Underpainting and how to apply colours

[Mai Ly]

Hello Everyone,

This is an underpainting (second attempt - I could not save the last one, even though Michael Georges helped me with the sanding idea ) of my 5-year-old daughter, Kathryn.

I also attached a photo reference which I used for the painting. I changed the red cushion size on the right, as I found the large size was a bit over-powering for the subject. I also changed the curvature of the settee on the right, as I found the straight line across the painting was distracting and boring.

I intend to glaze the face and other skin exposed areas, the hat and the lace on the dress, the background settee, and the background. I also intend to apply 'velaturas' (semi-opaque paint, is this how one says this?) for the dress and cushions. I will put the rest of the details, like the edges on the bottom of the dress with opaque paint at the end.

I would appreciate advice for the following:

1. How effective is my light and shadow for the whole painting?

2. How are my edges and light on the focal point? I would like to put the focus on the face and the hand areas, but keep her surroundings 'quiet'.

3. I am not sure how to glaze the hat and the lace, so that the dark 'holes' will show through. When I do direct painting, I would just paint the whole area with darker paint (like yellow ochre + a bit of burnt umber + white), and put the details with lighter paint (naples yellow + white) on top. But, for glazing, should I glaze the shadow part with darker paint, and the light part with lighter paint, and then paint opaque for the holes?

4. Also, for glazing, I was told to mix the paint with maximum of 20% of medium. Apply this mixture on the painting, and wipe it off with a rag, to get the glaze/transparent look. I think Michael Georges glazes some part of your paintings sometimes. Is this how you would do it? I know Karin Wells said on a different thread that she would add lots of medium into the paint for her glazes.

Please see below for the photo reference, the whole painting and close-ups for the face and hands/lace.

I am sure there are lots of faults in my underpaintings, so if someone can see them and point them out to me, I would grately appreciate it. I would like to fix them before putting colours on it.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

Mai


Here is the whole painting

[Mai Ly]

And here is the close up for face and hands

[Mai Ly]

Close up for the lace

[Mai Ly]

And here is the photo reference

[Karin Wells]

I intend to glaze the face and other skin exposed areas, the hat and the lace on the dress, the background settee, and the background.

When I begin to glaze, I do the skintones last. Of course you can get a "perfect" skintone early on, but it may appear to change when you introduce an adjacent color so I recommend that you do it last. Also, get the skintone exactly right before you begin to build light with opaque paint.

I also intend to apply 'velaturas' (semi-opaque paint, is this how one says this?)

I would call this a scumble.

1. How effective is my light and shadow for the whole painting?

Perfect.

2. How are my edges and light on the focal point?

For an underpainting, these are fine.

3. I am not sure how to glaze the hat and the lace, so that the dark 'holes' will show through...But, for glazing, should I glaze the shadow part with darker paint, and the light part with lighter paint, and then paint opaque for the holes?

Just glaze for color and be sure to bring the color glaze right over the holes. When you begin to build light in these areas, the already dark holes will appear much darker. Do not add darks until the end. Your photograph shows the darks to be much darker than they really are.

4. Also, for glazing, I was told to mix the paint with maximum of 20% of medium. Apply this mixture on the painting, and wipe it off with a rag, to get the glaze/transparent look.

I mix my paint with whatever amount of medium (Liquin, Galkyd Lite) that makes it as thin as I wish. I also don't use a rag to "take it off" as that is messy and you won't have much control in the small areas. I simply apply a delicate glaze over an underpainted area carefully and with a soft brush. To glaze an area into a jewel-like color, it will take many glazes - each applied to a dry surface.

However, if you are trying to "tie a painting together" with a "mother glaze"...you can smear on the paint/medium mixture and brush it smooth or wipe it with a lintless rag.

[Karin Wells]

You can see my original underpainting showing through the glaze in the cool halftone areas of Jessie's face, neck and blouse. It is more difficult, but you can also see it showing through the darker glazes that I laid down in the shadow areas.

You cannot see any of my underpainting in the areas where light falls directly on an object because I have "built light" over it with thick opaque paint using my underpainting as a guide.

I glazed a new skin tone layer over the face each time before I added thick opaque light. I worked this light directly into my wet glaze.

[Mai Ly]

Thank you Karin for reading and replying to my post. I will try it out the way you mentioned, and see how it goes! Hopefully, I won't mess it up again.

I do have some more questions about glazing:

1. For the face (or other skintone parts), for example, do you glaze the whole area with say, burnt umber, and then go over it with an opaque mixture of skintone immediately on the light areas, and blend it in (I think this is what I would do). Or, do you glaze the shadow parts separately, and put the opaque paint on the light parts, and blend both parts in?

2. Do you sand your painting in between at all for your glaze work? I did my underpainting all with pure paint (white + raw umber), and was going to go over it one more time (a scumble), just white + raw umber with medium, let it dry, sand it down a bit, before applying colours. Am I doing it right?

3. I know that I have wait for the paint to dry before put layer of glaze on. Does that mean dry to the touch? I read somewhere, somebody mentioned that you have to wait for several weeks between each glaze. But then I also read somewhere else, that you can glaze two or three days after. My paint dry to the touch in about two days, with the medium that I use. Is that safe to put a glaze on?

I hope I am not asking too many questions! I am a bit nervous of getting it all messed up again!

Sincerely,

Mai

[Mai Ly]

I forgot to say that it was your painting of Jessie that inpired me to do the one that I am doing. Her face is so fresh and captivating!

Mai

[Karin Wells]

1. For the face (or other skintone parts), for example, do you glaze the whole area with say, burnt umber, and then go over it with an opaque mixture of skintone immediately on the light areas, and blend it in (I think this is what I would do). Or, do you glaze the shadow parts separately, and put the opaque paint on the light parts, and blend both parts in?

I would glaze all the skin areas with burnt umber and let it dry completely. When it is dry, glaze all again very thinly and exactly match the skin tone in the light. Scumble this over all skin areas. Into this wet scumble, you can then begin to build your skin tones in the light areas only with thicker more opaque paint.

2. Do you sand your painting in between at all for your glaze work? I did my underpainting all with pure paint (white + raw umber), and was going to go over it one more time (a scumble), just white + raw umber with medium, let it dry, sand it down a bit, before applying colours. Am I doing it right?

You do not need to scumble over an underpainting with more underpainting mixture. As far as sanding goes, I would not sand a glaze as glazes are so delicate and thin. I would, however, sand thick opaque paint it if needed it. Glazing and scumbling will eventually build up a smooth rich porcelain-like surface to your work without sanding.

3. I know that I have wait for the paint to dry before put layer of glaze on. Does that mean dry to the touch?

It depends on what medium you are using. The whole point is that your glaze should not disturb the paint underneath it. When I use (WN) Liquin or (Gamblin) Galkyd Lite, it is usually dry enough the next day to glaze.

[Mai Ly]

Thanks Karin. Your help is deeply appreciated! I am going to give it a go today.

Mai