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Step by Step Painting Demonstration: White Horse

From Marion Boddy-Evans,
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Reusing an Old Canvas

Image: ©2006 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.

I reused an old canvas for the painting. As I was intending it to be a study rather than a 'masterpiece' I didn't bother to obliterate what had been painted on it before (hence the strange background in the top half of the photo). When you paint over an old painting you run the risk that what was underneath will show through, either as texture, or as color if you're using transparent colors or glazing.

Using titanium white I blocked in the main shape of the animal, then reached for Prussian blue for the background. If you compare the composition to that of the previous zebra painting, you'll see that although the position is the same, there's less of the body and legs showing.

  1. Starting with Specific Intentions
  2. Reusing an Old Canvas
  3. Deciding on the Painting's Composition
  4. Changing the Painting's Composition
  5. Focusing on the Head
  6. Help, It's All Gone Flat
  7. Guide the Viewer's Eye with Directional Brush Marks
  8. Adding White to the Face
  9. Rework, Assess, Rework
  10. Is the Painting Finished?

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