I have decided to give an account of where I have left off in examining the painting techniques and completing a painting using these methods. Unfortunately, by the time I was ready to do a large and significant picture in the manner of Velazquez, I had open heart surgery which took months to recover from. Also, my eyesight was being tremendously affected by cataracts which I have scheduled for removal. On top of all this, I came down with virulent flu in the middle of painting the portrait for this project which put me down for over 3 weeks.
Since, as was mentioned in the previous articles, Velazquez would create portraits in one sitting, painting wet on wet and beginning with a tinted canvas. You can refer back to the other articles here and here and here. I am including in this article essentially raw images of the major steps to the point where I left off. However, this is not the final article. I am not averse to starting all over and doing it again and again until satisfied. I will be doing the same portrait again now that I am better and even though my eyesight is not corrected. In the meantime…
I began by covering a canvas with a tint made from burnt sienna and Van Dyke brown mixed with a little linseed oil and turpentine.
Tinted Ground Before Removing Excess.
I then removed the excess tint to the point I sought.
Ground After Removing Excess by Towel.
While the canvas was still rather wet, I began drawing the portrait with Van Dyke brown directly from the tube.
The Image Sketched with Van Dyke Brown.
The Image Sketched with Van Dyke Brown.
The palette I used was very limited, consisting of burnt sienna, titanium white, mars black, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium red hue, and Van Dyke brown.
I began layering in solid colors, leaving some areas exposed to the tinted ground.
Adding in Solid Colors.
The Process Continues.
The remaining images show the layering of solids as some areas get built up.
This is where I left off. Using the same palette, I will try another canvas to the point of completion. If I were simply doing a portrait, I would complete this one by laying more layers and finishing the likeness and surfaces. I may do that but I will put this one aside and start another in the manner of Velazquez in one sitting.
Hopefully, this picture is not like the Requiem from the movie Amadeus!
HBosler
Self-Portrait, Oil on Canvas.
Howard Bosler Artist 