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Glazing Techniques for Oil

Glazing is the application of a thin, transparent layer of paint. Glazes are used on top of one another to build up depth, modify colors in a painting and to add texture. The actual application of a glaze is done with oil paints used alone or those that have been combined with linseed oil or glazing medium (poppy oil, too). The combination of oil/medium and the oil pigment gives a dilute intensity of color yet retains the original hue. When used alone, oils should be thinned to a near-wash consistency. This can be done with turpentine, medium or other thinner.

Glazes are very useful for paintings that contain translucent or "wispy" imagery. Glazing can also be very effective in creating a luminescence that cannot be duplicated in any other way. By laying on tone-on-tone in thin applications, you build up richness with depth that is reminiscent of the old masters work. The added sheen, texture and depth are worth the extra time it takes to do them. Oil paint gets its glow from the oils it contains, and the glassy quality allows the light to penetrate and reflect back to the eye a rich color.

You can apply a glaze in any color you wish, remembering that the eventual color with be darker than any single layer of paint would be. A glaze must be completely dry before another layer is applied on top. This enables the lower layers to be visible through successive glazing. If attempts are made to apply over a glaze that has not dried completely, the soft surface of the lower layer will combine with rather than support the new top layer.

Initial layers (up to two) of glazing should be thinned with turpentine or similar material. This represents the start of the "fat over lean" rule of oil painting. Lean (turpentine diluted color) is the foundation for future layers of paint that contain oil medium or what is called "fat." Lean layers dry much faster than those containing oil. If a lean layer is set over an oil-fat tone, the top layer will dry faster and create an uneven fit. The result can mean a shrinking top layer, a misfit of layers and eventual crazing or even flaking. These are not results that are pleasing. It is, however, a method of creating the aged, cracked finish used by furniture makers, one they call crackle.

The progression of colors should be from dark to light. This makes the subtle gradations of tone and the eventual richness of depth possible. Some artists who employ glazing in their work devise certain methods of color application that give a "signature" color hue to their work. Try experimenting with unusual base tones that generate lavish colors with underlying luminescence.

The brushes used to create glaze layers should be very good quality sable or faux-sable. The hair in these brushes should be smooth and fine so that each layer will lie flat and blend well rather than create ridges that will catch and unevenly dispense the next layer. The smoother a layer, the easier it will be to paint even, successive layers. With the quantity of oil and paint, better brushes will be able to apply the paint in micro-thin layers.

The painting surface onto which glazing is done should also be smooth. Claybord is perfect for glazing because it has a glass-smooth finish. If canvas is your choice, work to eliminate all thread "high and low" texture. Apply gesso to the surface in layers, each one crisscrossing the previous. Allow each layer to dry and sand after each. With five to ten layers of sanded gesso, the fabric texture will be smoothed to a flat, slick work surface. Wet sand the last two applications of gesso for a more glass-like finish.