ARTTalk - Glazing Techniques Oil painters often employ the use of transparent layers of color

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OILS

Glazing Techniques

Oil painters often employ the use of transparent layers of color to create depth, richness and the special luminescence that was characteristic of many old master oil paintings. Aqua media is much more spontaneous, has a wider range of premixed colors, and is very portable; but for the oil loving purist, none of the qualities begins to equal the "royal" status of oil paints. Simply put, there is no way to get the luscious luminosity of oil paints, the building of color on color and the softness, except with oil paints. When old masters mixed all of their own paints and colors were limited, oil glazes were vital for conditioning the canvas, for helping to tone areas, to bring colors in alignment with other parts of the work, to give depth, and to brighten and enrich the overall look of the work.

As defined in The Artist's Handbook, glazing refers to "a thin transparent layer of oil color of a darker value applied over either an opaque or transparent layer of oil under painting of a lighter value." In the process of laying the darker, transparent layer over the lighter, opaque color, there is a blending of tones. This blended tone can often be achieved with a single thin glaze of transparent color or may require more than one layer of transparent tone. Each layer may be a different tone/color and may add more luminosity to the completed painting than any single layer can achieve.

In certain situations, it might be necessary to combine a bit of the opaque material (tempera or oil paint) with the transparent glaze mix. This effects a more cloudy or "thicker" looking glaze and is especially well suited for covering garish color or color too dominant for the remainder of the work. It is not mixed in such proportions as to overpower the under-painted tone, but does act more severely in calming the color down and tying to the rest of the work. A single layer of glaze can be used to even the overall tone of an oil painting.

Not to be confused with a varnish or other topical treatment for long-term protection of an oil, glazing is an actual painterly technique and is well accepted and embraced by most serious oil aficionados. And contemporary use of oil glazes can include the use of spot glazing, rather than overall glazing.

Glazes are not simply thinned oil paints. Much of the original character and body of the oil color used to create the tone is still within the thinned paint. The medium used will help determine the finished "feel" of the surface, but turpentine and paint mixed together is not a true glaze. Such mixtures are often used as preliminary washes on fresh canvas prior to laying on any full-strength oil color, but the washes lack the vibrancy of a glaze.

Areas to consider when oil glazing is part of your plan include the quality of medium used in the creation of your glaze. Good quality linseed oil (stand oil) is a favorite with professionals because of the glossy and transparent possibilities. It dries to an enamel-like finish. But for some artists, linseed oil may be too slow drying or may impart too much sheen. In such a case, a fast-drying medium, such as an alkyd medium, might help. Alkyd mediums dry with far less luster than stand oil. All brands of paint have mediums and oil additives that work best with their paint formulas, but testing will help you create your own glaze palette.

Some oils can yellow over time. If this would not complement your work, consider use of a wax glaze or a specially formulated glaze medium. New wax mediums add translucency to oil paints, making them more brilliant, and can be used to create lively glazes as well. These mediums offer the added benefit of being an outstanding permanent topical treatment (applied after the recommended oil painting drying time of about six months). At the appropriate time, simply brush on the wax medium, remove any excess with a soft cloth and lightly buff the surface to a low gloss finish. The wax can be thinned with turpentine for lighter application.

Oil glazing works best on more "solid" grounds such as sized canvas, canvas panels or ClayBord and does not function as desired on paper or illustration board. Super-absorbent surfaces decrease workability or color layering, and their dry surface does not give the sheen that is most often achieved with oil glazing methods. Canvas paper can be used if the layering is done lightly and the areas are not scrubbed or overworked.

Any oil color can be combined with a chosen medium to create a glaze. Layering of several colors allows for subsequent details to be laid over existing details as well as tones to make any oil painted surface more luminescent.

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