It’s the little things….. all the last minute details.
The best bit - when everything comes together and the portrait starts to come alive.
Worked over the top of an underpainting, refining layers are all about deepening shadows, adding detail, adjusting tonal changes and refining textures.
I tend to work with fairly thin paint and glazes at this point, which means that whatever I did in the underpainting (tone and texture) will have an impact on the subsequent layer. This is how you can build the illusion of depth and realism.
This is also when I start to feel excited by a painting, when it starts to come alive on the canvas - and when you might even hear me having a conversation with the image as I paint (not weird at all!).
What’s your favourite part of the painting process? Let me know in the comments below…..
p.s. if you enjoyed the video, I’d be honoured if you were to click that little heart and share….
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