April 9, 2019
A while back I mentioned that translucent oil colors are an essential part of my painting technique. Here’s the scoop! All oil paints are more or less translucent or opaque.
In the earliest days
of art making oil paints were made of ground up rocks and nuts and berries and
bugs and other colorful materials, that when mixed with some kind of vechile,
made paint. Some oil colors are still made exactly this way.
The difference that I’m interested in is whether paint lets light go through – is more translucent, or stops all light – more opaque.
In the early stages of
my work I use only translucent colors. I like the effects I get when I put one
translucent color on top of another. It gives the painting the color
complexity and visual tension or harmony, depending on the combination of
colors, I strive for in my work. Toward the end of the painting
process I often turn to opaque colors to add a heavier impasto and create
further complexity. That thick – thin contrast is also something I strive
for in my painting. But that’s another subject.
Can you imagine a
Rothko painting without the magic of layer upon layer of translucent colors?
Without translucency Rothko’s work would not exist!
FYI: Gamblin Perylene
Red is hands down my all time favorite translucent red oil color.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall Noice
