Advanced Technique and the Introduction to Indirect Methods
Indirect painting involves the sequential layering of semi-opaque and/or semi-transparent layers of paint. Although it is not favored today, it was the method employed by many schools of representational painting for the greater part of 500 years. It results in an extensive range of modeling effects like those in the work of Leonardo da Vinci, for example. The indirect method is a good choice for those who like to work up their pictures in a more planned, methodical way, separating drawing and compositional tasks from the application of paint. As the early Venetian painters recognized, it can also result in very sumptuous color effects similar to those of stained glass. The AAC is committed to providing the student with a solid understanding of the differences and similarities between indirect and direct approaches to painting, both practically and historically.
