Bring on the Water

I started glazing the work today. I talked a little about the process in my previous post, but here are some specifics on my approach for this work.

As the whole idea of the painting is the parting of the Red Sea, where God let Israel cross over dry land, I want to impart a sense of motion and urgency to the scene. To produce this effect, I am carrying the clear glazes from the waves into the sea floor exposed between. I hope this course will tie both elements together, emphasizing the clearing of the water to reveal a distinctly temporary path.

Process, part one.
I started by dusting the textured peaks with a metallic silver to bring out the highlights. Each consecutive glaze darkens the underpainting a little, so the reflective qualities of the paint help the colors show brighter in these areas.


The dusted peaks before the first glaze.

Following that, I covered the entire canvas with a clear coat to isolate the underpainting from the colors to be added. The clear acts in a manner similar to the glass in a mirror, creating a space between the surface and the reflective base. The first glaze was done with a highly-thinned wash to add some depth to the low areas of texture. When glazing in this manner, I often start with colors that cover the largest area. The later the stage, the more detailed my work becomes.


A light wash of color for the first layer.

The canvas has more tooth in it at the start, so is more sensitive to brush strokes. I try to work an area as little as possible to prevent duplicate layers from forming due to the rapid drying time.

In the "What ever happened to..." Category:
If you have young kids, you may remember Steve Burns from Blues Clues. He has since moved on to "better things." What "better things" might someone do after serving time on a children's show? Well, wonder no more!