Oil-Based Pigments, ContinuedPainting withThe four ways of painting in oil paints are referred to as underpainting,oil paintsoverpainting, alla prima painting, and improvised painting.UnderpaintingUnderpainting is the technique of painting multiple thin coats of paint beforepainting (overpainting) the final layer of paint. Oil paints used forunderpainting should contain less oil than paint used for top layers.Underpainting may be classified as toned ground, grisaille, underpainting inlight color, underpainting in dark color, and underpainting in contrastingcolors.TONED GROUND: Underpainting a toned ground in a middle-toned valueis simply painting a colored canvas.GRISAILLE: Underpainting in grey or a mottled grey is called grisaille andis most often used as a background in portraiture.UNDERPAINTING IN LIGHT COLOR: Use light color as a base coat andaccent with a purer or dark color to produce luminous effects.UNDERPAINTING IN DARK COLOR: Use dark color as a foundationwhen you intend to apply a lighter color for effect.UNDERPAINTING IN CONTRASTING COLOR: To underpaint incontrasting colors is to first paint a layer of chosen pigment and apply acontrasting color over it. This technique enhances the impact of colors, butis difficult to control.OverpaintingOverpainting is the technique of painting the final layers of paint. Stumblingand glazing are overpainting techniques.SCUMBLING: Stumbling is a form of overpainting that requires a light oilpaint reduced to a translucent pigment. The translucent pigment is thenpainted over an already dark painted layer of underpainting. The morecontrast in tonal value between the two layers, the more dramatic the effect.GLAZING: Glazing is the opposite of scumbling, although it also requiresreducing oil paint to a transparent pigment. You apply a dark pigment overa layer of light underpainting to leave a transparent film.Continued on next page1-51
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