What is underpainting?

A technique by old masters to plan compositions.

How do you start underpainting?

Use a lean medium for a thin, transparent layer.

Ensure a realistic effect in shadows and highlights.

Use Zest-it Clear Painting Medium for a fat layer.

Offers strength, power, depth, and structure.

Underpainting is a foundational technique utilized by artists to plan compositions and establish tonal values, simplifying the painting process and yielding impressive outcomes, particularly beneficial for beginners.
The meticulous process of underpainting involves using lean mediums for transparent layers, gradually building tones with a variety of tools, focusing on soft edges in shadows and highlights, and strategically layering colors to enhance depth and structure, ultimately contributing to the strength and power of the final painting.

What is underpainting?
A technique by old masters to plan compositions.
How do you start underpainting?
Use a lean medium for a thin, transparent layer.
What is the purpose of soft edges in underpainting?
Ensure a realistic effect in shadows and highlights.
How do you block in colors after underpainting?
Use Zest-it Clear Painting Medium for a fat layer.
How does underpainting enhance a final painting?
Offers strength, power, depth, and structure.

00:00

Marine Dutton presents a tutorial on underpainting, followed by adding color glazes.
Underpainting is a technique used by old masters to plan compositions and establish tonal values.
Underpainting simplifies painting, especially for beginners, leading to impressive results.
To start underpainting, use a lean medium like Zest-it Lean Medium for a thin, transparent layer.
Apply the lean medium mixture using a sponge or brush, ensuring a thin, transparent coat.
Erase back to the canvas using tools like q-tips, paper towels, and erasers for details.
Build up tones gradually by adding and removing paint, using various tools for different effects.
Ensure soft edges in shadows and highlights for a realistic effect.
Once the underpainting is dry, block in colors using Zest-it Clear Painting Medium for a fat layer.
Mix colors for the subject, starting with a middle tone, then lighter and darker tones for highlights and shadows.

21:13

Speed up the footage due to repetition, mirror actions on both sides, add alizarin crimson and sienna for detail, warm with cadmium orange, use flat application, tint colors with yellow green, lighten with white as project progresses, add reflective light with blue and white, increase white and blue towards end, apply thicker highlights with white, add more black for darker tones, finish with thick white highlights, underpainting enhances depth and structure, breakdown stages for tone and color consideration, underpainted version offers strength and power in the final painting.