I always start with an oil primed linen canvas.  I cover it with a ground color mixed by using raw umber, a little ultramarine blue, titanium white and some gamsol.  It is possible to use artist’s turpenoid if you do not need the canvas to dry in a hurry.  Spread this with a bristle brush and then wipe down with viva paper towels until you achieve a neutral grey of mid value.  You may use other colors if you wish.  (For example, I am using a mix of Indian Yellow and Winsor Lemon Yellow for a still life which has a lot of gold tone in it.)

After this is dry, transfer your refined and completed sketch to the canvas.  The old masters called this sketch a cartoon and used to transfer it by punching holes on the major outlines, then daubing it with charcoal dust.  There are many ways to transfer your sketch but my major piece of advice is to work out all the problems in your sketch  before you move on to the next stage.

Now I mix a neutral color just darker than the ground.  It can be raw umber and ultramarine blue with no titanium or it can be burnt umber with some other modifying color.  It can even be black with some yellow or some other form of a moderate grey or grey green.  The main idea is to begin to develop an under painting in a monotone, usually grey, that will develop the painting into what is called a grisaille, which is pronounced gri – zi.  I like to use a colored pencil to go over my complete sketch, thus transferring a copy to the canvas by means of the paint mix described above or with charcoal paper, or even by covering the back of the sketch with pencil rubbing.  If you use the paint, you can leave it dry completely to protect the sketch.  But I like to begin softening the edges and developing the form with this layer.

Here is where it gets tough.  You must try many methods before you are satisfied with the one you like the best.  This is where you achieve the form and the values and light but you also must protect the likeness.  The more you paint, the more your brain will understand which strokes of the brush and which color mixes will produce the form and texture you need.  Practice looking.  See light and value and texture.  Decide which brushes work best for different effects. Read every article, look at every web site, study masterpieces in museums and galleries.  If you are fortunate enough to have access to a really good teacher, you may gain insight in a more straight forward way.  Don’t give up.

The painting is far from complete but at this stage you can begin to feel the personality and the spirit of the subject.  I always try to specialize in capturing this likeness and life.  It usually happens with the eyes.  I like to believe that the likeness is in the exactness of the mouth but the spirit resides and is shined forth from the eyes.  Even at this unfinished stage, it is possible to experience this little one’s personality.  Like I said, it’s in the eyes.