the road. I then used a round brush with very diluted paint to create some texture to look like dirt. I also used the round brush to blend the side of the road a bit with the edges of the bushes.
After trying on landscape with oils I also wanted to explore how the brushes would react differently with acrylics. I actually normally work with oils as I like blending and working with the wet paint. I find the quick drying nature of acrylics a bit challenges. However, as these are exercises to help on explore and experiment, I though acrylics would be good, as well as cheaper!
In this painting I mostly used two types of brushes:
1. Long flat brush - to create the background colours, as I needed to cover larger plain spaces.
2. Round brush - As Acrylics are quit liquid when just being applied, it is really easy to create patterns and texture with the round brush and you can see that I really played on that by creating different patterns for the trees and bushes. I even used it to create the clouds in the end. I found this brush quite versatile when working with acrylics, which was interesting, as I wouldn't necessarily use this brush when painting with oils.
In this painting I mostly used two types of brushes:
1. Long flat brush - to create the background colours, as I needed to cover larger plain spaces.
2. Round brush - As Acrylics are quit liquid when just being applied, it is really easy to create patterns and texture with the round brush and you can see that I really played on that by creating different patterns for the trees and bushes. I even used it to create the clouds in the end. I found this brush quite versatile when working with acrylics, which was interesting, as I wouldn't necessarily use this brush when painting with oils.
Paint a piece of fruit using these techniques
For the fruit painting I continued to use acrylics. Again,the big challenge was how quickly the paint dried. Though this has advantages too. You are very quickly able to start layering colours on top of one another to create various tones and depth.
I used a combination of brushes:
1. Long flat brush - to create the base colours and cover a large area quickly. I also used a more zig-zag application when doing the follow up layers on the background, to create a bit of texture and interest through the messy brush strokes.
2. Filbert - the rounded edge of this brush made it easy to create the rounded lines of the plate and fruits.
3. Round brush (large and small) - I again found this brush quite useful in creating more sketchy effects of shadowing layers over the base colours.
4. Small flat brush - I used this for some of the highlights on the fruit and plate, as the straight flat edge makes this easier.
I used a combination of brushes:
1. Long flat brush - to create the base colours and cover a large area quickly. I also used a more zig-zag application when doing the follow up layers on the background, to create a bit of texture and interest through the messy brush strokes.
2. Filbert - the rounded edge of this brush made it easy to create the rounded lines of the plate and fruits.
3. Round brush (large and small) - I again found this brush quite useful in creating more sketchy effects of shadowing layers over the base colours.
4. Small flat brush - I used this for some of the highlights on the fruit and plate, as the straight flat edge makes this easier.
Exercise: Painting without brushes
I As painting with palette knives is quite new to me. I did a bit of research to find out some tips or ways of using these as a painting tool. I found a good article that give useful tips:
1. Use thick paints and don't dilute them
2. Clean your knife in between colours
3. Use larger knives for bigger areas
4. Use the edge of the blade to create textures
5. If you want to paint with new colours over existing colours without blending, ensure the paint is properly dry.
http://www.artistsnetwork.com/articles/art-demos-techniques/painting-knife-techniques
I also wanted to see an artist using these to examine their method and get a bit of inspiration. I found a short video showing an artist create a street scene. It is pretty remarkable and way past my skill level, but it was useful to give me an idea for a starting point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzSHhW41bVA
1. Use thick paints and don't dilute them
2. Clean your knife in between colours
3. Use larger knives for bigger areas
4. Use the edge of the blade to create textures
5. If you want to paint with new colours over existing colours without blending, ensure the paint is properly dry.
http://www.artistsnetwork.com/articles/art-demos-techniques/painting-knife-techniques
I also wanted to see an artist using these to examine their method and get a bit of inspiration. I found a short video showing an artist create a street scene. It is pretty remarkable and way past my skill level, but it was useful to give me an idea for a starting point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzSHhW41bVA
I know the task said to simply play around an not necessarily create a picture, but I felt that in order to explore the tools properly I needed to actually create a scene. I decided to go with a city skyline, as I figured that the straight lines and edges would be easier to create with the knives. I soon realized that the diamond shaped knives I have aren't necessarily ideal for that. One of the tips is to use oils instead of acrylics, as they dry slower and can create better blending, but as mentioned before, this becomes expensive, especially as the other top tip is to apply a lot of paint. I'm still fairly happy with the amount of depth and texture I got from the acrylics. I mostly worked with the large knife to fill the bigger areas and the switched to the rounded knife when completing buildings. Once my solid colours were placed, I took the smallest knife and started layering some tones to create contrast.
Project: Transparent and opaque
Both oil and acrylic paint can be diluted to make a transparent or semi-transparent layer or glaze. A thin glaze of diluted colour over a reflective white ground can give a painting a luminous quality that’s not matched by mixing that same colour with white.
Exercise: Tonally graded wash
In preparing for this activity I had to do a bit of research, as this activity is new to me. I found a blog that gave a bit of information and explanation on how oil paints behave when mixed with different media, which I though was quite interesting.
'To prevent this, you would use the “fat over lean” rule, using leaner paints that dry faster for lower layers, and adding more oil to the paint you use for upper layers. To make paint “fatter,” you add more oil to it. To make paint “leaner,” you would mix it with a solvent like turpentine, or use a faster-drying oil.'
https://blog.udemy.com/oil-painting-for-beginners-3/
I also wanted to see a practical example of what this may look like. I struggled to find videos showing artists creating a graded wash with oils. The videos were mostly showing how mediums can be used for glazing, and though this was interesting, it was not really useful for this exersice.
I did find a good practical demonstration of how a watercolor artist does a gradual wash, and this still provided me with a useful idea and starting point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ5_REu8vxg
'To prevent this, you would use the “fat over lean” rule, using leaner paints that dry faster for lower layers, and adding more oil to the paint you use for upper layers. To make paint “fatter,” you add more oil to it. To make paint “leaner,” you would mix it with a solvent like turpentine, or use a faster-drying oil.'
https://blog.udemy.com/oil-painting-for-beginners-3/
I also wanted to see a practical example of what this may look like. I struggled to find videos showing artists creating a graded wash with oils. The videos were mostly showing how mediums can be used for glazing, and though this was interesting, it was not really useful for this exersice.
I did find a good practical demonstration of how a watercolor artist does a gradual wash, and this still provided me with a useful idea and starting point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ5_REu8vxg
For this exersice I worked with oils. I mixed my colours with turps to make them leaner. I'm not sure whether I did the exercise correctly, as the washes don't appear very graded. The most difficult part was keeping a consistency in the strokes as you can tell by the images. I particularly noticed how this became more complicated as the paint became thinner. After completing my first layers of graded washes I started to explore using different colours as the glaze for the second layer. I also watched videos on Youtube that show artists using thinned paint colours to glaze their final paintings and it was quite interesting for me to see how this changes the intensity of the colours.
One of my first observations from my own experimenting, was how the second layer added more depth to the original colour. Before the brush strokes and grading was overtly obvious and with the second layer the blending became smoother and in my opinion, more appealing. However, I can understand how having distinctive brush strokes or lines would be ideal for specific effects.
When mixing colours that fell within a similar colour group, the blends tended to create a richer deeper colour. When adding colours that were on the opposite spectrum, for example placing the vermilion green over deep pink, they didn't really bled well and maintained their contrast. This is also because the first layer was already dry, so the paint couldn't blend.
While exploring the idea of different colours I found a very useful interactive colour wheel at the following link:
http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/interactive-color-wheel/
It helps to identify whether colours are primary, secondary or tertiary, warm or cool and which colours compliment them.
I have also learned a couple of useful terms to help me understand colour mixing better:
VALUE: is the darkness or lightness/ brightness of a color.
TONE: Is the intensity of colour.
TINT: Adding white to a color produces a tint.
SHADE: Adding black to a color produces a shade.
MONOCHROMATIC: a color scheme is made up of one color and it’s shades and tints.
ANALOGOUS: colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.
COMPLEMENTARY: colors found directly across from each other on the color wheel. Complementary color scheme provide strong contrast.
COLOUR TRIADS: consist of three colors found on the color wheel that are equally spaced apart from each other.
SPLIT COMPLIMENTARY: color schemes are made up of a color and it’s complements closest analogous colors.
WARM COLOURS: colors that are usually associated with warm things. Ex. Red, yellow,orange
COOL COLOURS: colors that are usually associated with cool things. Ex. Blue, purple, green
HUE - The name of a colour
One of my first observations from my own experimenting, was how the second layer added more depth to the original colour. Before the brush strokes and grading was overtly obvious and with the second layer the blending became smoother and in my opinion, more appealing. However, I can understand how having distinctive brush strokes or lines would be ideal for specific effects.
When mixing colours that fell within a similar colour group, the blends tended to create a richer deeper colour. When adding colours that were on the opposite spectrum, for example placing the vermilion green over deep pink, they didn't really bled well and maintained their contrast. This is also because the first layer was already dry, so the paint couldn't blend.
While exploring the idea of different colours I found a very useful interactive colour wheel at the following link:
http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/interactive-color-wheel/
It helps to identify whether colours are primary, secondary or tertiary, warm or cool and which colours compliment them.
I have also learned a couple of useful terms to help me understand colour mixing better:
VALUE: is the darkness or lightness/ brightness of a color.
TONE: Is the intensity of colour.
TINT: Adding white to a color produces a tint.
SHADE: Adding black to a color produces a shade.
MONOCHROMATIC: a color scheme is made up of one color and it’s shades and tints.
ANALOGOUS: colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.
COMPLEMENTARY: colors found directly across from each other on the color wheel. Complementary color scheme provide strong contrast.
COLOUR TRIADS: consist of three colors found on the color wheel that are equally spaced apart from each other.
SPLIT COMPLIMENTARY: color schemes are made up of a color and it’s complements closest analogous colors.
WARM COLOURS: colors that are usually associated with warm things. Ex. Red, yellow,orange
COOL COLOURS: colors that are usually associated with cool things. Ex. Blue, purple, green
HUE - The name of a colour
Tips:
1. If a colour is too strong, add a colour from the opposite side of the colour wheel
2. To lighten a colour, add yellow or white, or both
3. To darken a colour, add blue or brown, or both
1. If a colour is too strong, add a colour from the opposite side of the colour wheel
2. To lighten a colour, add yellow or white, or both
3. To darken a colour, add blue or brown, or both
Transparent colours
Transparent colors are colors that you can see through. Paint is usually mixed very thinly to make it transparent. Watercolor is the most transparent paint, but oil and acrylics can also be thinned for a similar effect. Transparent paint is applied in what we call a ‘color wash’ in watercolor painting or a ‘color glaze’ in oil or acrylic painting. When you overlay two transparent colors they will mix to create a third. Different types of paint and certain colors are naturally more transparent than others.
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Opaque Colours
Opaque colors are colors that you cannot see through. Paint is usually mixed very thickly to make it opaque. Oil and acrylic paint are the most opaque paints, but gouache is a type of watercolor also designed for this purpose. Different types of paint and certain colors are naturally more opaque than others. Titanium white is often added to very transparent colors to make them opaque.
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Exercise: Opaque colour mixing
Choose at least three of the washes you’ve painted (including the single colour ones) and attempt to recreate exactly the same colour, shade and tone of each of these in turn. This time, though, you’ll be mixing colours by adding in white, making the paints opaque.
I recreated three of the washes I had made previously with turps. I completed on Deep Pink and two Red Wood graded washes. They are all done on A4 paper canvas and all colours were mixed with a bit of Liquin to help them dry faster. In the first two images I graded from dark to light, however in the third image I decided to work from light to dark. You can notice that by the third grade I went a bit too dark, so it doesn't appear very gradual.
This was an interesting exercise for me overall, as I had never used turps before to create tonal grades. As mentioned above, I could see the value of using it as a glaze, but I personally prefer the richness of colours when using white to make the colours lighter.
This was an interesting exercise for me overall, as I had never used turps before to create tonal grades. As mentioned above, I could see the value of using it as a glaze, but I personally prefer the richness of colours when using white to make the colours lighter.
Exercise: Monochrome studies
Project: Working on different coloured grounds
Preparing a coloured ground for oil paints
There are two ways to prepare a coloured ground for oil paints:
1. make an opaque toned ground by mixing an oil colour with white primer. Dilute this with turpentine or white
spirit and allow it to dry completely before painting on it.
2. paint a transparent stain over a ready-prepared support. Choose one of the following methods:
• Dilute oil colour with turpentine to make a transparent glaze which is then rubbed over with a clean rag.
• Make a thin acrylic wash and apply with a clean wide brush or sponge.
• Apply a thin watercolour stain.
This method is called imprimatura – which means ‘first paint layer’. The advantage of this method over the opaque ground is that there is a luminous quality to the ground, and a layering effect which is desirable for some paintings. Working from a mid-tone works almost in a sculptural way. It can look as if form is emerging from the canvas rather than being
applied to it.
Look at some oil sketches by Rubens or Constable, for example. The coloured ground appears to anchor the paintings and holds them together.
I found an interesting blog where an artist explore trying to replicate Rubens techniques:
http://www.naturalpigments.com/art-supply-education/rubens-painting-technique/
There are two ways to prepare a coloured ground for oil paints:
1. make an opaque toned ground by mixing an oil colour with white primer. Dilute this with turpentine or white
spirit and allow it to dry completely before painting on it.
2. paint a transparent stain over a ready-prepared support. Choose one of the following methods:
• Dilute oil colour with turpentine to make a transparent glaze which is then rubbed over with a clean rag.
• Make a thin acrylic wash and apply with a clean wide brush or sponge.
• Apply a thin watercolour stain.
This method is called imprimatura – which means ‘first paint layer’. The advantage of this method over the opaque ground is that there is a luminous quality to the ground, and a layering effect which is desirable for some paintings. Working from a mid-tone works almost in a sculptural way. It can look as if form is emerging from the canvas rather than being
applied to it.
Look at some oil sketches by Rubens or Constable, for example. The coloured ground appears to anchor the paintings and holds them together.
I found an interesting blog where an artist explore trying to replicate Rubens techniques:
http://www.naturalpigments.com/art-supply-education/rubens-painting-technique/
1. Light ground with a darker colour filling the positive spaces
What i found most interesting of about having the light background is how easy it was to create effects with the paint brush when adding the blue paint into the positive spaces. It created quite a nice texture and the contrast is more apparent. This was a good exercise for me as I tend to fill each object or area in my paintings on their own. I only recently started creating backgrounds and filling them with layers. I can see advantages to both methods, depending on the subject you are painting. If your background will be taking up a large percentage of your painting, it is definitely beneficial to create a coloured ground first.
2. Dark ground with a lighter colour filling the negative spaces
I found it much more time consuming to use the approach of filling the negative ground. I can see how this technique would be very effective and useful when your subject is large and takes up a big portion of your image, but for a this particular subject (the tree) you have to be quite meticulous in filling the spaces, so you don't cover the tree. It does create an interesting effect though, and the advantage of working with light over dark, is that it creates good coverage. Likely because you use white to mix the light grey and white is very opaque. The atmosphere of this image is also a bit more somber. Having the tree as the darker object, creates the feel of it being close to night time.
Exercise: Tonal study on white ground
Using a tonal drawing medium such as a soft pencil, pastel or charcoal, do some simple studies of your chosen objects in your sketchbook. Make several studies from different angles and then decide which viewpoint and angle you will use for your tonal painting.
Now begin painting using a combination of just two quite low-key colours (one that has a dark tone) and white. You could choose earth shades, Payne’s Grey or Indigo. Make this a fairly small study (A3 or A4) and work quickly on it. The aim of the exercise is to practice rendering form so detail and precision in drawing are not essential. Assess the tonal values of
the background as well as the darkest shadows and highlights falling on the subject.
the background as well as the darkest shadows and highlights falling on the subject.
Exercise: Tonal study on a dark ground
Comparing the white ground to the dark ground
For these two paintings I used Raw Sienna and White oil paints. Both are painted on A3 canvas paper. When completing the painting on the dark ground, however, I found that I need to incorporate Dark brown into my mix to create a contrast between the darker shadows. Both of the images were painted with an artificial light from above, though I notice now that I have interpreted the shades and shadows differently on the two. It might be that I had additional lights on for the one, but I'm not sure.
The results of the two images are quite different, which actually quite surprised me. In general, working on the white ground was much easier as colours appeared as they would when applied to the surface. On the dark ground, the colour changes when applied, which often means you need to create several layers in order to achieve the desired affect. The contrast and distinction between the different colours is also more obvious in the white ground painting. I could see how either method would be useful depending on the kind of effect or mood you would like to create with your work. I have personally used the dark ground method before for creating dramatic images of people, as the background colour is visible under the layers, it creates an interesting effect, however, this method does require more time, as layers need to dry first.
I personally prefer the lighter image. Details are more distinct and crisp, which seems better suited to this particular subject matter.
The results of the two images are quite different, which actually quite surprised me. In general, working on the white ground was much easier as colours appeared as they would when applied to the surface. On the dark ground, the colour changes when applied, which often means you need to create several layers in order to achieve the desired affect. The contrast and distinction between the different colours is also more obvious in the white ground painting. I could see how either method would be useful depending on the kind of effect or mood you would like to create with your work. I have personally used the dark ground method before for creating dramatic images of people, as the background colour is visible under the layers, it creates an interesting effect, however, this method does require more time, as layers need to dry first.
I personally prefer the lighter image. Details are more distinct and crisp, which seems better suited to this particular subject matter.
Research Point: Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro
The term chiaroscuro originated during the Renaissance when it referred to a technique of drawing on coloured paper by building light tones with gouache and working down to dark tones with ink. It later came to refer to modelling of light in paintings, drawings and prints. The extreme contrast between dark and light areas allowed subtle gradations of tone to create illusions of volume, most notably that of the human form. Chiaroscuro became a common compositional device in religious paintings such as those of Caravaggio.
Explore the works of some of the artists whose work exemplifies chiaroscuro effects such as Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Rubens. Look also at the candlelit studies of some northern European artists, most especially Rembrandt and Joseph Wright of Derby.
The term chiaroscuro originated during the Renaissance when it referred to a technique of drawing on coloured paper by building light tones with gouache and working down to dark tones with ink. It later came to refer to modelling of light in paintings, drawings and prints. The extreme contrast between dark and light areas allowed subtle gradations of tone to create illusions of volume, most notably that of the human form. Chiaroscuro became a common compositional device in religious paintings such as those of Caravaggio.
Explore the works of some of the artists whose work exemplifies chiaroscuro effects such as Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Rubens. Look also at the candlelit studies of some northern European artists, most especially Rembrandt and Joseph Wright of Derby.
Tintoretto
Tintoretto was a famous Venetian artist during the 16th century. He is mostly remembered for his incredibly rich and colourful depictions of the human figure. He often showed his subjects in exaggerated poses, or motion and used rich colours and apposing compositions. Though his style was distinctive, his work was influenced by the drawing styles of Michelangelo and the colour techniques of Titian. He was heavily concerned with the drama of light and space, often building small models to help him study the spacial perspective and different effects of light.
Tintoretto was a famous Venetian artist during the 16th century. He is mostly remembered for his incredibly rich and colourful depictions of the human figure. He often showed his subjects in exaggerated poses, or motion and used rich colours and apposing compositions. Though his style was distinctive, his work was influenced by the drawing styles of Michelangelo and the colour techniques of Titian. He was heavily concerned with the drama of light and space, often building small models to help him study the spacial perspective and different effects of light.
Caravaggio
Caravaggio favored realism and naturalism. He favored using a focused light source to enhance the dramatic impact and give his figures a quality of immediacy. His realism was so profound during that time that it was almost unsettling.
Caravaggio favored realism and naturalism. He favored using a focused light source to enhance the dramatic impact and give his figures a quality of immediacy. His realism was so profound during that time that it was almost unsettling.
Rubens
Rubens produced work that mostly favored Baroque style, which emphasized movement, bold color choices, and sensuality. He also combined the use of Renaissance classism with lush brushwork and lively realism. Rubens was also well known for his diplomatic awareness of the time. As an artist many commented on his feel for the physicality and sensuality of paint.
Rubens produced work that mostly favored Baroque style, which emphasized movement, bold color choices, and sensuality. He also combined the use of Renaissance classism with lush brushwork and lively realism. Rubens was also well known for his diplomatic awareness of the time. As an artist many commented on his feel for the physicality and sensuality of paint.
Assignment 1
For this assignment, produce a finished painting at least A3 in size in your chosen medium. A still life, landscape or interior will probably be the wisest. Your painting should be representational – showing what you see – rather than abstract.
Make several preliminary drawings looking at line, colour and tone. Look at different possibilities for composition. Observe the subject you’ve chosen to paint very carefully. Make notes in your sketchbook about the various colours and tones that you can see to help you later when you come to paint. Do pencil or charcoal sketches to explore the arrangement and range of tones. Make a small colour study to help you establish the colours that you may use. Begin by selecting the colours which are as close to those in your subject as possible.
Make several preliminary drawings looking at line, colour and tone. Look at different possibilities for composition. Observe the subject you’ve chosen to paint very carefully. Make notes in your sketchbook about the various colours and tones that you can see to help you later when you come to paint. Do pencil or charcoal sketches to explore the arrangement and range of tones. Make a small colour study to help you establish the colours that you may use. Begin by selecting the colours which are as close to those in your subject as possible.
Use the medium of your choice and decide on the format and scale for your painting. Work on treated paper, card or canvas in either portrait or landscape format. Choose the background colour you will use.
In order to help me prepare for painting a still life, I downloaded a couple of guides where artists share their techniques and top tips.
In order to help me prepare for painting a still life, I downloaded a couple of guides where artists share their techniques and top tips.
Sketching and analyzing
Observations and Reflections
As I live in Hog Kong and have limited space. I couldn't really play around too much with the placement of my still life. I mostly just experimented with higher or lower angles. I did three practice sessions to prepare. A pencil sketch, an ink sketch and a watercolour.
Final Product - Assignment 1 - Still Life
Observations and Reflections
I first painted the background, creating a sort of cream colour, as this is similar to the wall that was in the background. I did contemplate adding some texture to it once the painting was done, but I felt that the plain background really helps the colours of the bowl and apples stand out. Then I did the bowl, first layers of the apples and the table. I had to use images to have an idea of painting the table, as I didn't have a table in the set up.
Overall I am quite happy with the final product. This is the first time that I have painted a product realistically. It normally isn't exactly my style. It takes a lot of concentration and observation. The coloring in the painting looks a bit different from the photographs, but this is because the photo makes the apples appear lighter. Also, as I was working on the painting, the apples were aging which made their colours darker and duller. Despite having the apples on display, I did still rely on the different angled images that I took to further assist me in seeing highlights and shadows.
The one area I know I still need to build on, is mixing colours. I found it very difficult to get the colouring correct, often mixing and remixing colours.
Overall I am quite happy with the final product. This is the first time that I have painted a product realistically. It normally isn't exactly my style. It takes a lot of concentration and observation. The coloring in the painting looks a bit different from the photographs, but this is because the photo makes the apples appear lighter. Also, as I was working on the painting, the apples were aging which made their colours darker and duller. Despite having the apples on display, I did still rely on the different angled images that I took to further assist me in seeing highlights and shadows.
The one area I know I still need to build on, is mixing colours. I found it very difficult to get the colouring correct, often mixing and remixing colours.
Reflecting on Tutor Report
As I was not quite sure how to make use of the Learning Log and approach the exercises, it was useful to get feedback from the tutor on the areas I can improve. Mush of the work I did in Part 1 was experimental, as this is my 1st time studying art and trying to apply proper techniques. It is encouraging that she could find good points and valid exploration within the exercises as many of them felt unfinished to me. I can appreciate that the tutor considers my final assignment to be ‘safe’, but I’m not sure that this is fair. I had never made a realistic painting before, so for me this was not safe, it was a real challenge. I worked hard and meticulously to get the colours and shapes correct, and am honestly happy with the final result. I will continue to work on my sketching skills and try to expand exercises more.