The process of indirect painting is time-consuming, but it is the only way to achieve that rich luminous quality that oil paint gives. The main struggle I had was with the problem of dust. Because of all of the layers of oil, dust settled in the paint and is impossible to remove.
The techniques I have learned from these studies have been implemented into my outdoor plein air work. My thanks to my instructors James Robinson and Chris Franz at the Art Academy in Saint Paul, Minnesota who have been teaching me these lost techniques of early painters. Their scholarly research into these processes have been invaluable. Both Jim and Chris have done amazing research in the painting techniques of Rembrandt, Vermeer and Rubens. And now our recent research on Ingres painting has been a wonderful project.
