Posts Tagged ‘Rembrandt’

What is a Glaze?

Monday, October 31st, 2011


Layers layers layers. Did you know? many of my paintings, especially oil paintings, have layer upon layer of pigment and glazes. Each painting can take many hours,weeks even months to complete.

What is a Glaze?
A glaze combines two or more transparent layers of paint, which have been applied over an opaque underpainting. Each transparent layer builds on the ones under them, creating new colors and added richness depth and interest to a piece.

Rembrandt would paint in layers, building from the back of the painting to the front, by using coats of glazes. He would use at least 15 layers of transparent glazes in many of his paintings. That is why they seem to glow and emerge from the darkness of the background.

A few good sites to find out how to create glazes in your paintings
http://painting.about.com/od/oilpainting/a/glazing_FAQ.htm
http://painting.about.com/od/oilpainting/a/Glazing_Tips.htm
http://painting.about.com/od/oilpainting/a/GeraldD_glazing.htm

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