Scraping Your Painting for Easier Painting.

Many times I paint alla prima and breeze right through a painting.  For this commissioned painting I will be putting a little more depth and interest and time into it.  There is something fun about really getting into a painting that will be the center place display in someone's home.  So I take that extra few steps the satisfy the customer.

The painting above is about 20% completed.  It has its initial tones and movement establish but there is so much more to paint.  I have the first 2 focal area white tail deer blocked in, the initial movement to the stream and mountains have been established.

I let the painting dry overnight, then I will scrap off the textures.  This is a very old technique I first used in dutch paintings many years ago.  It make a super flat surface for me to do the detailed work in the next layers.  I love texture and this painting will have lots of it when I am finished.  Having texture now, at the block in step is not a good idea because it interferes with later layers of the painting.  So, let is dry and scrap off the texture.  The surface after scrapping feels amazing.  I will be able to refine the areas without any trouble. 

Think about adding this technique to your painting.  It is amazing, especially if working in layers.  Have  great painting day.