Technique:
I used an underpainting "old master" technique, performing the preliminary painting in a greyish blue tone. The darks were applied first, followed by a near finished tonal work after the application of white. After waiting a week for the work to dry completely, I appled thin glazes with a fast drying galkyd medium. The glazes were a mix of cadmium red and yellow ochre, giving a nice flesh tone. I then added highlights in naples yellow building up to a few areas of impasto. The darks were left lightly applied, with some additional glazes of burnt sienna. The background was laid in ala prima style, fast with cerulean blues for the azure sky and mixing in some flesh tones into the clouds to unite the background with the figure. Finally, shadow was applied to anchor the figure, and a towel was thrown in as well.
Lesson:
Do not lose the darks when applying the glazes of color, the shadows strengthen the composition.
