This technique is one of the basics of oil painting. A glaze is a thin film of transparent paint laid over a thicker coat of paint. Become an experienced artist by conquering glazing!
What you need to know
To create your glaze, mix color with a dab of a special synthetic glaze medium. Avoid using linseed oil: it will be too liquid, making the colors run on the support.
1. To darken a color
A glaze is the perfect way to represent shaded areas: all you need to do is apply a thin layer of transparent paint over an earlier layer of the same color but lighter.
- Wait for the first layer to be perfectly dry.
- Make sure the color is transparent enough not to cover the under-layer.
2. To blend two colors
You can also blend colors through transparency.
How does that work?
- If the under-layer is blue, add a yellow glaze to get a bright green.
- If the under-layer is red, apply a thin layer of blue glaze to make it look purple.
3. Enriching an impasto
Applying an impasto glaze allows you to bring out the relief.
Give it a try! Apply a black glaze over a lightly colored impasto. Traces of the brush or palette knife will show very clearly. This is an ideal technique for suggesting stone or wood texture effects.
Recommended product:
XL® Oil and Acrylic
See also :
Oil painting
Oil: Preparing a support
