Glazing in Oil Painting: A Simple Ribbon Exercise for Rich, Luminous Colour

🎨 Why Glazing in Oil Painting Creates Such Rich, Velvety Reds

Explore how old masters created luminous red drapery using layered colour techniques.

In one of my recent art classes, we explored a timeless technique known as glazing in oil painting, which many Old Masters used to create luminous, fabric-like effects: glazing and scumbling over a modeled underpainting.

To keep the exercise approachable and flexible, we worked on Canson canvas paper, which is perfect for studies and experimenting without the pressure of committing to a full canvas. Each student created small ribbon-like swatches to test how different pigments behave when layered transparently over dark and light underpaintings.

Our focus was on red drapery, inspired by the glowing fabrics seen in the works of artists like Titian, Rubens, and Velázquez. We studied how warm and cool reds interact, how white underpainting changes the intensity of the glaze, and how to avoid the common pitfall of red turning pink in the highlights.

This blog post will walk you through the steps we followed in class, including tips, materials, and why this is such a rewarding and educational exercise for painters of all levels.

Ribbon study glazed with warm red tones, showing the effect of transparent layering — created during a Gold Coast art class exercise on glazing techniques.

✍️ Step-by-Step Instructions

Set 1 – Umber Only Underpainting (Velvety Reds)

1. Surface: Use a linen or canvas panel or Canson Paper. (Optional: tape edges for clean, tidy swatches.)

2. Underpainting: Paint ribbon-like bands using Raw umber thinned with Liquin. Shape them with values that flow from dark → light → dark (like folded satin).

3. Let Dry Completely.

4. Glaze with Warm Red: Apply a transparent warm red (e.g., Cadmium Red Light or Vermilion). This creates a soft, rich, red velvet effect.

   • Unlike mixing with white, glazing maintains richness without the colour turning pink.

5. Final Glaze with Cooler Red or Pink: Once dry, glaze a cooler red (e.g., Alizarin Crimson or Quinacridone Magenta) on top.

   • 🎨 Why this works: Old Masters like Titian and Rubens often glazed a cool red over a warm base (like Vermilion) to achieve radiant, multi-dimensional reds.

6. Result: Deep, vibrant reds with subtle shifts and glowing intensity—ideal for realistic red fabric effects.

   
   

 

Set 2 – Umber + White Modeling (Vibrant, Shiny Fabric Effects)

1. Paint Raw Umber Ribbons: Start as in Set 1 with umber underpainting and let dry.

2. Scumble with White:

   • On the light areas of the ribbon, scumble white paint to model volume and form.

   • We used lead white mixed with Velázquez Medium and applied it with a bristle brush to create subtle texture and varied opacity in the highlights.

   • This scumbling technique creates a beautifully textural base that mimics the sheen and form of folded fabric.

3. Glaze with Colour: Apply transparent red over the dried white + umber underpainting.

   • This will produce a more vibrant, shiny red—like silk or illuminated fabric.

4. Experiment Freely:

   • You can glaze with any colour, not just red!

   • For example, try yellow pigments (like Indian Yellow or Transparent Gold Ochre) over the white areas to create the look of gold ribbon, ornate embroidery, or jeweled and encrusted materials.

   • You can also try blues, greens, or purples to explore how coloured glazes behave over modeled light surfaces.

5. Result: A shimmering, jewel-like effect—perfect for depicting richly decorated fabric, gold thread, or luminous costumes.

   
   

✅ Why This Exercise is Valuable:

• Understand how layering warm and cool colours affects the final look.

• Practice classic techniques used by historical masters.

• Learn how to create luminous lights without mixing in white.

• See how glazing over modeled forms adds realism, depth, and material texture.

• Develop confidence in glazing, scumbling, and colour handling.

  
  
  
  

Multiple ribbon studies glazed in a variety of colors, including reds, pinks, and yellows — demonstrating pigment behavior in layers, as part of a Gold Coast art class exercise.

💡 Pro Tip:

Let this serve as inspiration to keep small colour studies going alongside your main work. Just take a few minutes at the beginning or end of a painting session to add a layer or test a colour. Over time, you’ll build a deeper understanding of how your pigments behave when they're layered on top of each other—a valuable tool for any painter striving for richness and depth in their work.

 Keep a colour swatch journal to document how your pigments behave in layers. It’s an easy, rewarding way to deepen your painting practice.

---

Next Steps in Our Art Class: How to Use Glazing and Scumbling in a Floral Oil Painting - Continue your exploration of these powerful techniques by applying them to a beautiful floral subject!

---

Enjoyed this? 🎨 Find more about our regular Gold Coast art classes to try these techniques yourself!

Contact us to chat.