I have my substrate professionally stretched with double primed 10 ounce canvas (cotton duck), and before any oil painting is started I apply two coats of water based oil primer. This is a very important step as you cannot trust that the canvas manufacturer’s primer is evenly applied or even suitable for oil paint. An uneven primer can allow the oil paint to soak through and rot the canvas. This absorption of the oil can also make it difficult to blend the paint later in the painting process. By holding the primed canvas up to the light, you should be able to see any missed sections or ‘pin-holes’. To ensure a smooth surface, I very lightly sand between each layer of primer. After leaving the primed canvas to cure for 24 hours, I can start my painting in earnest.
STEP ONE
Many artists I know prefer to paint on a coloured ground as opposed to the stark white of the primer. I prefer to leave the ground white as I feel it helps to add a luminescence to the final image. For this painting I have used a photograph I took of a stormy sky to begin the composition. Using willow charcoal, I very roughly draw in the main areas of the composition. I merely use the photograph as a loose reference – so detail is irrelevant.
STEPS TWO AND THREE
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