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Oil paintings are created using two basic methods: direct and indirect. While both methods can be used to create beautiful art, I find that the indirect method allows for greater flexibility in developing color, depth and movement in my paintings. In my opinion this method is the best for creating complex, highly realistic paintings.

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My process begins with the “under painting” which is essentially a more or less a fully rendered, monochromatic image of my final work. Once the under painting is complete, I have to allow the oils to completely dry, which can take a day or two depending on the size and complexity of the piece. I then begin to add colors, depth and complexity to my painting by using glazes which are essentially oil paints that I thin using a variety of suitable mediums. By carefully creating my glazes I can apply paint opaquely to conceal, or I can apply it transparently to reveal what’s beneath. Each piece of art is essentially created one layer at a time. Because I have to wait for each layer to dry before I can add the next layer, each painting is painstaking process, that can take weeks to complete. Despite this, the results are unattainable using other techniques and it’s no wonder that the old Masters such as Rembrandt, Van Eyck and El Greco used this method to create their art.

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