Studying at a contemporary Australian art school, one of the challenges I face with every assignment is persuading the assessors of the validity of my use of traditional oil painting techniques....hopefully my paintings themselves will do a better job of validating the beautiful oil painting than my words can...::: My oil painting technique draws on those of ‘old masters’ working before modernism’s adoption of alla prima as the conventional painting method. That is, I build my paintings up in multiple layers rather than applying the final, local colours directly to the support. First I make an underdrawing on a neutral ground, which is then elaborated .through a neutral-hued underpainting that indicates the composition and modelling of forms. This is followed by the application of one to two layers of predominately opaque local colours. These are carefully mixed using 3 sets of primaries along with earth hues, and modelled using subtle modulations of hue rather than with the addition of white and black to the colours. Finally I apply a number of transparent coloured glazes over these opaque layers, enhancing colour, texture and modelling effects. These techniques, when successful, allow for a painterly realism, with intensity of colour, three-dimensionality, texture, and detail. Along with these potential results, the intensive procedures involved in this method of painting unite the facture of my work with the obsessive way I see my subjects, hopefully aiding in expressing this intensity to the viewer. hopefully my paintings themselves will do a better job of validating the beautiful oil painting than my words can...
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:03:24 +0000
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