Underpainting - Trying it out

[Karin Wells]

Deladier,

There are many ways to do an underpainting and you have described one that I am unfamiliar with. And all that you say may be true for some methods including the alla prima approach to painting.

Shadows are indeed a compositional element. And with the particular approach that I am trying to explain, the cast shadows within those shadows are subcompositional elements to be added into the upper layers.

Also, a narrow range of tones clearly defined in an underpainting will unify a composition. A broad range of value will oftentimes fragment a composition.

Underpainting is the most basic foundation for a painting, and as a foundation, it will not have all of the value range of a finished piece.

Underpainting is not supposed to deal with hue, chroma, or color, but is meant to be a solid foundation that forms the bed for it to lie on.

Oil paint is translucent -- not opaque as most imagine. The underpainting shows through the upper layers and will make a painting sing.

Have you been using an underpainting method in your work, Deladier? If so, I would love to see some of it in a new thread.