Blocking in is the step after your sketch, in which the canvas is covered with flat shapes that indicate where elements will go, and what color or value they’ll be. Move past outlines into shapes. You can easily shift and change things around in the blocking in phase, because no investment has been made into details or precise colors, and the paint is thin. Blocking in is when your composition is built and refined. Do not go forward into refinements of color or details until the basic big areas of shapes are satisfying on the canvas as a whole. Think of it as building a house. This is the framework and drywall. You can’t hang curtains until the house is built. (Adapted from the George Bridgman quote: “Don’t think color’s going to do you any good. Or lovely compositions. You can’t paint a house until it’s built.”)
Most artists don’t use white in the blocking in process. If you use the white of the canvas for light colors, you won’t have to wait as long for your underpainting to dry. The paint is usually thin so this layer dries quickly and can be easily painted over with slightly thicker paint. Most of this layer will be covered, so blocking in is usually a fast process, often done with a big bristle brush. Traditionally, artists start with value, and chose one earth color like a burnt umber. Modern artists might choose a single bright complimentary color that will be exciting when seen peeking in between the next layers. Contemporary artists sometimes block in with multiple colors, like a patchwork quilt, but since color is so enticing this tends to be distracting for beginning painters who generally need to practice on seeing the composition and basic forms.
For oil painting, some artists block in using water based paints like casein or acrylic because they’re less expensive and they dry faster, allowing the artist to add the next layer within an hour. Don’t dilute your acrylics with more than 20% water unless you’re ok with your painting not be archival. On the other side, thick glossy acrylic paint may be too slick for the next layer to adhere to. Keep it thin, or lightly sand between layers.
You’re reading a V. Note, written by Ruthie V, the director of the Seattle Artist League. The League is an art school for the busy nurse, tech geek, and mom with a long lost art degree. We offer engaging online classes in drawing and painting. Join us! Find your class:https://www.seattleartistleague.com/product-category/d-online-classes/
Larry Seiler, reference photo
Larry Seiler, underpainting with casein
” img_size=”400 x 400
Terry Miura, blocked in
Terry Miura, finished
” img_size=”400 x 400
” img_size=”400 x 400 MORE EXAMPLES OF UNDERPAINTING, AND BLOCKING IN:
Patty Haller, block in with casein
Sandra Kavanaugh
JcSparks
Mitchell Albala
Kenneth Kershenson
Kevin Courter
How to block in an oil painting; demo video below by Bill Inman. Nearly-finished painting below. https://youtu.be/mec8AO0xcwk
Day 29 of our 30 Day Challenge was to transcribe a scene from a favorite movie or TV show. Some artists listed the shows they illustrated, some didn’t. Enjoy! This was posted as an infinity loop movie. Very clever! This was the second to last day of the challenge! Did you know this 30 Day …
A trace monotype is made by laying paper down on an inked piece of plexiglass, then drawing a design on the back of the paper. The drawing tool presses the paper against the ink, making a dark line on the front of the paper. There’s often a smudgy look made by fingerprints, and a shadowy …
[image_with_animation image_url=”9399″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Francis Bacon’s studio Where do you make art? I find looking at artist’s spaces just as interesting as looking at the artwork made there. In part, what I’m looking at when I look at art spaces is how people adapt their space to suit their needs (how the studio …
This is an incomplete post, more to come. Akio Takamori’s Sleepers [gallery ids=”4330,4331,4332,4333,4334,4335,4336,4337,4338,4339,4340,4341,4342,4343,4345,4346″ onclick=”link_no[divider line_type=”Full Width Line” custom_height=”30 From the Stranger: Seattle Artist Akio Takamori Has Died by Rich Smith • Jan 12, 2017 at 3:20 pm 1950-2017 JEN GRAVES Akio Takamori died of cancer on Wednesday night. As Jen Graves mentioned in a recent …
Blocking In
PAINTING TECHNIQUES TO GET YOU STARTED
Blocking in is the step after your sketch, in which the canvas is covered with flat shapes that indicate where elements will go, and what color or value they’ll be. Move past outlines into shapes. You can easily shift and change things around in the blocking in phase, because no investment has been made into details or precise colors, and the paint is thin. Blocking in is when your composition is built and refined. Do not go forward into refinements of color or details until the basic big areas of shapes are satisfying on the canvas as a whole. Think of it as building a house. This is the framework and drywall. You can’t hang curtains until the house is built. (Adapted from the George Bridgman quote: “Don’t think color’s going to do you any good. Or lovely compositions. You can’t paint a house until it’s built.”)
Most artists don’t use white in the blocking in process. If you use the white of the canvas for light colors, you won’t have to wait as long for your underpainting to dry. The paint is usually thin so this layer dries quickly and can be easily painted over with slightly thicker paint. Most of this layer will be covered, so blocking in is usually a fast process, often done with a big bristle brush. Traditionally, artists start with value, and chose one earth color like a burnt umber. Modern artists might choose a single bright complimentary color that will be exciting when seen peeking in between the next layers. Contemporary artists sometimes block in with multiple colors, like a patchwork quilt, but since color is so enticing this tends to be distracting for beginning painters who generally need to practice on seeing the composition and basic forms.
For oil painting, some artists block in using water based paints like casein or acrylic because they’re less expensive and they dry faster, allowing the artist to add the next layer within an hour. Don’t dilute your acrylics with more than 20% water unless you’re ok with your painting not be archival. On the other side, thick glossy acrylic paint may be too slick for the next layer to adhere to. Keep it thin, or lightly sand between layers.
You’re reading a V. Note, written by Ruthie V, the director of the Seattle Artist League. The League is an art school for the busy nurse, tech geek, and mom with a long lost art degree. We offer engaging online classes in drawing and painting. Join us! Find your class: https://www.seattleartistleague.com/product-category/d-online-classes/
” img_size=”400 x 400
” img_size=”400 x 400
” img_size=”400 x 400 MORE EXAMPLES OF UNDERPAINTING, AND BLOCKING IN:
How to block in an oil painting; demo video below by Bill Inman. Nearly-finished painting below. https://youtu.be/mec8AO0xcwk
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