Painting with Oils (part 2)
Techniques associated with oil painting are as varied as the colors available.
- Preliminary – an artist may start with a sketch in pencil or paint
- Underpainting – the canvas is coated with a solid color that may or may not be revealed by the artwork itself
- Impasto – thickly applied paint providing a rich textural surface
- Glazing – thin films of color are applied with a soft brush to achieve richness and tonality
- Scumbling – freely brushed dry or nearly dry paint over a colored background
- Chiaroscuro – utilizing strong light and shadows
- Staining – freely applied thinned oil paint to unprimed canvas
- Stippling – building up areas of color with small marks
Putting all of this together with the variety of materials allows an artist to create a work of art that will last through the generations.