My Verdaccio underpainting consists of a green-grey, nine value mixture. This underpainting technique allows me accurate flesh tones, and adds classical realism into the upper layers of my portraits. My technique is a variation on the technique which had evolved by the mid 14th century.

In the begining of my process, I block wash in the greenish grey mixture. The verdaccio I use during this stage is a combination of
Chromium Oxide Green,
Flake White, and
Ivory Black. It is also thinned down with turpentine or it is sometimes called ( turps ) for short. I watch the lean to fat ratio as I do not wish to have my painting begin cracking or chipping off over time. This has happened in many of the old masters paintings. The environment causes some materials to expand and contract, as this happens the oil film that has been created by the mixture of the oil and air begins to become unstable and fractures show up.

During this process, I always try to create an accurate likeness and continue toward that goal as I paint.

close up of Roger Ehmpke's portrait of wife in Verdaccio underpainting method

I have a well established likeness now so I am posting this next stage.

Finally, here is an update. I took the photo around 7:00 a.m. outside and it has a slight distortion. I need to reshoot it later in the day. I have not mastered photographing my paintings. As such, I will shoot another image near 10:00 a.m. which will take away some of the glare and yellow light in the painting bellow.

I will be working in the hair, hands, and arms yet. As I said above this is a piece still in transition. I will try to get another update up soon.

Also I am no longer working with the yellow house light as I have switched to a more color corrected light system which hangs above my easel.

I was updating my new site or a versioned area and wanted to check the spelling on it before making a permenant link, when I discovered where the word easel (this just links back to Merriam Webster) originates from.

I nearly fell over laughing. I know it is childish but here is the link to the definition.

Wood Palette

I am working on getting a new wood pallete, mine is not balanced and made well, it was purchased at the local craft store.

The best place to get a wood palette from is located at the following link:
http://www.leeboynton.com/ArtPalettes.html there are others for sure but it seems like a great deal of modern day masters use this palette. you can find out more about others using this palette by going to http://forum.portraitartist.com and running a search on palette.

Glass Palette

I have mainly used my glass pallete over the last few years. It is comprised of a 2ply 10″x10″ peice of glass that can be cut and purchased at any local glass cutting shop. I first started using it in college, as my teacher Eddwin Meyers had suggested it. I am moving away from it as it is not as easy to work with being made of glass and basically not the best thing to drag around when painting. I am getting to the point where I want to have a palette I can hold up to my easel when I need to judge colors that is the main reason I am moving away from it.. If I am going to be sitting in front of me easel at home I may have the glass palette sitting next to me.

Oil Paints

The brand I suggest is Holbein found here:
http://www.holbeinhk.com/

Pigments

More history and information can be found by clicking items on the pigment list below. I do not usually get these pigments from the sources I have them linked to, these are just to give more pertinent information than I have listed on my site.

• Permanant Rose
• Cadmium Red Light
• Raw seina
• Raw Umber
• Burnt Umber
• Cerulean Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• Prussian Blue
• Mars Orange
• Alizarin Crimson
• Ivory Black
• Yellow Ochre
• Cadmium Yellow
• Chromium Oxide Green
• Flake White
• Titanium White

This list may shrink slightly depending on the subject matter but is pretty much the palette of colors I use.

Pigments and their history can be found here.

Famous artist palette:

• Vermeer
• Rembrandt

and whole lot more useful information on him
John Singer Sargent (coming soon!)