Ukrainian landscape with huts

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for Makovsky are not detailed in the sources, traditional practice involves preparing a stable surface to prevent cracking. The 'fat over lean' rule implies that the initial layers must be lean (less oil) to ensure the stability of subsequent layers (Source 1).

underdrawing

Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). For a landscape, this would involve outlining the horizon, the placement of huts, and major tree forms. Contour drawing principles suggest emphasizing the mass and volume of the subject rather than minor details in this initial stage (Source 8).

underpainting

A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is a traditional method where the artist establishes values using black, white, and perhaps ultramarine, effectively extracting red and yellow colors to focus on form (Source 2). This layer must be completely dry before proceeding. Alternatively, a thin wash of thinned paint could be used to block in major areas. The 'fat over lean' rule dictates that this initial layer should contain less oil than subsequent layers (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

Glazing applies a transparent coat of color, while scumbling applies a semi-opaque layer. These techniques were used by old masters to add depth and color, particularly yellow and red tones, over a monochrome underpainting (Source 2).

Grisaille

A monochrome underpainting using black, white, and ultramarine to establish values before adding color. This method helps in focusing on form and light (Source 2).