As difficult as it is to get painters to apply enough paint, it’s even harder to get them to take it back off again, unless they’re trying to rub out a mistake. The “Lift Up” or “Wipe Out” method is not for obliterating mistakes, it’s a fast way to shape light and dark values on the canvas. The brush loaded with dark paint makes dark shapes, the “Lift” makes light shapes. See?
The technique is simple: Once the canvas has been covered with a solid layer of dark or medium-dark paint, a lintless cloth or brush can be used to bring back the white of the canvas. The cloth or brush can be dry, or it can be dipped in a bit of odorless mineral spirits (for oil paint) or water (for acrylic paint). This method of painting is similar to watercolor in that the white surface supplies the primary light source, and produces a fresh and glowing effect. The wipe up technique is easy in oils, but it can also be used with acrylics if you’re quick.
Experiment 1: The Wipe Up method is great for underpaintings if you’re starting with thin paint (like the video below), or “alla prima” – painted in one sitting – if you’re starting with thick paint (like mine above).
Experiment 2: This technique has a very different look on white gessoed panel vs white gessoed canvas. Try both surfaces, and see what you like better.
Pictured at the top of this post: My 15 minute demo; a fast study of a self portrait by Eugene Carrier, a Wipe Out champion. For this demo, I used a blue shop towel and then a little titanium white for highlights and solidity.
Video Below: A demo from Georgetown Atelier, in Seattle. www.georgetownatelier.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I67UYK5y6s This has nothing to do with anything.
A lot of V. Note ideas wither because they are just one little thought or artwork, and I don’t have it in me to flush them out into a complete chapter. I’ve been thinking I should post more of these single notes. Here’s one: an automatic writing by Bruno Leyval. Automatic Writing/Drawing: writing or drawing produced without …
[image_with_animation image_url=”8071″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Drawings by Ruthie V. I received a very nice letter today. It’s about line, and how one League artist improved her quality of line – not by thinking about improving the quality of her line directly – but by checking in on her level of engagement with the drawing. …
I have been sharing works from Figure in Interior; the most unusual art class I’ve ever been a part of. I talked about Cezanne, and how making small marks distributed around the page (thank you to Fran O’Neill) can be a way to integrate time and change within a drawing. I talked about Kathy Paul and …
[image_with_animation image_url=”11536″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Sacred Shapes – Accordion Book Yesterday I posted Ralph Kiggell’s Temple Dogs series of woodblock prints, and quoted excerpts from his blog that described his process. Today I’m sharing his Sacred Shapes series of 12 woodblocks. They also have a simple concept, repeated in iterations, in which the subject is …
The “Wipe Out” Method
As difficult as it is to get painters to apply enough paint, it’s even harder to get them to take it back off again, unless they’re trying to rub out a mistake. The “Lift Up” or “Wipe Out” method is not for obliterating mistakes, it’s a fast way to shape light and dark values on the canvas. The brush loaded with dark paint makes dark shapes, the “Lift” makes light shapes. See?
The technique is simple: Once the canvas has been covered with a solid layer of dark or medium-dark paint, a lintless cloth or brush can be used to bring back the white of the canvas. The cloth or brush can be dry, or it can be dipped in a bit of odorless mineral spirits (for oil paint) or water (for acrylic paint). This method of painting is similar to watercolor in that the white surface supplies the primary light source, and produces a fresh and glowing effect. The wipe up technique is easy in oils, but it can also be used with acrylics if you’re quick.
Experiment 1: The Wipe Up method is great for underpaintings if you’re starting with thin paint (like the video below), or “alla prima” – painted in one sitting – if you’re starting with thick paint (like mine above).
Experiment 2: This technique has a very different look on white gessoed panel vs white gessoed canvas. Try both surfaces, and see what you like better.
Suggested Product:
Blue Shop Towels (from any hardware store)
My 15 minute demo; a fast study of a self portrait by Eugene Carrier, a Wipe Out champion. For this demo, I used a blue shop towel and then a little titanium white for highlights and solidity.
Video Below:
A demo from Georgetown Atelier, in Seattle. www.georgetownatelier.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I67UYK5y6s This has nothing to do with anything.
Ruthie teaches art classes at Seattle Artist League. Click here to sign up for drawing, painting, pottery, and more!
Related Posts
Automatic writing by Bruno Leyval
A lot of V. Note ideas wither because they are just one little thought or artwork, and I don’t have it in me to flush them out into a complete chapter. I’ve been thinking I should post more of these single notes. Here’s one: an automatic writing by Bruno Leyval. Automatic Writing/Drawing: writing or drawing produced without …
A Drawing is a Record of Your Engagement
[image_with_animation image_url=”8071″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Drawings by Ruthie V. I received a very nice letter today. It’s about line, and how one League artist improved her quality of line – not by thinking about improving the quality of her line directly – but by checking in on her level of engagement with the drawing. …
The Most Unusual Art Class; Madelaine Mimi Torchia Boothby
I have been sharing works from Figure in Interior; the most unusual art class I’ve ever been a part of. I talked about Cezanne, and how making small marks distributed around the page (thank you to Fran O’Neill) can be a way to integrate time and change within a drawing. I talked about Kathy Paul and …
Ralph Kiggell: Sacred Shapes
[image_with_animation image_url=”11536″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Sacred Shapes – Accordion Book Yesterday I posted Ralph Kiggell’s Temple Dogs series of woodblock prints, and quoted excerpts from his blog that described his process. Today I’m sharing his Sacred Shapes series of 12 woodblocks. They also have a simple concept, repeated in iterations, in which the subject is …