Complementary Under Painting

October 5, 2011 | Filed under: Classical Painting, Colored Pencil, For Artists, Mini Clinic and tagged with: Classical
Painting Techniques, Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil Lesson, Colored Pencil Painting, Demonstrations, Horse
Paintings & Drawings

Today well take a look at using a complementary under painting for colored pencil paintings.
With this method, the under painting is created using colors opposite finished colors on the color
wheel. For example, blue is opposite orange on the color wheel, so the under painting for a blue jar
will be orange. The under painting for a yellow lemon will be purple.
Value plays a role in the under painting, especially for subjects that are light in color or value. Dont
use a dark purple to under paint that lemon. Try lavender or Parma Violet.
Tint is also an important consideration. A blue-green subject will require a red-orange under
painting. In my opinion, the most helpful tool for this painting process is a color wheel. Make one
yourself if you can, but they are also available for purchase and are invaluable not only for
identifying the colors of your subjects, but choosing the best possible complement for the under
painting.

First Step

This drawing is on Strathmore Artagain Drawing Paper in Beachsand Ivory. The paper is ivory in
color and provides the perfect color for this painting. Its essentially like starting with one layer
already in place.
For the horse, I used Grass Green to first outline the horse, then begin picking out the highlights
and shading around them. There are a minimum of three layers of green at this stage, building darker
values with each pass.
The same process was used in the background, where I used a Burnt Ochre and/or Burnt Sienna to
establish the shapes in the trees and the values in the grass.
Its important to use a light touch and a sharp point at this stage. You want as even a color layer as
possible and sharp pencils are the best tool for such a task. Sharpen frequently. The pencil should be
needle sharp to fill in paper holes.
You also dont want to build color or values too quickly. Its much easier to correct a problem if it
first appears in a light value.

Second Step

The basic shapes in the background and the highlights and shadows on the horse have now been
established. The objective becomes to build on that foundation and to create a distinct range of values
throughout the painting.
You also want to start creating visual texture at this stage. You do that by varying strokes. Short
vertical strokes in the lower corners and in the cast shadows to suggest grass. Long, sweeping strokes
in the tail. Broad horizontal strokes on the hills at the tree line and circular or looping strokes in the
trees.
Whenever possible, stroke in the direction of growth, too. Stroke grass upward relative to the
painting. Stroke tail and mane from the point of growth toward the ends of the hairs and so on. For
large paintings, I turn the painting upside down to work because its easier for me to stroke toward
myself than away. That also reduces the amount of stress on my hand and wrist.
Continue to build darks and define lights by developing mid tones.
I used primarily the same two colors for this stage or work, but also added a bit of Dark Green in the
shadows and a little Peacock Green in the mid tones on the horse and darker earth tones in the grass
and trees to finish the under painting.

Third Step

To begin local color work, I started with the background and began layering greens over the grass
and some of the trees. Colors used included Grass Green, Peacock Green, Dark Green, Apple Green
and Spring Green. Lighter, warmer colors were used on the grass than in the trees.
I also used darker greens in shadow areas and lighter, relatively warmer colors in the sunlit areas.
The vertical strokes I use for grass are visible in the lower right hand corner of the painting and in the
cast shadow for the horse and the tree.

Fourth Step

Theres a little bit more work done on the trees at this step, but I focused mostly on the horse.
Working background and subject simultaneously allows you to adjust the two areas relative to each
other throughout the painting process. For this painting, I also wanted to begin establishing the local
color on the horse before the grass became too green and my edges disappeared.

I worked light to dark, layering Burnt Ochre, Sienna Brown and a little Pumpkin Orange as the
foundation for the mares chestnut coat.

Fifth Step

The most significant change at this stage is the removal of the tree at the right. I decided it added
nothing to the composition and crowded the mare too much, so I removed it. The first step in the
removal was adding under painting over it so it matched the rest of the background. I then brought it
up to the level of the rest of the painting by glazing local color.
Other colors were also glazed over the painting. Apple Green, Spring Green, Canary Yellow and
Lemon Yellow in the sunlit areas. Dark Green, Olive Green and a little Burnt Umber in the shadows.
In the trees, I used Dark Green, Olive Green and Indigo Blue in the shadows and Olive Green, Grass
Green and touches of Apple Green in the highlights. The trees and grass need to work together
visually, but they also need to stand apart, so I used a couple of colors in both areas, but also kept the
trees darker and cooler than the grass.
I used Dark Umber, Terra Cotta, Indigo Blue and a little Dark Green in the shadows on the horse and
Terra Cotta and the siennas and ochres in the mid tones. The highlights on the horse are still
untouched paper at this stage.

Sixth Step

At this stage, the background is nearly finished. The brightest greens are around the horse, with
shadows creeping in around the edges and throughout the trees. Individual groups of trees have also
been created to lead the eye to the focal point, which is the horse.
Heavier pressure is used to finish each area. Between 6 and 8 on a scale of 10. I wanted to fill in as
much of the paper texture as possible without burnishing.
Very little additional work has been done with the horse. That will be the final step.

Finishing Step
With the background finished for the moment, I turned my attention to the horse. Again using
heavier pressure, I layered many of the same coat colors over the horse, but also began adding the
surface colors. For this mare, that was primarily Orange and Pale Vermillion because shes a bright
chestnut with orange undertones.
I also added reflected sky colors over her back and rump and other upward facing surfaces. These
colors were applied with heavy pressure, 8 or 9, then burnished with the lightest of the coat colors
first and again with a very pale blue.
The painting was completed by touching up any areas that needed it and burnishing where necessary.