Underpainting - Trying it out

[Karin Wells]

All of this stems from my original underpainting demo that you can see at: http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...ighlight=Sarge

Here is how I would approach the value range:

#5 Value. Use this for the light on the face. The skin is the lightest value and should be the lightest paint.

#4 Value. Use this for the shadow on the face. Don't put eyeglasses in on the underpainting as it is too tough to paint around them in the upper layers. Smoothly paint what is underneath and it will take a flick of the brush to add them later.

#3 Value for the light on top of the hat...since the hat appears to be the next darkest object.

#2 Value for the shadow side of the hat (the area under the brim). You will need to pay attention to the edge where this shadow meets the forehead and lose that edge rather quickly.

#2 Value for the light on the jacket and the shirt.

#1 Value for the shadows on the jacket.

Note: Do not get confused by the photograph! This is one of those where the shadow on the upper forehead appears to be as dark as the jacket...but it is not. The shadow on a light object cannot equal the shadow on a dark object.

You must paint from what you know to be a logical truth and not necessarily what you see.

Further Note: When you paint the hat, for example, only use the value extremes of #3 and #2. You can make any halftone range between these two values. Don't be tempted to paint outside of this range.

[Clive Fullagar]

Karin,

Thanks for your teaching here. I think I am going to go ahead and and lighten the values as you suggest. My main concern is that, if I don't, the underpainting will dominate the later layers, especially the shadows, and prevent me from putting life into them. I take your point about adding the half-tones in the later layers.

I have been doing a little research on underpainting and there seems to be some variation in the darkness of the values and the extent of detail. Vermeer, for example, used very dark values for shadows but did not take the underpainting into any great detail. Van Eyck, on the other hand, used lighter, far more detailed underpaintings.

I am going to try and reach a compromise. I will post the results of my efforts in the next day or so.

Jeanine, thank you for your kind words. They are always appreciated.

[Karin Wells]

There are MANY ways to do an underpainting and I am (hopefully) trying to teach the easiest one that I know. Although each technique has different rules I believe that the principles are the same in all of them. First of all, try to grasp the principles and then you will find what easily works for you.

My main concern is that, if I don't (lighten the value}, the underpainting will dominate the later layers, especially the shadows, and prevent me from putting life into them.

Yes, this is exactly the reason an underpainting must be kept light.

I take your point about adding the half-tones in the later layers.

Wrong. If I conveyed this, I am sorry.

The whole point of an underpainting is to establish the areas of general light and general shadow. And resolve the halftone...that area between light and shadow.

When your underpainting is complete, you will have to build areas of light and highlight within the underpainting's defined areas of general light. The underpainting's general light is darker than the light built in the upper layers when the painting is finished.

Also, when your underpainting is complete, you will have to build areas of warm thin shadow and dark hotter cast shadows within the underpainting's defined general shadow. The underpainting's general shadow will be lighter than the shadows when the painting is finished.

Between these areas of light and shadow in the underpainting lies the halftone. This halftone is what will show through into the top layers. i.e., The halftone is painted once - in the underpainting. The light has many layers of opaque paint in the upper layers on top of your underpainting . Your shadows are oftentimes only thin glazes on top of the original underpainting.

I hope that this is getting somewhat clearer. I do plan to write a book or CD showing and explaining this technique step by step - it is so darn easy when you can see it.

[Clive Fullagar]

I do plan to write a book or CD showing and explaining this technique step by step

You already have your first buyer!

[Leslie Bohoss]

Hello !

I'm the second.

Really, many thanks to Karin.

I found this slideshow helpful, you can try it like this.
http://www.tonyryder.com/demo/index.htm

With respect, an apprentice,
Leslie

[Clive Fullagar]

Well, here is the second attempt. Let me just reiterate what I was trying to achieve here. Primarily, I wanted to lighten and simplify the value range, taking out the pure raw umbers and whites at the ends of the range. The initial attempt would have led to problems with shadows further down the process. I have also tried to smooth out texture as (as I understand it) this is something that should be reserved for later stages. Alas, I have not erased all detail (e.g., the glasses and the eyes). I somehow found this difficult to let go of.

[Karin Wells]

You're close but no cigar.

Bite the bullet, lose the reflected light and the glasses and eyes.

Hat brim: top right and wherever you can on the left - lose the edges. Don't outline at this stage.

Hat band: Lose the highlight.

Where the light meets the shadow on the left side of the face (as I view it) is way off. You need a LOT more work on the transition between light and shadow. i.e., the chin structure and the shadow from the eyeglasses is not correct. Even though the object is to lose the "details" the goal is to achieve a "dead on" likeness at this stage.

Jacket. Think form. Define true shadow from halftone. i.e., take another look at the collar. Make your light flat - even though you do not see it this way. Make your shadow flat. Make the transistion between the two extrememly accurate.

Successfull underpainting is in the accurate depiction of the transition between light and shadow.

Light can transition quickly into shadow.

And light can transition slowly into shadow.

And the quality with which you depict this transition is the foundation of your entire painting. Mastering a halftone can elevate you into the "pro" category and is worth the effort.

[Mari DeRuntz]

Clive, I see Karin spending her time giving you very specific lessons here; you are very lucky. I would recommend you embrace her lessons, empty your mind of what you "know" and follow her instructions exactly. You are learning bigger lessons here than you will by caving in to a temporary emotional attachment to painted features that in fact are not structurally correct.

Be the pupil.

[Clive Fullagar]

Karin,

I really appreciate your input on this one, and I hope that I am not your only pupil here. From my perspective, what is happening on this thread is addressing many of the originating reasons for this forum. So I am going to ask you to bear with me for a little longer on this one. I see myself as your typical pupil rather than a gifted one, and as such I am going to make mistakes. So with that said, rather than rehashing this image I am going to start from scratch and see if the third attempt gets me that cigar. Again many thanks for your time and effort.

[Karin Wells]

For starters, you would not believe how many times I repainted the same darn painting -- over and over -- until I finally got it right. Then typically I would goof up and fail to apply what I learned to the next one.

However, as you learn this, you can look forward to not having to repaint the next one as many times. I think that you can only learn from mistakes, so don't be afraid to make lots of them. I can hang in here as long as you can and I really appreciate your willingness to not give up just because it is getting tough.

I hope that "starting over" means beginning on a fresh canvas. I think it will really help you in the long run to document your progress in order to see how you resolved each problem.

As far as talent goes, I think you have a sufficient amount of it to become a really good painter. What you and most of the others lack (to varying degrees) is knowledge.