R58 Raven, Woman, Jar of Snails

R58 Raven, Woman, Jar of Snails

12 x 12" oil on panel

private collection (sold)

A test sketch to try brown oil paint in place of the Payne's gray I have used up to now for the 'etched' oils.  This picture is done in burnt umber.  As often happens, the 'sketch' turned out to be a rather interesting picture, especially I think, in the rather stark treatment of the face.

The burnt umber is a smoother, wetter colour to work with compared to other earth colours.  It is easier to draw lines in with the stylus, and draws well off a fine brush, without thinning.  This workable texture is important for detailed pictures, where many of the outlines are worked negatively, that is, the paint is worked up to a white (or coloured underground) edge, which is left to represent a line.  This method of working takes much more time, but is more effective in painting in white lines or areas later, or using a larger blunt instrument for broader lines which never appear as stark and clean as the 'left' areas.  And interestingly enough, even the commonly-used masking fluids do not leave the same line, the line that I am after.