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Recorded Diffusion by Alexandra Pacula

JUNE/JULY 2013

Get Your Art into Local MediaPAGE 54

The National Arts Club

PAGE 61

Producing Giclée Prints

PAGE 68

Tips forOil Glazing

PAGE 48

Self-publishing StrategiesPAGE 12

JUN

E/JULY

2013

48 Professional Artist JUNE+JULY 2013

When I began painting many years ago, I used watercolors. They were easy to set up and enjoyable to use. These days I mostly paint in oils, but I use the same trusted technique that made my

watercolors glow — glazing. Glazing is the term used for the method of painting thin, transparent layers of paint on top of one another. Each consecutive, transparent glaze alters or intensi!es the color of the layers beneath it. When multiple glazes are used, the colors of all of the layers combine visually, yielding a clear, clean hue with a radiance and depth impossible to match by mixing pigments on a palette. "e glow emanates from light as it travels through all of the transparent layers of glaze and re#ects back o$ the canvas. "is makes a painting so vibrant it seems to be lit from within.

BY ORA SORENSEN

1 Tropical Fruit by Ora Sorensen. Oil on canvas, 46” x 46”. 2 Yellow Roses Blue and White Vase by Ora Sorensen. Oil on canvas, 48” x 36”. Copyright © Ora Sorensen. Used by permission of the artist.

PAINTING GLAZES

w!"

1 IN TROPICAL FRUIT, I

USED MANY LAYERS OF

GLAZE TO DEPICT THE HIGH

GLOSS OF THE YELLOW

GLASS BOWL, AND FEWER

LAYERS FOR THE FRUIT AS

THE SURFACE OF THE FRUIT

HAS LESS SHEEN. ON THE

FRUIT, I SCUMBLED LIGHT,

OPAQUE COLORS AFTER

THE FINAL GLAZE.

www.professionalartistmag.com 49

“I love the way glazes capture the

vibrancy and sizzle of light and shadow in my still life, and I fi nd the slow and

deliberate method of painting completely

enjoyable.

2 IN YELLOW ROSES BLUE AND

WHITE VASE, I USED MANY LAYERS

TO SHADE AND CONTOUR THE VASE

FOR A GLASSY APPEARANCE. BUT

FOR THE FLOWERS, I USED GLAZES

MOSTLY FOR CONTRAST AND ADDED

A LOT OF OPAQUE SCUMBLING TO

MAKE VELVETY PETALS.

50 Professional Artist JUNE+JULY 2013

!e controlled, gradual build up of layers of sheer colors also makes it possible to depict details that would be more di"cult with opaque paints. Glazing allows for subtle changes in value, hue and saturation. !is method of multiple glazes of oil paint can be time consuming, but it gives a painting an incandescent brilliance, and allows for the blending of many colors without making a painting appear muddy.

LET’S GLAZE All you need to glaze are pigments, a glazing medium, soft brushes, knowledge of color theory and patience.

Glazes are mixed using color pigments #oated into a glazing medium. For my glazing medium, I use Winsor & Newton Liquin, which is alkyd-based and formulated to speed up the drying rate of oil paint. It is a petroleum-based medium and should be used in a well-ventilated

studio. Liquin beautifully increases the #ow and transparency of the paint it’s mixed with, and it dries overnight when used with almost any color. You can also mix your own glazing medium, using 50 percent re$ned linseed oil and 50 percent turpentine.

I use a soft, #at bristle brush to apply my glazes. !e size of the brush depends on the size of the area being painted. I then use another dry brush, usually a soft and #u%y mop brush, to move around and feather the glazes. I have to wait until each glaze is completely dry, usually overnight, before adding another layer of color or the medium may tear o% the prior glaze or turn the color muddy. !is is when patience is truly a virtue.

Color theory is also important when you want to successfully use glazes in your painting. It will allow you to plan what colors will result from the application of the glazes. You will also need to know which paints are

1

4

2

5

www.professionalartistmag.com 51

transparent, semi-transparent and opaque (see list on Page 52). All of them can be used in glazing, but you’ll need to know how each one can be used.

For instance, when I use glazes in my paintings, I start by blocking in all of the objects with an opaque color, maybe yellow ochre. !en, I might begin with a glaze or two of transparent orange. After that, I put down a glaze of a darker color, like alizarin crimson. Next, I intensify the hue with an even darker red such as perylene red. !is is when the painting begins to glow. To add a deeper shadow or contrast, I may use the complementary color to the red, a transparent glaze of sap green.

For highlight areas, I paint a glaze using opaque colors, for instance, mixing some titanium white into the glazing medium and tinting it with a cool color. Always make sure each layer of glaze is completely dry before moving on to the next layer.

3

6

GLAZING DEMOFor my demonstration painting, I put together a few, simple objects with di"erent textures, such as the high gloss of the cup and the matte surface of the fabric.

STEP 1 I start with a set up of vÀÕ�ÌÃ]�y�ÜiÀÃ�>�`�>�ÀiyiV-Ì�Ûi��L�iVÌ]�ÃÕV��>Ã�>�VÕ«�>�`�saucer, which I think is visually ��ÌiÀiÃÌ��}°���>�Ã��>ÀÀ>�}i`�iÛiÀÞÌ���}��ÕÌ`��ÀÃ����LÀ�}�Ì�ÃÕ���}�Ì�Ì��V>«ÌÕÀi�Ì�i�`ii«�Ã�>`�ÜÃ�>�`�LÀ�}�Ì���}���}�ÌÃ�that I like to paint.

STEP 2 ���>�i�>�`iÌ>��i`�`À>Ü��}�`�ÀiVÌ�Þ����Ì�i�V>�Û>Ã]�using a No. 2 pencil. The more problems I solve at this stage, the more relaxing the painting process will be later.

STEP 3�/��ÃiÌ��À�wÝ�Ì�i�«i�V���`À>Ü��}�>�`��ii«��Ì�vÀ���smearing into the oil paint, ��Ü>Ã��>�Ì�����>ÞiÀ��v�Ì��Ìi`�}iÃÃ���ÛiÀ�Ì�i�`À>Ü��}°��v���Ü>�Ì�Ã��i��L�iVÌÃ�Ì��ÃÌ>�`�out, I will use white gesso only on those objects, such as the «i>À�>�`�y�ÜiÀ°�/�i�Ü��Ìi� area will shine through the sub-ÃiµÕi�Ì��>ÞiÀÃ��v�����«>��Ì�>�`�make that part of the painting �Õ�«��ÕÌ°�/�i�Ì��i`�«>ÀÌ��v�Ì�i�V>�Û>Ã�Ü����ÀiVi`i�L>V��into the composition, which will help unify the rest of the piece.

STEP 4 When I begin painting the main subject matter, I block in all of the objects with thin opaque colors. I use Winsor & iÜÌ�����µÕ���>Ã�>��i`�Õ�]�which changes the consistency �v�Ì�i�����«>��Ì�`À>�>Ì�V>��Þ�>�`�`À�iÃ��ÛiÀ��}�Ì�Ã����Ü����Li�Ài>`Þ�Ì��Li}���}�>â��}�Ì�i�v��-lowing morning.

STEP 5 After the base colors �>Ûi�V��«�iÌi�Þ�`À�i`]���ÕÃi�ÛiÀÞ�Ì����ÌÀ>�ë>Ài�Ì�}�>âiÃ��v�oil paint to intensify the colors, }�Û��}�>``i`�`i«Ì�°��Ì�>�Ã��strengthens the contrast. To �>�i��Þ�}�>âiÃ]���ÕÃi���µÕ��]�Ì��Ìi`�Ü�Ì������«>��Ì°�1Ã��}�ÌÀ>�ë>Ài�Ì�V���ÀÃ]���«>��Ì�`>À�-iÀ�Ì��iÃ�>�`�V���ÀÃ��ÛiÀ���}�ÌiÀ�ones, which will make an object }��Ü°�1Ã��}��«>µÕi�V���ÀÃ�v�À�>�}�>âi]��À�«ÕÌÌ��}���}�ÌiÀ�V���ÀÃ��ÛiÀ�`>À�iÀ���iÃ�Ü����«À�`ÕVi�>�y>ÌÌiÀ]���Ài��>ÌÌi������p����i�the look of a peach or velvet fabric. At this stage, I often use a rag or cotton swab to wipe out some paint for highlights or to smooth color transitions.

STEP 6 ���>``�`ii«�Ã�>`-�ÜÃ�>�`���}���}�ÌÃ��>ÃÌ]�ÕÃ��}�i�Ì�iÀ�>�}�>â��}�ÌiV���µÕi��À�>�`ÀÞ�LÀÕÃ��ÌiV���µÕi°�/��Ã�is one of my favorite parts of the painting, when everything seems to come alive. I love how Ã�>`�ÜÃ�>�`���}�Ì�«�>Þ]�>�`���Ü�>�Þ��L�iVÌ���«>��Ì�Ü����ÃÕ``i��Þ�Ãii��LÀ�}�ÌiÀ�Ü�i���ÌÃ�Ã�>`�Ü��Ã�«�>Vi`�Li�i>Ì���Ì�>�`�>�LÀ�}�Ì���}���}�Ì��Ã�`>Ã�i`�����ÌÃ�ÃÕÀ-v>Vi°�1����i�Ì�i�ÛiÀÞ�Ì�����>ÞiÀÃ��v�«>��Ì���ÕÃi�v�À�Ì�i�Ã�>`�ÜÃ]���use some thick globs of paint for Ì�i���}���}�Ìð�/��w��Ã���vv�Ì�i�painting, I scumble some color on, or perhaps just apply thick paint with one quick stroke.

52 Professional Artist JUNE+JULY 2013

COLORS FOR GLAZINGNot all paint manufacturers state on their paint tubes whether the paint is transparent, semi-transparent or opaque. The degree of transparency of each color will vary between manufacturers as well. But through practice, you will learn how `�vviÀi�Ì�«�}�i�ÌÃ�Li�>Ûi�>�`�w�`� your favorites.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite glazing colors:

TRANSPARENT/SEMI-TRANSPARENT COLORS: alizarin crimson, aureolin yellow, cobalt violet, davy’s grey, indian yellow, indigo blue, olive green, payne’s grey, permanent rose, perylene red, sap green, thalo blue, thalo green, transparent orange, ultramarine blue and viridian green

OPAQUE COLORS: cadmium orange, cadmium oxide green opaque, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, cerulean blue, chrome titanate yellow, titanium white and yellow ochre

“ The glow emanates from light as it travels through all of the transparent layers of glaze and reflects back off the canvas. … it seems to be lit from within.

TIPS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR GLAZINGThe more medium you add to your pigment, the more transparent it will become. However, be careful not to overdilute your glazes.

Become familiar with which manufac-tured pigments are transparent and opaque, since each yields a different type of glaze.

Adding a darker glaze over a lighter one will make an object glow. Putting lighter colors over darker ones will make an object appear duller.

Using semi-transparent or opaque pigments for a glaze will result in >�y>ÌÌiÀ]�V���iÀ�>�`���Ài��>ÌÌi�look. This is because the opacity of the paint blocks some of the light vÀ���ÀiyiVÌ��}��vv�Ì�i�V>�Û>ð���ÕÃi�opaque glazes to create the texture of peach or velvet fabric.

��}i�iÀ>��Þ�w�`��̽Ã�LiÃÌ�Ì��«>��Ì�light-to-dark and warm-to-cool when glazing to produce the maximum luminosity.

Of course, you’ll need to experiment to !gure out the best combinations of glazing that will work in your paintings.

"e process of glazing is always so enjoyable for me. I like the gradual method of slowly adding color, depth and details to my paintings, and I love the incredible luminosity achieved from many layers of transparent and translucent glazes. With glazing, the painting process is relaxing and meditative, and the !nished result is a painting that glows like stained glass. PA

Ora Sorensen (OraSorensenArt.com) was born in New York but grew up overseas in such countries as Libya, Turkey, Iran, Holland and Thailand. Her paintings are collected worldwide and have been shown in numerous exhibitions.

Tropical Bouquet by Ora Sorensen. Oil on canvas, 48” x 36”. Copyright © Ora Sorensen. Used by permission of the artist.