Have you ever looked at a painting and felt like it was appealing and had emotions in it? It’s like looking deeply into something due to the impressiveness of the brightness. This is not just an easy oil painting methodology; the glazing oil painting is an artist’s secret weapon. I remember vividly the first time I learned about using a glazing technique, I was crafting a sunflower still life. First time I remember everything I placed in that order at a transparent base layer for the paint. Like someone turned on a light in a partially dark room. Hues that previously looked oppositely dimension were starting to come to life with a closer look. Then the petals began to radiate and the shadows looked richer than anything I thought I could accomplish. The procedure of glazing also means painting oil paint of thin film ranges evenly above oil paint underlayer which is expired. This makes for gradual building of the color and depth without wacking a thick layer of paint in all at once. The special thing about glazing is that with it, you can add complexity into your work and dimension turning a simple drawing into something totally different.
Glazing techniques can add a unique quality to your work no matter if you are in the process of oil painting for the first time or have been engaging with it for multiple years.
What Are Glazing Techniques in Oil Painting?
Glazing techniques are also oil painting related, so what does it mean?
This is the application of a layer of thin paint over a dry layer of paint, which can be said to be using paint in a less brutal manner.
It’s similar to covering an already ornate dress with a somewhat sheer veil: the dress stays stylish while the added layer makes it better.
These transparent paints must be layered to gain a depth, version, and even light that cannot be gotten from opaque alone.
I remember the first time I was glazing, I was surprised that a single layer of paint could completely change the portrait.
This is magic!
As history records, Rembrandt and Vermeer were also glazing painters as it gives that particular effect.
They used to elegantly layer them to skin tones and fabrics that full of light which inspires many up until now.
Indeed to this day, ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ by Vermeer is an interesting example of a painting that is naturally glazed.
The soft bright skin as well as the dark shades that accent the painting itself are examples of how layering can enhance the qualities of chiaroscuro.
Why Use Glazing Techniques?
Why would you want to include glazing techniques in your painting practice then, if I may ask?
It’s possible to transform a dull-looking and plain painting into a stunning one by vigorous painting. Rembrandt’s The Night Watch is an example of a masterpiece of art. The Night Watch is full of layers of glazing and amazing brushworks which aid in vividly bringing out the figures of the painting. To me, Buried deep within my mind was a newfound marvel called glazing. There’s a moment that stands out in my memory, once I started painting the landscape. My imagination was muted and lacking motivation and inspiration, hence the initial colors I picked appeared dull and underwhelming. This certainly changed during the process of glazing where I gradually built colors starting from warm yellow and cool blue. While painting, the water glistened and appeared as if it was acting in the presence of sunlight while the trees were painted in vibrant green colors. Everything around me was acting as a great reminder to me that painting is not merely about pigment and canvas, but interestingly enough, painting creates an experience. Three things are essential when glazing. One of them Being Brushes. The type of brush you’re using can certainly change the entire experience. The synthetic flap brushes are the best from my experience and they are soft to touch which is a plus. They are a great ideal for putting together light and smooth strokes that avoid being rough. They will do the trick!
As a flat brush allows me to cover a wider area. I usually prefer installing rounded brush for finer detailing.
In my opinion, it all boiles down to how well a person is able to adjust the different appliances according to their requirements and their personal needs.
Mediums
Let’s move onto the next part.
With oil paint, one can create glazes by adding a medium.
Some of the well known mediums include oil, glaze mediums, stand oil, for instance. Linseed oil is one of the mediums that serves best for glazing and I advise beginners to use this.
All it takes is consistency and effort to master the techniques required and not too much oil in the paint to attain that clarity and secured coverage.
To assess the impact what other mediums have on glazes one can get an idea by using a few of them. The mediums can aid you polish your works to different levels of glaze.
Palette and Canvas Preparation
Let’s now address the issue of preparation.
Also, as preparing the palette needed for glazing is not enough, the colors need to be orderly and clean as well, allowing a more effective blending of glazes.
For that purpose, I usually make it a point to have a small palette knife to bear close in hand.
Also ensure that your canvas is well prepared.
Having a well prepped canvas can change the entire process.
Before starting the process, I suggest that you spread some gesso on the surface that guarantees smooth execution as a first step.
And this would help the glazes bind properly and achieve the desired effect.
Well, the first time I did it, I had a bad experience. I found out that the layering structure is difficult to achieve when the surface is uneven.
Trust me, a little preparation makes a significant difference!
Beginner’s Guide To Glazing Techniques
But before plunging into the shimmering glaze world, let’s paint first – gently – and this now enters us into the elaborate issue of, wait for it, underpainting.
Gaze at your underpainting as the very backbone of your artwork.
It sets everything up in a manner that serves your piece in the best possible way.
Gosh, it never struck me just how crucial an aspect underpainting is, the entire layering process just wouldn’t work without it!
In fact, looking back, I felt that the logic sounded better and more genuine than what even my well considered glazing design was, Review attempts 1 and 2 were pretty from me.
The ideal underpainting is done with a single color: this way you can create basic values while still only using one color.
Not only does this assist you concentrate better on the light source and the shadows needed, but it also offers a solid surface for the glazes to adhere to.
For one, just a hint of a burnt umber or ultramarine blue will change everything for the better!
When dried, this type of frenetic underpainting serves as a construction layer for your future glazes, ensuring that you maintain that crucial outline structure.
Step 2: Mixing Glaze
Now Kareem, since we have successfully established a base, let’s add a glaze to it!
Having to glaze your nails doesn’t sound like exactly flattering, but it’s quite straightforward to do.
A safe approach is to use a 1:1 ratio of the oil medium and paint.
That preliminary concentration permits the color to be seen while still allowing moderate transparency.
Please use discretion in altering the ratio due to the results which might differ slightly due to it.
To achieve a more translucent appearance consider making it a two to one ratio of medium to paint.
And just like with paint, you need to be aware of the surfaces being glazed if the colors would be alright.
For example, combining a cool glaze over a warm underpainting would add an extra layer of contrast.
I remember vividly that during my formative years as a painter, I made the classic mistake of using the wrong colour smear to glaze, which resulted in dulling my piece.
Don’t forget to experiment! You may want to test your mixtures on a leftover canvas even before using them on your artwork.
Step 3: Application
Now this is the best part, applying your glaze!
This step requires a bit of care as well as a gentler touch.
Lightly brush on your glaze so that you don’t disturb your old painting underneath. Use a large, flat brush for this.
Work while applying the glaze from one end of the painting to the other, the glaze should be applied in thin even layers.
It is the beauty of glazing as an art that it is done in layers, and each layer only adds to the artistry.
One personal tip I’ve picked up along the way is to keep a clean brush handy to soften the rough edges of any harsh lines created by the glaze.
This method ensures smooth edges without the use of pencil for example, and keeps the edges soft.
Try using multiple brush strokes, such as ‘stippling’, which involves pushing or poking the tip of the brush against the canvas and twirling it to make random dots. Scumbling is the opposite of stippling. Or even try gently wiping a cloth over your canvas.
Step 4: Building Layers
This level of glazing is perfect, but remember patience is the main key here.
Building layers, as we all know, is a time-consuming activity but at the end it is worth it!
Every painting you do along with multi layers should be allowed to thoroughly dry before the next activity.
Never ever give in to the temptation to hurry, I cannot stress this point enough.
I distinctly recall a landscape painting that I did where I spent far too much effort layering only to lead to tan colors that completely blurred the painting.
Rest assured, in my book, all efforts made in the long run will definitely be worthwhile.
With every premise layer, you would feel the thickness and richness of the color or the paint firming up further.
Step 5: The Final Elementary Aspects
The minimal touches that have to be made after the glazing is simpler to perform than the rest.
After that, it’s best to observe and evaluate your painting.
Pinpoint the areas you think will be painted lighter and deeper and apply the last light glaze to those areas.
This adds visual interest to the overall view and gives everything some balance.
If you apply a final neutral glaze after using several colors in your glaz ing it will help unify the pattern making sure that the colors do not look out of place.
In my own experience, this step often makes the difference between a good painting and a great one!
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Glazing
Glazing has the potential of improving your work but you should know that some things are easy to screw up and if you are a beginner it is even easier.
By considering the following often encountered issues and how to advance them:, one can be shielded from getting caught up in the frequent traps.
Applying ‘Too Thick’ A Glaze:
A glaze should not be opaque. Thus, do not fill your brush with too much paint.
Solution: Apply glazing in a finer coat and add more layers.
Not Waiting For The Previous Layer To Dry:
Lack of patience during the layering process will inevitably produce muddy colors.
Solution: Simply wait for a few minutes before going to the next layer.
Selecting Irrelevant Colors:
The use of glaze can easily tone down the body of your artwork if not done properly.
Solution: Ensure to conduct an experiment on a piece of canvas that has not been used.
Irregular Patterns:
A complexion of your glaze can be spoiled by the patchy brush strokes.
Solution: Strive for slight uniformity by utilizing soft, flat brushes with easy appliques.
Overlooking The Underpainting:
An inadequate underpainting can threaten the effects of glazing while being easy to create.
Solution: Devote further than a couple of minutes to painting under the glaze.
Once you pay attention to the errors which need to be avoided as well as apply the suggestions offered, you will be closer to becoming an expert in the field of oil painting realism!
Questions About Glazing Techniques in Oil Painting
Which medium is best for glazing?
The medium used is also a key factor when it comes to glazing in oil painting.
My favorite is Liquin or linseed oil, which provides for nice, even, transparent finishes.
Liquin helps cut down the time for drying which is ideal for layered glazes because it helps avoids long eons of waiting in between rounds.
In contrast to that, linseed oil allows more time to play around with the work, hence allowing more blending to happen if that is the effect that is desired.
Some newer mediums developed for glazing, however, maintain transparency and light viscosity while facilitating easy control— Galkyd is one such excellent choice for new users.
How long do you have to wait between glaze layers?
Patience is the best virtue for a painter but one of the hardest qualities to master.
Back in the day, when I was a beginner at glazing, I used to load multiple layers on myself thinking it will speed up the process of completing my work.
Mistake of this magnitude is unforgivable!
The moment you do not allow the glaze to dry thoroughly before adding another coat, you make a mistake.
Depending on the type of medium you are using, this could take a day to a few days.
If you’re utilizing something like Liquin medium, you need to wait a single day.
On the other extreme slab, linseed oil might take up to three and more days.
Let me emphasize once again, to prevent muddiness in colors and achieving desired intensity for each layering that you will constantly be doing, waiting is very important.
Can glazing techniques be used when painting with acrylics?
Sure!
Although glazing is mainly attributed to oil painting, it is possible to use it with acrylic yes.
To begin with, acrylics would work well for the glazing method since they dry fast, so you do not need to wait nearly as long in between layering as you would with oils.
The first ingredient is a glazing medium specially made for acrylics, buy one. It thins the thickness of the paint but keeps the coverage great.
One of the ones I have used and loved is Golden’s Acrylic Glazing Liquid.
Just wine more note of caution, do not underestimate the needier for oils to dry longer than acrylics.
How can you tell if your glaze is going to be too thick or thin?
Remember, consistency is achieved mostly through practice and experience. Only a handful of kiln operators have a precise ratio in mind and glaze them perfectly in a kiln.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for a consistency that is slightly thicker than water. It should still be effective, but it should not be so dense that it distorts the color.
Glazes that are too viscous will lose those lovely transparent glazes and hide the under painting much more than glaze made to the correct viscosity.
When I use too thin of a glaze it just becomes more of a stain than a glaze. Which is a simple transition for a painting.
Barrett pointed out that priming flat white with his outline of pencil on a scrap canvas or paper also helps.
Which pigments work well when glazing?
When it comes to layering colour and then glazing over, there are colours which do give the best results.
I think pigments that are transparent are best lives.
My go-to pigments are phthalo blue, viridian green, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson.
These colors work so well because they are what the glazing climate likes.
Glazing, in my opinion, is mainly a technique that eases the application of opaque mediums, more specifically, cadmium red or titanium white. These types of glazes cover the underpainting too much and therefore don’t assist as much for glazing.
When working with transparent colors, you should try to incorporate them as they are able to bring a whole new level of depth and richness to your work!
Conclusion
In conclusion, if applied correctly, glazing techniques would have a gargantuan impression on your oil paintings that you would have considered to be unfathomable.
Furthermore, they create outstanding depth and luminosity that would heighten the visual appeal of even the most basic composition.
Additionally, the glowing effect that I truly enjoy when it comes to glazing, almost makes it seem as though the entire masterpiece comes to life from within, which is amazing as it gives you the opportunity to create more subtle layers of color.
Portraits, landscapes, and still lifes are just a few genres where I have used glazing. Every time, without fail, there is a prominent addition to the end result which is surprising!
In the artwork of yours that I have encouraged you to experiment with glazing, do you remember?
The process itself should not be rushed, and there is no reason to be hesitant in testing out new colors or mediums.
Glazing is a great way to try out new techniques in your art, as it broadens your options and makes your paintings more dimensional. Always remember that art is a journey.
There’s this one episode in a particular series that depicts a character spraying six applications of glaze over a single canvas while still turning all the other elements within the image to look as though they were radiating in the dim atmosphere, and boy, was that a game changer!
Now, assemble your tools, combine those glazes and discover what you are able to manifest.
Enjoy your painting!
