Q&A

Do you happen to know any details of Courbet’s techniques of painting? Or any pointers to specific books which detail it? I’ve found this much so far, but I do not know the accuracy.

1. Imprimatura / Undertone for basic Chiaroscuro
2. Limited Palette of Umber and Blue —for warm and cools - values 1-10
3. Dragging Paint over top of substructure with both brush and his revolutionary use of the palette knife to create intricate surface textures, applied in layers.

4. Courbet painted in a low value range. Black 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 white
He painted between #1 and #5 to model forms

5. Darks where kept very thin and transparent, lights where built up in thick impasto. The undertone was left uncovered in many areas of the paintings which added to the aesthetic, enabled light to penetrate and should evidence of the process.

I am interested in the various substrates used by 15-16th century painters- specifically wood. Which species of wood was commonly used and how were the panels constructed? I am assuming they had to be constructed very well in order to have lasted centuries without warping- a problem I am currently having. I am using birch plywood with Gamblin’s Traditional Gesso.

I have been changing from oils to acrylics — not so much for reasons of toxicity, but because I am basically a slob and cleanup is so much easier with acrylics. With its quick drying time, there’s also lots less transfer of paint from my hands to the furniture. My wife thinks I’ve improved as a husband and human being.

That said, I have been having a very hard time painting outdoors. Even with a Sta-Wet palette, the quick drying time is a problem that detracts from the pleasure of plein aire painting. I have tried adding retarder to the paint, and have not noticed any improvement. Spraying hasn’t been particularly effective, either. So, my question: are there solutions that I’m overlooking or is this something one just has to put up with? If so, I’m tempted to go back to oils outdoors and just be more careful about cleaning up before getting back into the car.

david, thank you for posting a blog about tempera grassa!

i work primarly with egg tempera, i actually find it very easy to use, much like drawing.

i’m currently working on a larger painting, linen on stretcher bars, sized properly with rabbit skin glue and oil ground after. i’ve started a very thin layer of just oil paint, very light solvent, and a dash of poppy oil. thus my first layer is very lean. i want this painting to have the same delicacy as a fine graphite drawing and tempera painting.

i want to work with the oil tempera emulsion, so my question is: can i use the egg oil emulsion after my first coat of paint? i figure that the egg is fatty and would work. i’m just not sure.

also, is it best to mix the yolk with linseed oil, not damar.

any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, David. I needed that.

thanks david!

so with a first layer of very thin oil, egg oil emulsion can not be used on top due to the lean egg? what if my mixture is yolk, damar, and linseed? isn’t that fatty? urgh, it’s tough getting back into oils…i really want to use the egg oil emulsion but i can’t get a for sure answer anywhere whether this is possible over a thin layer of oil paint. i see your point that teh egg isn’t fatty enough to put over the oil layer, but if damar is involved could it be the right step?

am i just better off using damar and tossing the Tempera Grassa out the door?

i apprecaite your advice, feedback, and big no no’s.

tvat

got it. so i’m gathering that egg oil emulsion is best on a support or panel, using chalk gesso and going from egg tempera to the oil emulsion.

i despise varnish, it causes so many problems, but when it comes to glazing it makes sense. there is a difference between making your own damar from crystals and “picture” varnish or “retouch” varnish.

for this painting i want to obtain the kind of detail that i get from egg tempera (using small brush work) but with a slower drying time of oil. i’m more concerned with the build up of colors and glazing in this piece, keeping the line work and brush strokes thin and delicate.

i’m that close to ripping off the linen from these slightly warped stretcher bars (seriously slanted on one side!) and figuring it back to a panel…it appears that flexible supports are difficult and restricting. any thoughts on this?

i’m gracious for your response.

tvat

thank you again david for all your insight and direction!

i know not to use varnish in my paint, but i have made my own damar and may use it in my final stages of glazing. the glazing post was very helpful.

how do you feel about poppy oil?

here is a crazy question…can i remove my linen from a flexible support and transfer it on a panel after i have painted? probably not worth it, but i’m curious to know what you think.

thanks!
tvat

Hi David,

What is meant by picking & stoning a canvas? How is it done?

Hi,
I am currently studying Visual Arts Studies as a year 12 subject at, in Adelaide South Australia. For my student choice topic I have chosen to study the “What were teh sigificat social adn cultural iflueces which ersult i the use of such rich ad ibrat colour throughout Italia paitig durig teh reaissace period”. During my research I came across your internet site and was extremely pleased with it’s content and relevance to my topic. The information on the site was most useful, however I was wondering if there was any additional information that you would be able to supply me with.
thak you so much

Hey David,

Thank you for your reply. Good to know. I thought it might have been something along that line (for the stoning at least, picking I had no idea) and appreciate your response.

Best.

@Phil Tolin - @Phil Tolin -

Phil might want to try the new Open Acrylics by Golden. They stay workable much longer.