7 Layer Flemish Technique

[chambersecrets]

ive been studying this technique for a few months now. ill try to post all the stuff ive found for you asap.

[yachris]

Yachris, yes, you must try it out, then we can compare notes

Well, my first response on reading the description of the process is, NO THANKS, I already have a full-time job! Sheesh... maybe it's magic (and I definitely can't argue with your results!) but I wonder whether it's necessary. I'm tempted to think that someone with far more skill than I could paint alla prima and get an image indistinguishable from the seven-step one. I also wonder (as do people in the WetPaint forum) how much of those lower layers survive. It's interesting to think that with ArtRage, you could do them as separate layers and then fool with the opacity of each, then turn the layers on and off, as a kind of experiment.

And wait seven weeks for each layer to dry? Wow. Guess that advice I keep getting from teachers to have more than one painting in process at once is more than just a suggestion for that crowd :-/

But I can see the value of the discipline of doing each step. I keep meaning to do a full-value-study-type grayscale image, and then layer on colors, but I haven't yet.

if you find a solution to the blending frustrations lemme know please Right now I'm pinning all my hopes on AR3 to overcome that.

Yeah, me too :-) but I think Sketchism's magic crayon settings are worth spending a lot more time getting a handle on. It's pretty amazing, as a medium.

[chambersecrets]

ok from what ive read the reason for the 7 layers are like this. each layer is supposed to be sealed so that each layer is like its setting on glass and the light bounces in between all the layers and gives it that pearly look to it. To me that makes alot of sences. There is always something different about these types of paintings. I can not remember where i read this and i dont know why it just now popped back in my head lol. Ive also seen a whole lot of artist just do the dead layer and then go over that with the colors like glazing. i think some of the steps maybe could be skipped. it would be nice to have an expert come and explain! lol....So yea, one of you guys just call up that expert real quick and have him come on here.

[flyashy]

Well, my first response on reading the description of the process is, NO THANKS, I already have a full-time job! Sheesh...

... It's interesting to think that with ArtRage, you could do them as separate layers and then fool with the opacity of each, then turn the layers on and off, as a kind of experiment.

...
But I can see the value of the discipline of doing each step. I keep meaning to do a full-value-study-type grayscale image, and then layer on colors, but I haven't yet.
...

Yeah, me too :-) but I think Sketchism's magic crayon settings are worth spending a lot more time getting a handle on. It's pretty amazing, as a medium.

Lol yeah.. that, day time job..I have me one of those too..

well, I took this on just to see how it'd turn out and make any difference (esp. because of the digital media). So the advantage I saw was to as you rightly said have different layers and fool around with the blend options; (although I got bored with it after a while and just merged all the layers, simply because I couldn't blend the thinly applied oils properly) [note to self: must try again with the magic crayon]
But the valuable lesson was doing each of the layers and trying to get it right and thus getting 7 times the experience..haha.

In retrospect I think it is not really a technique for the digital medium because the layers do not really reflect light in that iridescent manner, but it was a good exercise.

[ENCHANTER]

oh this is excellent!! love the metal effect,you have some skill there

I tried the flemish thing.....only worked upto a certain point for me......heres a link to the pic


http://www2.ambientdesign.com/galler...&imageuser=112

again, a great study

[ENCHANTER]

Here is a work in progress as well
I know it seems like im trying to recycle my old painting .but im not....honest

http://www2.ambientdesign.com/forums...ad.php?t=10369

[flyashy]

Hey Enchanter,
those are great! both those...Love the luminance in those grapes..
and I also spotted a Liz Hurly and a Deepika Padukone..
haha.. those are hidden gems!!

so till what point did the flemish thing work for you..?
I found that as Chamber said the light bouncing off the layers just won't work with digital..so the dead layer didn't do anything..except being..erm..dead! LOL.
but as I said before it was a good exercise in both grey scale and color and reflection..

[SCP]

Fantastic study and results flyashy.
I think you are right about traditional vs digital media for these studies.I remember painting with oils ,and just the number of coats and /or colour used for your primer really affected the colours placed on top.
I think you may be better off learning digital painting from the digital masters.

[yachris]

I think you may be better off learning digital painting from the digital masters.

Which is why we come here!

[chambersecrets]

i think that doing just the dead layer with thin glazes of color is another way one could do paintings. but the technique its self is not for the digital age. i think its a great style of "oil" painting though.