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Celeste McCall · 01-15-2003, 10:43 AM

Hi Leslie,

I think that there are at least two (or more) ways to accomplish this with acrylic or oils.

The easiest way to paint lace and satin like your picture is to block in the satin dress with the medium value that you see in the center part of the complete dress. However, I would have begun the entire painting by applying the medium value shadow color of the dress (in acrylic paint) all over the canvas before sketching. Therefore the medium value of the entire painting would be already established and would negate this first step. Then apply the darkest shadows near the hand and waist and to the speck to the right of her shoulder. (I would block these in with acrylic paint as it would dry faster. Let dry completely) Next you will apply the lightest values on the dress with opaque paint.Let it dry. Now finish the dress with transparent glazes and impasto highlights. The veil would be painted the same way. Note: You will know if you did it right if the medium and dark values are painted thinly and the highlights are thickly painted.

The harder way would be to use glazing but it takes forever. You would start by painting the values that you see when you squint at the picture. After this is completely dry, you will begin with layers of glazes. Some will be more opaque than others. The glazing for the satin dress in the shadows, for instance, will be more opaque than the glazes of netting (veil) over the highlight area. Paint the highlights on the veil last. Note: Be sure and finish the dress first and let dry completely before beginning the veil.
Jan van Eyck did this beautifully on his painting of a satin pillow behind the wedding couple in The Arnolfini Wedding.*

*page 18 of a book entitled, Techniques of the World's Great Painters, by c. editor Waldemar Januszczak, published 1980. See the demo cartoon on his technique. The same book also has another example of this on pg. 64, box #4, by Antoine Watteau who painted georgeous silk, satin and lace clothing.

Hope that this helps you.

01-15-2003, 10:43 AM	#2
Celeste McCall Juried Member FT Professional PA Joined: Dec 2002 Location: Southlake, TX Posts: 162	Two possible solutions Hi Leslie, I think that there are at least two (or more) ways to accomplish this with acrylic or oils. The easiest way to paint lace and satin like your picture is to block in the satin dress with the medium value that you see in the center part of the complete dress. However, I would have begun the entire painting by applying the medium value shadow color of the dress (in acrylic paint) all over the canvas before sketching. Therefore the medium value of the entire painting would be already established and would negate this first step. Then apply the darkest shadows near the hand and waist and to the speck to the right of her shoulder. (I would block these in with acrylic paint as it would dry faster. Let dry completely) Next you will apply the lightest values on the dress with opaque paint.Let it dry. Now finish the dress with transparent glazes and impasto highlights. The veil would be painted the same way. Note: You will know if you did it right if the medium and dark values are painted thinly and the highlights are thickly painted. The harder way would be to use glazing but it takes forever. You would start by painting the values that you see when you squint at the picture. After this is completely dry, you will begin with layers of glazes. Some will be more opaque than others. The glazing for the satin dress in the shadows, for instance, will be more opaque than the glazes of netting (veil) over the highlight area. Paint the highlights on the veil last. Note: Be sure and finish the dress first and let dry completely before beginning the veil. Jan van Eyck did this beautifully on his painting of a satin pillow behind the wedding couple in The Arnolfini Wedding.* *page 18 of a book entitled, Techniques of the World's Great Painters, by c. editor Waldemar Januszczak, published 1980. See the demo cartoon on his technique. The same book also has another example of this on pg. 64, box #4, by Antoine Watteau who painted georgeous silk, satin and lace clothing. Hope that this helps you.