Hi all. I have been a bit quiet lately, so thought I would show a painting that I am working on as a study to practice and learn some classical oil painting techniques. I started this using a burnt umber Grisaille and all my colour has been applied so far using glazes. I pushed myself with the Grisaille and forced myself to slow down and try to correct the values before pressing on with the glazes. Really enjoying the glazing though. Every bit I do brings it more and more in the right direction and the uniform colours are really popping! Very pleased with what I am learning with this one. Hope you like it.
Hi James! Wow!!! That is awesome! Very regal. I love how you did the shirt sleeves. I had to look up “grisaille”, it’s very interesting, I really like it, I think you did a fantastic job! I am new to a lot of forms of art, I really didn’t know you could glaze with oils!
Thanks DCam80! The uniform is a Napoleonic French cavalry trooper called a Carabinier. He would have fought on horseback as a member of the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was finally defeated in the 100 days campaign at the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium 1815. I can’t take credit for the pose. That’s all Gericault’s work, but I find it helps to do a copy so I am just concentrating on a technique that I am learning.
Thanks Frances. Matt has a number of oil painting videos which show the process for a Grisaille and Glazing really clearly. I felt quite nervous about the glazing, but I don’t know why as the glazing itself is pretty simple. It’s getting the Grisaille right that’s the tricky bit and trying to think how it will look once the glazing is done. That isn’t easy, but feel more confident now I have done some. All good practice!
I think your piece is really great. I have to say that I’m not ready to try too many new techniques with painting at the moment. But every time I look at a beautiful oil painting like yours, I just want to break my oils out again and try! The only oils I’ve done in the past were following Bob Ross. It was fun, but at some point I want to break away from those landscapes and do something with that glazing technique. The Grisaille is very interesting, and this is the first time I’ve heard of it so thank you!
Thanks so much for the information.
Super informative.
I love learning something about history along with seeing some wonderful art so thank you for sharing.
Your welcome. If you like history here is another military painting, that is mine and Matt did a fantastic critique of for me. The model is my brother and the uniform is of a French Infantryman 1854 wearing the uniform they wore whilst fighting in the Crimean War, allied with the British Army against the Russian army.
This was painted a good year and half ago now, but I still like it, although I am sure if I did it again I would be able to improve it. https://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/members-minute-6-12-19/
Very pleased with what I am learning with this one. Hope you like it.
Definitely concentrating on a few techniques and then moving on to another is the best way.