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But is this the right way to do this?  Is the glaze/scumble layer then really 'fat'.... And how do you make sure that the next layer is as fat or fatter? How long does a glaze layer like this need to dry before you put another layer over it (it seems to go through a time where it's kind of tacky and it's not a good time to mess with it)? If it's dry to the touch - is that enough? And can you only paint more 'glaze' type layers over it? Is it OK to 'scumble' over an area that was previously glazed (like if you need to make a correction)? Or would the scumble be leaner than the glaze?
I've been painting additional 'oiled-in' layers over top once the layer below is dry to the touch... is this sound? I'm loving this, but don't want to be abusing the technique!
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Terri--
Fat over lean is the ideal, but it's also the thing oil painters obsess over WAY too much. Oil painting is a very muscular, forgiving medium, and will take a lot of experimentation and idiosyncratic technique before imploding on you. So don't worry so much. As Mr. Silverman once said in a demo, "Concentrate more on making better art...If it's good, somebody will be around later to take care of it."
"Oiling out" is a legitimate technique, but the key is not to let the applied oil get too soupy. Wipe on a LIGHT layer with a clean, lint-free cloth. Old tee shirts are great. You can then scumble or glaze to your heart's content. Of course you can scumble over a dry glaze, and vice versa. If the underlying layer is too tacky to work wet-in-wet, it's better to let it dry to touch before working over it, as working over tacky or sticky paint will cause it to wrinkle. (Experience will teach you when something is really dry or only skinned-over.) Then either jump in again, as I do, or oil out and proceed as you wish.
Again, oils are very forgiving of individual technique--it's not rocket science or high-level chemistry, more a product of experimentation, experience and intuition. You don't have to feel as if you're walking on eggshells. But for a well-rounded view, read previous posts on oiling out to get a wide range of opinions.
Best--TE