Glazing techniques

You've read this far through my website, so I know you're ready to absorb what I'm describing next. Not all artists like to describe what they do in the studio and give away secret processes. I don't get an opportunity to describe it very often but here in this section, I have a chance to share with those interested. The single most important thing that makes my paintings illuminate themselves is the surface preparation. The first thing you notice about my glaze method paintings, is that the color is vibrant and glowing. The effect of having light pass through glass. That is the basic concept. What is only slightly difference is that my paintings have many micro thin layers of "glass" or glaze. It's in the form of tinted clear media dried in a significant layer over a base color. I begin my development in the warm peach tones.

My new avenue. Style 1900. A commemorative journey into my favorite period and genre of art. The golden age of design. The Wiener Werkstadt, German Jugendstil, Art Nouveau, the Arts and Crafts movement have all found a place in my heart since college.




Find out how I arrived at this place:"The Full Story- ErickIngraham - That Was Then, This Is Next"

Continue to the next page...

Back to the Introduction page...

Preparing the surface

I use gesso. A water-based ground that is very absorbent to hold paint. It's white when you buy it but I tint it with acrylic tube colors to be the "mother color". So the whole painting is done with the brightest warm lights (no other colors added) are the "mother color" showing through a clear glaze. This automatically sets the painting on a course for Tonalism. It's like looking through peach colored sunglasses. Every layer develops the color and form of the elements of the painting. Until the finishing stage where a contrasting background may be added to the background. That's right. The background is painted last. There is always touch up and some back and forth between foreground and background but that is the general order of my work. I usually handle only one color at a time. Why? For consistency of color and I need to have it dry before the next overlay color. I don't want them to actually mix, just combine their light transmission ability.

The Books Bibliography Henry Books Buy Artwork Contact Biography Full Biography
Hand Lettering Custom Design label design Title Design illustration Logo Design product labels Style 1900 Arts and Crafts Craftsman era Travel Posters
Fine Art Original Artwork from Books Illustrated Maps Technical Illustration Book Talks Improv Sketching Visiting Illustrator