Highlighting Problems: Use Monochromatic Underpaintig

I have people write to me about problems with highlighting at the end of the painting. With the WSO's, no matter how opaque the paint, the highlights still dull down from the influence of the color below the highlight. I've adjusted for it by laying down a small amount of titanium white as the highlight and then glazing over that. Te titanium white is very opaque so it works well.

I just came across an article that has another solution which you may be interested in if you are having the same problem. She demonstrates a painting of a still life by doing a monochromatic painting as the under painting and following it with multiple color glazes.

Here is the link to it.

http://sockii.hubpages.com/hub/creating-a-classical-still-life-oil-painting#lastcomment5068092

Thanks, Judy - very informative.

You're welcome, Jan. I think the way she did it is a good idea, but I have such a hard time painting in monochromatic values. I't probably something to work on.

The painting I did of the one Tiare flower was done with her method and while I like the end result, it took forever. However, I learned a lot doing it that way.

I think the time factor is one of the things that bother me. I hate re-doing things no matter what they are. It almost feels like painting the same thing twice using her method. One advantage of painting digitally is that you can paint in color but then de-saturate it temporarily to see how you gray values balance.

judyfilarecki wrote:

I think the time factor is one of the things that bother me. I hate re-doing things no matter what they are. It almost feels like painting the same thing twice using her method. One advantage of painting digitally is that you can paint in color but then de-saturate it temporarily to see how you gray values balance.

I so agree! I got so bored with the Tiare flower painting! The only saving grace was watching it come alive with the glazes. I have to say that I can see a difference in the paintings using that method and it is for the better. I'm just not sure how many people appreciated the time and effort in this day and age though.

Hey Jan,
I just started my August Painter's club assignments and guess what they are; still life value paintings. I can't believe I am having so much fun with them. I'll post them in the Digital Art Section.

I saw them and am excited for you!