The Flemish Technique

Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt

Oil painting as we know it today (that is, pigment suspended in an oil medium and brushed onto a surface) originated with the Dutch Masters in the 15th century. The Van Eyck brothers, Jan and Hubert, were disenchanted with the tempura technique (pigment suspended in egg yolk) because of its slow drying time and the difficulty in creating an illusion of depth. They began experimenting with various oils and resins and discovered that linseed oil had all the properties they were looking for - quicker drying time (paintings could dry in the shade), color could be applied either with thin transparent glazes or opaquely, which yielded a greater illusion of depth. To the oil was added a small amount of resin.

Other painters took up their technique and soon many were painting in the new "style," the Flemish Technique. Basically, it consisted of a wooden panel painted white onto which a detailed line drawing of the scene was drawn or traced. This drawing was sealed with varnish and the pigment applied over it. A brownish transparent underpainting was accomplished to develop the tonal values (bistre) over which they applied thin veils of transparent color. Many layers of these glazes allowed for glowing shadows, a hallmark of the Dutch Masters. The highlights were added with opaque color at the last.

The innovations of the Flemish painters soon spread over Europe where the Italians modified the technique even further. (More on their technique later).

So when you look at the paintings of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Eyck, and Bosch pay particular attention to the shadows and marvel at the way they were able to make them glow.

Just paint it!