As Promised, the next installment in the Flemish technique series on my recent Baronial Portrait.
The next stage was fine lining and refining the cartoon. In period the fine lining was done with a brush in umbre to solidify the lines of the cartoon transfer. I stuck to the period technique but expanded to add further tonality.
I then laid my Imprimatura, a thin glaze with raw sienna and a fat medium blend. The imprimatura sets the tone for the overall piece and can influence the colors, allowing them to harmonize better. It can change the influence of whites especially, toning them down. It seems unnecessary, but the color really made a difference and changes the surface as well.
After the imprimatura, I scaled back my medium to achieve a lighter medium blend rather than syrupy to solidify the tones ready to add color. Having a good tonal base really helps add depth to the work. I glazed it on with a high level of transparency to add to the tone. I chose a slight variation to the period technique (which i think is valid, but I haven’t found specific documentation yet) by adding ultramarine to add further tonal variation. Ultramarine over Umbre creates a great deep tone and using it to tone the whites instead added some interesting effects. I think the umbre would have been too opressive.
This ends Parte the Second, stay tuned for Parte the Thirde.. Colors!
