Below is a resource that will help you with the painting strategy of glazing. Please note that this is Video 2 of 2. If you have not seen part one, I recommend that you start with that video. Good luck! Scroll down to see the video, the pictorial tutorial and the link to the PDF.
GLAZING WORKSHOP
By the end of this demonstration (Both the PDF and the Video) you will fully understand glazing. When an artist glazes, he or she adds transparent color to a painting, to give the work a more realistic look.
HOW do you make your oil paint transparent?
There are two ways:
1.) Add painting medium- Any paint will become more transparent if it is mixed with painting medium (I mix in A LOT of painting medium to the paint when I glaze). I feel that the best painting medium is Liquin. (See Figure 1)
2.) Use paint that is transparent or translucent- Look at the label on the tube of paint to find out about the paints properties. Most paint companies, put a marker on the outside of their tubes to let a customer know about the properties of the paint. An empty box means that the color is transparent, a half filled box means that the paint is translucent. For any beginner who wishes to try glazing, use paints that are transparent to translucent. (See Figure 2)
(Figure 1)
(Figure 2) The empty box means that the paint is transparent (AKA a good color for glazing)
Here is a list of transparent paints for each of the colors of the spectrum (plus black, white and brown). (Figure 3)
Now that you know how to make your paints transparent......How do you glaze?
Here are some things to keep in mind!
1.) Wait for the previous layer to completely dry.
2.) Use soft tipped brushes- Traditionally, Sable brushes are the softest. There are also synthetic brushes that are similar in softness to Sable. (Figure 4)
3.) Buy a Fan Brush- Fan brushes look gimmicky but they are SO HELPFUL! They do not hold much paint, and that is a good thing when you blend. A fan brush can help you "softly" manipulate paint. (Figure 5)
4.) Use multiple brushes- Apply with one brush- Move the paint around with another unused or thoroughly cleaned brush. (The video will do a good job of demonstrating this)
5.) Wipe your brush to clean it rather than dip it in mineral spirits. The mineral spirits can ruin glaze layers! Keep it AWAY in this step!
6.) Keep a paper towel close- Since you are working atop a dry layer; if you make a mistake, just wipe it off with a paper towel!
(Figure 4)
(figure 5)
The colors that I used to glaze (the dog) were, Ultramarine Blue, Ultramatine Purple, Italian Brown Pink Lake and Davy's Grey from Old Holland Classic Oil Colors, Asphaltum Black from Mussini Oil Colors Chromatic Black from Gamblin Oil Colors and Zinc White from Vasari Oil Colors.
Download the PDF version of this Lesson: CLICK HERE
(Figure 1)
(figure 5)
