For me, an underpainting is always more than simply ‘blocking in’ broad areas of colour. It’s also about building texture with loose brushstrokes and working with the light and shadow to find the underlying bone and muscle structure of the subject.
When working with an animal as my subject, the brushstrokes always need to follow the direction of the hair, even in an underpainting - building up a texture that will still have an impact on subsequent layers of paint. This is how we can begin the process of creating depth in a painting with a much more realistic result.
Paying close attention to the direction of the hair (which can twist and turn across an animal’s body) will also help to establish where the light and shadow falls, as it is always dictated by the skeletal and muscular structure beneath the surface.
Keep an eye on my video posts for Part 3 on this piece where I’ll be adding a second, refining layer and finishing the eye - or subscribe below for free to get notified when I post an update.
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