Glazing is one of several methods of applying oil paint that are called “indirect painting”techniques. The term “indirect” simply means that the painting is built up in layers which are allowed to dry before successive layers are added. Glazing is a technique which consists of applying thin layers of transparent color over either transparent or […]
Scumble!
For landscape painters one of the challenges of depicting the outdoors is getting a sense of “air” and atmosphere into our work. A scumble is a useful technique that can add that look of distance and “bigness” we want. Use a scumble to create atmosphere. Here’s a short video to show how that works! P.S. […]
What is Tonalism? Part I
In the decade following the Civil War, America came to terms with its great loss–both of a generation of young men, and the feeling of high spirited nationalistic pride and belief in itself as the chosen land and the chosen people of God’s creation. The societal underpinnings of religious faith were likewise shaken. The operatic creations […]
Anatomy of an Indirect Painting II
In a previous post, I discussed how an indirect painting was built up in layers of glazes and scumbles. In this post I will do the same, but concentrate on the earliest steps- underpainting and first layers of glazes and scumbles. One of the things I really love about indirect painting as a landscape painter […]
Anatomy of an Indirect Painting
In previous posts, I described the history of indirect painting and also some of the techniques. In this post, I plan to show you how an indirectly painted landscape can mimic the light effects in nature and create both an interesting and varied surface quality and multiple optical effects. Indirect painting using the Venetian tradition […]
What is Indirect Painting? Part II
In Part I on this topic we explored the history of indirect painting. In this post, we’ll look at why indirect painting is different from direct painting – why it creates a different “look” and how it can be used to create an extraordinary range of optical effects. First, let’s talk about transparent paint. During […]