Art, Design, and New Media Department chair Ms. Aki Torii’s 2D Art II class recently made a Flemish-style oil painting of drapery as their introduction to the craft.
In this technique, students used layers of painting to develop the piece. They began with the wipeout stage, then used burnt sienna (a reddish-brown pigment), before mixing it with Turpenoid paint thinner and applying it extremely thinly, to break down the oil paint.
Next, they covered the entire piece in grey paint in order to complete a much more detailed value study. On top of that, they used glazing, which adds depth to the color and produces a richer final result.
Ms. Torii decided to choose drapery—cloth, curtains, or clothing hanging in loose folds—to introduce a new concept.
“This type of technique is not for everyone, and this style of oil painting is as traditional as it will get. Students will have to take a break and look at their work from a distance. I recommended to many of them that they take a walk. Also, I reminded them not to try and finish this in one sitting. This piece and style of art takes time to complete and requires a tremendous amount of patience.” -Ms. Aki Torii
“It is a great way to understand volume, in a simple way, rather than painting things with eyes and noses and mouths,” Ms. Torii said.
The traditional Flemish-style they are practicing can be applied to their self-portrait project coming up at the end of the semester. By practicing how to paint folds and fabric creases, students will feel less intimidated when approaching the more complex forms of muscles, fat, and bone structures in future assignments.
Flemish-style oil painting is a difficult technique.
“This type of technique is not for everyone, and this style of oil painting is as traditional as it will get,” Ms. Torii said. “Students will have to take a break and look at their work from a distance. I recommended to many of them that they take a walk. Also, I reminded them not to try and finish this in one sitting. This piece and style of art takes time to complete and requires a tremendous amount of patience.”
Ms. Torii hopes to instill a sense of appreciation for oil painting.Ms. Torii said, “I hope students gain a foundational understanding of this centuries-old oil painting technique and develop a deeper appreciation for other oil paintings and the labor involved in creating them.”