Create an outline and underpaint shadows

Create an outline of the image you wish to paint, working in pencil. This may be enlarged from a photograph or drawn from life on to the canvas. The process I use is called ‘scaling up’; where the original image is proportionately enlarged using a grid. For example, If the original image is 30 x 40 cm – I draw a grid that is made of 5 cm squares on the photograph. When translated to a 30 x 40 inch canvas, I mark out a grid of 5 inch squares instead. Easy!

Mix up some black acrylic paint, thinned with a small amount of water to a ‘buttery’ consistency. Lay on the colour evenly, using a clean paintbrush, filling in the darkest areas of the source image.

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