Gurney Journey: Opaque and Transparent Painting

Gurney Journey: Opaque and Transparent Painting

I painted these two vintage bisque porcelain match holders at my mate Mel B’s selection. I feel the leering man’s face is even weirder than the exuberant infant waving a flag.

The analyze on the still left is painted with casein (an opaque drinking water-based mostly medium a large amount like gouache), and the a person on the correct is painted in transparent watercolor.


Opaque and clear painting demand a rather unique mindset and strategy.

To paint this head in casein, I had to mix each individual of the values separately, keeping in brain the slight price shift as the paint dries. The Advantage of casein or gouache is that it is possible to obtain unquestionably flat, smooth passages and handle their partnership.

The Obstacle with opaques is to blend edges and to accomplish softness and range of tone. The PITFALL is the tendency to drop sparkle and lightness.

I painted the little one in clear watercolor. The Edge of watercolor is that it can be fast and immediate. Gradations and soft edges (this kind of as the round brow) are achievable, but they choose deliberate and fast action.

The Challenge is 1) to reach precision and smoothness of price, and 2) to paint all around the light-weight accents. The PITFALL is the inclination to get every little thing also light. The 1st washes on the forehead appeared amazingly dark when I very first place them down.

Every single portray method has advantages, troubles, and pitfalls, and you have to know them from expertise and retain them in head at every single stage.