Underpainting - Trying it out

[Karin Wells]

The primary use of glazing in the past was to be able to create more intense (chromatic) colors due to the unavailability of a wide range of pigments, such as those available today.

Marvin, I think that when you compare the colors produced by glazing to modern opaque pigment, it is sort of like comparing the color of stained glass to construction paper.

I don't think that the glowing effects you speak of have very much to do with glazing.

And I think that glazing (and scumbling) has everything to do with the luminosity and that "glowing effect" that I get in my work. I am also sure that there are other valid ways of "getting that glow" but so far, they haven't worked for me.

[quote]I just wanted to make an additional point about under painting and the relative thickness of the paint. Karin

[Marvin Mattelson]

Karin,

My purpose was not to confuse. My point was to indicate that there are many different ways of building paintings, a variety of approaches to creating under paintings and a multitude of techniques concerning how to build a painting.

In terms of layering thick over thin layers, I was issuing a warning against improperly laying paint over a thicker under layer. A glaze layer can be safely applied over thicker layers when they are sufficiently dried.

I

[Steven Sweeney]

Karin Wells, in the course of a very generous and informative demo (time well spent and worthy, practical information offered in such depth as is rarely given by many other professionals here), repeatedly noted that she was demonstrating her own technique. She wasn't sitting in judgment of every other possible way to proceed, nor trying to freeze anyone into inaction because there were just too many possible ways to proceed, nor spitting in the face of any other artist for dull sport. She said she's tried other methods, but hasn't had luck with them. At least she's been open to the exploration of other methods. Characteristically, she didn't go on to say that those other methods must therefore be the flawed pursuits of idiots, or the stuff merely of someone's temperament. In not a huge amount more time than some of us have been reading Forum posts, Karin has used the insights of her "temperament" to garner awards and accolades that most of us wait until late in our careers to even wish for.

I don't happen to paint using an indirect method. In fact, Clive asked for comment from me and I had to admit to him that for the information he was seeking, his best source on Forum was Karin, and I suggested that he watch and learn. If another artist had advices other than those being demonstrated, he or she might have with a display of integrity taken on some of the tutorial, instead of sitting back and waiting for the work to be done by someone else and then taking shots at it.

Clive did watch and learn, and he's expressed his gratitude and has already told Karin, his able and generous teacher, how much he'd learned from her. Many other members absolutely reveled in the lesson and in the privilege of watching it develop.

That was a tremendous gift, with no self-serving or pontifical intent whatsoever, and I add my commendation to Karin for it. It was a highlight in the Forum, and those posts were burning up the printers at members' homes, I can assure you

As for the rest of it, I think the members of the Forum can sort that out for themselves.

[Cynthia Daniel]

Due to a number of member emails expressing disagreement with the direction this topic has just taken, it has been closed.