Beginning steps of a figure painting

[SergioAntonio]

I'm new here. I thought I should entroduce myself and post a new thread.

Although I have been in art schools, in fine arts programs, I haven't found a Fine arts program where they have a strong academic approach to teaching painting. Ther generally have a "do whatever you want" mentality. Right now, I just want to finish my BA and then think of going to a painting atelier.

I got a book, "How to Paint Like the Masters", I am looking at Titian and Caravagio techniques. They are both very similar, as depicted in the book; I am using those techniques now trying to improve.

On my newest painting, this is what I have so far for the first day of painting. I apologize for the blurriness of the photograph.

I started with grey acrylic as ground, then continued with Oils. Outline sketch and light shadows with Burnt Umber and Gamsol, let dry. Then I begun a greyscale using 1/4 Linseed oil - 3/4 Gamsol of what is the flesh tones and drapery highlights. Today I will refine the figure and details. Tomorrow I will begin to add color using 50/50 Gamsol/Linseed oil.

I wish I had left the hair Burnt Umber, without covering it with dark grey.

Please, I am open to any comments and/or suggestions, but don't reply with three-word sentences using words "pretty" or "great." I think this is a place for intelligent and cunstructive criticism. Thanks!
http://community.conceptart.org/gallery/I/2005/01/01/9244.jpg

[the_allejo05]

nice i would love to see the end result..i did the Hals tecnique on the book (im asuming you got the sheppard) yes you should leave the shadows transparent to give a bit of luminosity to the figure well that is what rubens practiced.. im on the same boat..but is a portrait..i did a grisaille of the flesh..yet to do a second session to correct values and then glazing..hopefully i finish it i'll post it..

[SergioAntonio]

It took me a while to get back to it, but here is the refined version. I am done withr the grey, I'll be filling in the background color now.
http://community.conceptart.org/gallery/I/2005/01/01/10001.jpg

[SergioAntonio]

nice i would love to see the end result..i did the Hals tecnique on the book (im asuming you got the sheppard)

Yeah, that's the book. I do not like the paintings he shows, but the process is very clearly defined, which is very nice. Most books won't do that.

[Bowlin]

It's looking good, wanna see how it progresses. What is Gamol? Is it a drying agent, is it thick?

Keep at it man, looking good.

[SergioAntonio]

It's looking good, wanna see how it progresses. What is Gamol? Is it a drying agent, is it thick?

Keep at it man, looking good.


It is a solvent, like Turpentine or Turpenoid. Gamsol is the standard of today; art schools around the country are being forced to ask students to use it because it is less toxic than Turpenoid, Mineral Spirits, or Turpentine, yet in my experience it works just as well.

[SergioAntonio]

Here is an update. I glazed in the drapery first using Grumbacher Gel medium to not lose my details underneath, then I used a 1/1 mix of Gamsol/Linseed oil for the shadows.

http://community.conceptart.org/gallery/I/2005/01/01/10499.jpg

[Pixeldragoon]

Lookin hot dude =)

Oh, and I've always wondered. Do you just put the valued underpainting as a guide, or can you actually keep some of the value when applying color? (probably a stupid question but I just want to make sure)

[Elwell]

Pixel-
Every layer of paint is influenced to a greater or lesser degree by what's under it. In everything except straight alla prima work the interaction of the paint layers is an important element.

Sergio-
The Shepard book is very informative as long as you don't make the mistake of thinking the processes he shows have anything to do with how those masters actually painted ;).

[SergioAntonio]

Lookin hot dude =)

Oh, and I've always wondered. Do you just put the valued underpainting as a guide, or can you actually keep some of the value when applying color? (probably a stupid question but I just want to make sure)

Just for the sake of this conversation, I am going to make a distinction between layering and glazing. Sometimes the two terms are interchangeble, sometimes they are not. Sometimes people misuse them or get them confused.

I am calling layering the addition of a coat of paint, and glazing a sheer, translucent layer pf paint.

When layering, you have to be conscious of the amount of oil you have put in, because it affect the drying-time. You also have to keep in mind the amount of solvent (turp, Gamsol, etc.) you use, because it will disolve and mix the new layer with the old one.

The rule of thumb is the first few leyers should have more solvent, less oil. The top leyers should have more oil, less solvent. If you do it the other way around, your top leyers will dry faster than your bottom leyers, and eventually the painting will begin to crackle.

If you want a translucent leyer, you do glazing. If you are close to finishing your painting you can afford to go heavy on the oil, which will make you paint translucent and shiny, it will also take longeer to dry. You should be conscous of the amount of oil of used on the previous layer, because you don't want to invert the process by going heavy on the oil to preserve your values and then add less oily layers on top.

In my case, for the drapery, I used Grumbacher Gel medium, which makes the layers translucent without affecting the drying-time; So, I may use it in earlier stages of the painting, presenving the translucency and the values without entirely covering up what I did previously.

Even still, when using the Gel medium, the bottom leyers will mix a little with the new one, as long as you don't spread it around by pushing hard on the brush, it shouldn't get muddy. Far from it, it should help you a little by adding a bit of white to your highlights and black to your shadows. When applying shadows I to my very best to never add black, but add pure color. If I absolutely must, I add burnt umber.

So, to answer your question, you can do both, use it as a guide if you use opaque paint, or you can glaze over it and preseve a little bit of your values. But be mindful of the amount of oil you use in every layer. Sorry for the long-winded answer.

[SergioAntonio]

Sergio-
The Shepard book is very informative as long as you don't make the mistake of thinking the processes he shows have anything to do with how those masters actually painted ;).

Oh, I know! I was just wondering about the same thing a couple of years ago. The materials are different, and the masters like every artist don't always use the same process in every painting.

I don't like shepard's paintings in the book, and I hardly think they do justice to the way they painted. But he says his examples are supported by x-rays and chemical analysis of the master's paitings. I don't really care either way. It has helped me to make sense of how to paint for myself.

[arthog]

Has anyone ever bought a Frank covino book? It looks like he follows a similar technique and just wondering on positions. Your work is looking great!