Amazing Glazing: A Rose In Progress

Transparent Oil Glazed Rose in Progress 9x12 Ampersand Panel

Happy Spring Monday! Last week a student asked if we could paint a photo realistic oil glazed flower.  While I greatly admire this glowing light and shadow style and technique, I tend to paint a bit more loosely and “painterly.”  So for added guidance we watched another Colorado artist Arleta Pech’s DVD –Transparent Oils The Basics, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in learning an easy method for transparent oil glazing.  If you’re a watercolor painter looking to try oils I think it would be an interesting way to start since the planning and thought process is much the same. 

Ms. Pech recommends a smooth surface for this type of painting—we used a 9x12 Ampersand gesso panel—it’s has a very nice velvety finish. Smooth but not too slippery.  Other key materials are all transparent oil paints, Walnut painting medium, synthetic brushes for thin (very thin) paint application and some softer sable brushes (or sable synthetic) for blending out.  If you enjoy blending your oils you’ll love this method. To clean up the edges we used the walnut medium and a clean bristle brush to “pull up” any unwanted color or to lighten areas.

There’s also very little direct mixing of color—mostly layering much like watercolor glazing if you’ve tried that. Give or take, this painting will eventually have 6-8 glazes. This is the first stage—starting with the lighter colors in the background (which will be much darker) and the lighter colors of the rose.  One of aspects of this particular technique that I like is that there is no under painting.  Another interesting feature is that the white in the painting is the white of the board much as you’d “save your whites” on your watercolor paper.  

For an “alla prima” painter like myself, this type of painting takes some patience but I think it will be worth the wait. Can’t wait to add the additional layers—particularly the dark background. As summer approaches I usually have some openings in my class schedule so please email for more info about my classes in oil, watercolor, or acrylic. Have a wonderful colorful week!

Glazing a Rose

This intimate study of a rose this morning was inspired by one of my students, who is working with the  indirect oil painting method. In other words first painting a value study underpainting or grisaille (for this 8 x 10 rose on canvas panel I used Mars Black and Titanium White acrylics) then adding transparent glazes of color.  I have to admit while I've glazed before, it's not a technique I use everyday. I tend to be a more direct oil painter so I was excited to try this method again. 

While the oil painting glazing technique calls for some extra patience, the fascinating results are well worth it.  You can see why the master European painters were so entranced by this method. I love how focusing on the first step of strong values immediately gives you instant light and drama.

In the next step or layer, I decided to try glazing using Gamblin Galkyd Lite medium (in the past I've used Winsor and Newton Liquin) since I've noticed so many painters recommending this medium lately. While I thought the Liquin worked quite well for glazing, I've been looking for less harsh medium for my growing chemical sensitivity in the studio.  

For my transparent oil pigments I chose a simple palette of: Perm Rose, Thalo Blue, Indian Yellow, and Burnt Sienna (mixed with Thalo to help warm up the cool background). I'm eager to keep layering on the yellow and red on the rose, but I'll try to be patient and let it dry overnight. I also found it easier to glaze laying the painting flat on the table (rather than on an easel) and I used a No. 6 nylon filbert rather than a stiffer oil brush.

Since I glaze quite a bit in watercolor, I think that helps me here because I'm needing to adjust my approach  from opaque direct oil painting to transparent layers here. At the end, however, I'll likely add some opaque in my lightest or whitest areas for more pop.  As always, thanks for stopping by and happy painting!

P.S. If you are looking for more information about painting florals using this glazing method be sure to visit Jane Jones website she's a master of the technique.