I finished Taysia’s underpainting today. This is the scary part, for those of you who might be seeing one of my underpaintings for the first time. These are the darkest darks, the colors that I see in the shadows of Taysia’s photo.
My palette is the same as always – I think that gives my work consistency and makes each piece recognizably mine. If you’re looking for a natural earthy palette, try these colors: titanium white, yellow ochre, naples yellow light, magenta, french ultramarine, sap green, indigo and raw umber. I sometimes add and subtract just depending on the coat or eye color of the animal – but for the most part, that is my palette!
The indigo always extends the dry time – even with a medium to help dry faster, indigo is the slowest to dry. Since there is so much in her coat, it may take a couple of days for this underpainting to dry before I can proceed.
The next session will be the last – I will work the painting to completion and share the photo when she’s complete!
{9 Comments}
Very nice… She’s a sweetheart!
Oooo…I likey!
I’m curious as to why indigo takes extra time to dry. I never really thought about it but I would have figured that paint is paint is paint irregardless of the color. That is very interesting to me. Also, am I understanding correctly that the 8 colors you mentioned are the ones you use in mostly ALL your paintings? ..because I find it very interesting that you can create so much from those few selected colors. Hmmmmm…………
I’m guessing that indigo and other darker colors take longer to dry because they’re denser. But that’s just a guess on my part.
I always find your process intriguing, Leanne. Never fails to make me sit here slack-jawed.
The portrait alreday looks good, after the final session it will be amazing!
@Karen – Here’s some info on indigo, if you’re curious –
http://www.winsornewton.com/products/oil-colours/artists-oil-colour/colour-chart/indigo/
Because of the phthalocyanine, it is classified as a “medium drying” pigment (5 days to film). Since I use a medium to speed the dry time, it does dry faster – however, in most cases I use full strength color (very little medium) to get the darkest values possible, as it is my black.
:beret:
I’m going to absolutely love the background color on this! Wow!!!!! Leanne – she looks so sweet, this is another amazing portrait!
I can’t wait to have my fur family on the wall together!
It’s as if Taysia Blue knows something special is happening. She’s held her head a little higher and puffed up her chest a bit more this week…. it’s as if she’s saying, “I’m a special dog too, I’m having my portrait painted!”
lovely as always!!
Leanne, I think this one is pretty amazing already! :thumbsup:
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