I’m glad you want to learn more about techniques like how to undercoat and trace, and how to flood and strengthen.
And indeed we love the thought that technique (not self-expression) is paramount.
But before technique – also before good brushes – there’s something else.
So let’s talk about that right now.
I’m sure this scene’s familiar – it’s how your palette often looks before you start:
And your “applicator brush” – your hake – is clean and dry.
So yes, I’m sure you’ll recognise this sight:
Meanwhile, this is where you want to be before you start to paint:
It’s different: yes indeed.
Now your hake is a wonderful brush.
But it’s like a teenager: there’s a knack to waking it up and getting it ready for a day’s work.
A method …
When you trace a stained glass design, you trace one line after another. So you trace the first line, and then the second, and the third and so on, until you’ve copied all the lines.
My point to you today is, you must study the design before you start. But not just that, because the crucial bit is this: you must decide the sequence of your lines. Decide? Yes, decide. In a moment, you’ll get two walk-throughs. But to start with, just take your design and …