![]() ![]() ![]() This of course varies significantly from artist to artist, and even from painting to painting, however it can be broken down loosely into the following stages:ġ) The ground - a uniform layer of paint, typically a mid tone of neutral grey or earth tones.Ģ) The grisaille - a loose, monochromatic study of the final composition undertaken typically in shades of brown (brunaille), grey (grisaille), or even greens (verdaccio). An oil painting (painted in the historical, indirect method) typically comprises a number of layers. To achieve this, an underpainting must be completed and dry before the glazing process can begin. The benefits of glazing in the case of vermilion is actually two fold not only does the upper layer enhance the depth of the red colour, it also acts as a barrier against the environment - protecting the vermilion underneath from darkening with time. It is the mastery of glazing that makes some of those magical paintings on gallery walls appear as though they have their very own internal light source, or are made with precious rubies or sapphires. This gives rise to a number of beautiful effects such as optical mixing, smoky shadows, and rich gem-like colours. It involves applying a very thin, translucent layer of colour over another layer of dry paint underneath. Glazing is an (often misunderstood) technique used in oil painting. For demonstrative purposes, I will be highlighting notes that were taken by conservators during the restoration of Van Eyck’s ‘Margaret, the Artist’s Wife’ at the National Gallery, London. ![]() Think of Rubens’ Descent from the Cross or Van Eyck’s utterly sumptuous Virgin with Chancellor Rolin. Not only does the approach I will discuss below help reduce the fading of vermilion, it also significantly enhances the depth and vibrancy of the red. The old masters were well aware of this effect however, and employed specific techniques to reduce the degradation. It therefore requires a more careful approach than the light-fast, modern synthetic alternatives. (Perhaps in a future post I will outline the scientific reasons behind the chemical transformations of this pigment causing it to change over time). It is naturally fugitive in ambient light conditions. However, vermilion (mercury sulfide) is known to darken with time. The first in the series is an arrangement designed to exhibit the beauty of one of the most important pigments in the history of art - vermilion. Learning from an Old Master - Jan van EyckĪs part of my new series - a set of almost monochromatic still life paintings created to demonstrate the beauty of natural pigments (many of which are seldom manufactured, let alone used today) I began with some research into the handling of these now archaic colours. ![]()
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