Underpainting and glazing are essential oil painting techniques that create depth and luminosity. These methods involve layering paint to build up rich, complex colors and textures. Mastering these skills allows artists to achieve the stunning effects seen in masterpieces.

These techniques work together to enhance the overall impact of a painting. Underpainting establishes the foundation, while glazing adds nuance and brilliance. By combining these approaches, artists can create works with incredible depth and visual interest.

Underpainting for Oil Paintings

Purpose and Process of Underpainting

• Underpainting establishes a preliminary layer of paint on a ground serving as a base for subsequent layers
• Creates a tonal foundation defining forms and establishing values for the final painting
• Helps artists plan composition and identify potential issues early in the painting process
• Influences the mood and temperature of the final painting through color choice
• Affects the final surface quality and interaction with subsequent layers through thickness and texture
• Requires consideration of drying time before applying glazes or additional layers

Underpainting Techniques

• Grisaille uses monochromatic shades of gray to create a tonal base
• Verdaccio employs a greenish-gray underpainting to establish values and forms
• Imprimatura applies a thin, tinted ground layer to set the overall tone
• Colored underpainting can be used to create specific effects (warm undertones for skin, cool for shadows)
• Wet-in-wet technique allows blending of underpainting colors for smooth transitions
• Dry brush technique creates texture and can be used for initial sketching in the underpainting

Impact on Final Painting

• Enhances the perception of depth by creating a layered structure
• Influences the overall color harmony of the finished work
• Can be used to create dramatic chiaroscuro effects emphasizing light and shadow
• Provides a foundation for glazing techniques to build upon
• Allows for correction and refinement of composition before final layers are applied
• Can speed up the painting process by establishing major forms and values early on

Glazing Techniques for Oil Paintings

Fundamentals of Glazing

• Applies thin, transparent layers of paint over dry underlying paint layers
• Modifies color or tonal value of previous layers
• Creates glazing medium by thinning oil paint with linseed oil and solvent mixture
• Requires multiple thin layers applied with patience and precision
• Demands complete drying of each layer before applying the next (can take several days)
• Produces optical effects of depth and luminosity through light penetration and reflection

Application Methods and Effects

• Adjusts color temperature (warm glazes over cool underpainting or vice versa)
• Intensifies shadows by applying dark transparent glazes
• Creates subtle color transitions through gradual buildup of thin layers
• Enhances the illusion of atmospheric perspective in landscapes
• Achieves velatura effect by applying semi-opaque glazes for soft, hazy appearance
• Combines with scumbling or dry brush techniques for complex surface textures

Advanced Glazing Strategies

• Uses complementary color glazes to neutralize or intensify underlying hues
• Employs selective glazing to emphasize focal points or create areas of interest
• Builds up multiple glazes to create deep, rich colors (Old Master technique)
• Utilizes glazing to unify disparate areas of a painting
• Applies local glazes to specific areas for targeted color adjustments
• Experiments with different mediums (stand oil, dammar varnish) to alter glaze properties

Transparent Pigments for Glazing

Characteristics of Transparent Pigments

• Transmit light effectively allowing underlying layers to show through
• Possess a high transparency index ideal for glazing techniques
• Include pigments like Phthalo Blue, Quinacridone Red, and Indian Yellow
• Feature chemical compositions that affect transparency and layer interactions
• Contain finer particle sizes generally resulting in greater transparency
• Require understanding of individual pigment properties for effective use

Semi-Transparent and Opaque Pigments in Glazing

• Semi-transparent pigments (Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Light) usable for glazing with more thinning
• Opaque pigments mixed with transparent ones create semi-transparent glazes
• Earth colors (Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber) often semi-transparent and useful for glazing
• Titanium White, when used sparingly, creates subtle veiling effects in glazes
• Zinc White, more transparent than Titanium, useful for creating delicate tints in glazes
• Experimentation with various pigment combinations yields unique optical properties

Pigment Selection and Mixing for Glazing

• Choose pigments based on desired color effect and level of transparency
• Mix transparent pigments to create new hues while maintaining transparency
• Use transparent earth colors for subtle glazing effects in landscapes or portraits
• Combine cool and warm transparent pigments for vibrant optical mixing
• Adjust transparency of semi-transparent pigments by adding transparent medium
• Test pigment combinations on a sample board to understand glazing properties

Depth and Luminosity in Oil Paintings

Creating Depth Through Layering

• Combines underpainting and glazing to enhance perception of depth
• Builds up multiple transparent layers for complex color interactions
• Uses cool colors in distant areas and warm colors in foreground for atmospheric perspective
• Applies darker glazes in shadow areas to increase depth perception
• Creates subtle gradations through successive glazes for smooth transitions
• Utilizes selective focus techniques with sharper details in focal areas and softer edges in background

Achieving Luminosity and Glow

• Allows light to penetrate through transparent glazes and reflect off underpainting
• Creates vibrant, glowing effects by glazing warm colors over cool underpaintings (or vice versa)
• Builds up multiple thin glazes for rich, luminous color (Rembrandt's technique)
• Uses white or light-colored underpainting to increase overall luminosity
• Applies final highlights with opaque paint for maximum contrast and brilliance
• Experiments with iridescent or interference pigments for unique luminous effects

Enhancing Visual Interest and Richness

• Develops complex color harmonies through careful layering of glazes
• Creates chiaroscuro effects by glazing dark transparents over light areas
• Utilizes scumbling technique in conjunction with glazing for textural interest
• Applies broken color technique through multiple glazes for vibrant, shimmering effects
• Builds up areas of impasto contrasted with smooth glazed areas for varied surface quality
• Incorporates subtle color variations within glazes to add depth and richness to large color fields