The Garden at Finzean, Aberdeenshire

surface prep

The canvas should be primed to accept oil paint. While specific priming methods for Farquharson are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practice involves preparing a stable surface to prevent cracking. The 'fat over lean' rule implies that the initial layers must be leaner (less oil) than subsequent layers, suggesting the ground should be absorbent or sealed appropriately to allow proper drying of the first layers (Source 1).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. This step establishes the composition, including the placement of the horizon, sky, and ground elements. Contour drawing techniques may be useful here to emphasize the mass and volume of landscape elements like trees or hills rather than getting lost in minor details early on (Source 1, Source 8).

underpainting

Apply an initial layer of paint using a lean mixture (more solvent, less oil). This layer establishes the basic values and forms. If employing a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting, one would mentally extract red and yellow tones to establish the structure before adding color glazes, though this is a traditional method rather than a confirmed Farquharson specific (Source 7). The key is to ensure this layer is 'lean' to adhere to the 'fat over lean' principle (Source 1).

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 1).

Glazing and Scumbling

While not explicitly confirmed for Farquharson, traditional oil painting often involves glazing (transparent coats) and scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust translucency and sheen. This was practiced by old masters and can be used to refine tones (Source 7).

Composition Balance

Avoid exact bisections and place the prominent subject off-center. Use contrast between detailed areas and rest areas to aid the eye (Source 6).