Oil Painting Step by Step

Lesson 10: Building Vibrant Colors

with Caroline Zimmermann

Although the traditional approach to underpainting is to use hues similar to the color of your subject, you can also achieve unique, incredible results by doing just the opposite! Artist Caroline Zimmermann uses vibrant hues in her underpaintings to create a luminous surface of dazzling color. Because she usually paints outdoor scenes, she begins her paintings by covering the canvas with warm oranges and reds to contrast with the blues, greens, and grays of nature. Although these colors may not appear in her final paintings, their subtle radiance shows through the top layers of paint; the reds actually intensify the subsequent layers of paint on the canvas. Try toning your canvas with ...