James and Mary Shuttleworth with One of Their Daughters

surface prep

Prepare a linen canvas with a traditional oil ground. Wright’s practice aligns with the 18th-century standard of painting on canvas or wood panel (Source 6). The surface should be smooth to allow for the fine finish typical of portrait work, though Wright’s landscapes sometimes utilized broader handling.

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Wright’s specific underdrawing method for this portrait. However, general oil painting practice of the era involved a sound craftsmanship foundation (Source 5). It is likely a charcoal or thinned oil sketch was used to establish proportions, consistent with the need to 'perceive and imitate promptly' the model (Source 2).

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia as a medium (Source 1). This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure of the light and shadow (Source 1). This aligns with the 'first and second paintings' method described by Reynolds, a contemporary of Wright (Source 1).

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to add color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing provides transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture, allowing the underpainting to show through (Source 1).

Chiaroscuro/Tenebrism

Wright’s signature style involves exaggerated contrast between light and dark, often using a single light source to dramatize the subject (Source 8).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception is crucial for accurate color mixing and harmony (Source 2).