Portrait painting tutorial, glazing grisaille
This film is the 1st of 4 short films shot over approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, showing the 1st glaze over a grisaille underpainting.
I paint portraits to commission and wanted to share the painting process I go through when painting the first glaze over a grisaille underpainting. The grisaille technique is a very rewarding method to use when oil painting portraits.
The grisaille is painted in Ivory Black and Titanium White and is allowed to dry before applying the first glaze.
I will usually paint another 5 or 6 glazes of oil paint over the first glaze, but for clarity I am only showing the first glaze as the same principles apply for all the subsequent glazes.
Glazing oil paint is a magical process, and very practical for a portrait painter, as 90% of the drawing is already completed, and very beautiful effects can be created with glazes over the top of this ‘grisaille’ or grey layer.
I am learning this technique because when I am commissioned to paint portraits in oils I want to keep the process as efficient as possible, but as I said very beautiful results can be achieved when doing it.
