The departure for the field

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. Induno’s practice, consistent with 19th-century standards, likely involved a traditional ground that allows for the 'fat over lean' technique. The surface must be clean and ready to accept the initial layers of paint without excessive absorption that would prevent proper settling (Source 3).

underdrawing

Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 2). For a genre scene like this, the underdrawing would establish the figures and composition, likely focusing on the narrative elements of the military departure.

underpainting

The first painting on a new canvas may dry slowly and might 'work up' or leave the canvas when worked over. If this occurs, blotting paper can be used to absorb superfluous oil, or the paint can be removed with a palette knife and the surface cleaned again (Source 1). The initial layers should be lean, using less oil, to ensure proper drying and stability for subsequent layers (Source 2).

Fat over Lean

Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking. This is a basic rule of oil paint application (Source 2).

Simultaneous Contrast

The painter must appreciate the modifications of tone and color that occur when colors are juxtaposed. This helps in harmonizing the composition and achieving accurate color representation (Source 5).

Chiaroscuro

Produced by setting beside each other two flat tints of different tones of the same color, creating a gradation of light. This technique enhances the three-dimensionality of the figures and setting (Source 4).