To the underpainters

[Scott Bartner]

Dear Ilaria:

When I first saw your under painting I thought you could just get away with the light and shadow pattern of the boy's head. It appears while adding color, you flattened the head and lost much of that form.

What makes the Bronzino so solid is that strong core shadow and reflected light on the left side of her head. Also of importance is the value of the secondary shadow that runs along the right side of her head. These core shadows are essential to creating form and the reason all of the pros here are screaming about the importance of good reference photos containing these elements.

Speaking of which, could you post your reference photo. Perhaps after seeing it, I could suggest a possible solution. If you want to eventually glaze your flesh tones in the true sense, you've got to re-establish the shadows and get back the solidity you lost.

[Michele Rushworth]

The W/N Permanent Rose sounds like an interesting color. Is it transparent?

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Scott, thank you so much for your help!
I am in real trouble, I know, I think I will work on a safe ground and go opaque. How could I think could get it right at the first attempt?
Don't worry, your explanation was very clear but there are a lot of variables involved that are impossible to understand if you cannot phisically demonstrate. How transparent the glaze, how dark the darks, how to apply the glaze without streakes...

I will try to focus on the darks and lights, painting opaquely, trying to achieve the volume, and learn from my mistakes...
Michele, I didn't use it for glazing as it has such a strong tinting power.
I tried it opaque with ochre and viridian: very powerful combinations!
Here are the two photo I an working from
Ilaria