{"id":9329,"date":"2021-03-19T18:38:35","date_gmt":"2021-03-19T22:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/?p=9329"},"modified":"2021-03-19T18:41:54","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T22:41:54","slug":"smooth-is-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2021\/03\/smooth-is-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Smooth is best"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rereading what I wrote about preparing a canvas<\/a>, I realized that I didn’t emphasize the main goal enough. Yes, it’s important to protect the canvas, but the real goal is to make a great surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best surface is smooth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/span>In the Studio Oct. 14 2012<\/span><\/a><\/div>

How smooth? If you’ve done lithography, then you know how wonderful litho stones are for drawing. Litho stones are so good that it’s impossible to make poor drawings on them. You want to make surfaces that are litho stone smooth with just a little tooth–400-grit sandpaper, not 800-grit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to achieve smoothness is by finishing with at least two (don’t skimp) layers of lead-oil ground. I add a small amount of drier to the final layers. For the last layer, I add a tad of copal varnish. I apply the lead-oil grounds with a scrapper and then lightly sand them when they’re dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/span>Stephen Pentak at Bonfoey<\/span><\/a><\/div>

Here is my newest painting, Bash, <\/em>which I prepared as described. I’m still in the underpainting stage, as you can see, but the smooth oil-ground makes everything easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Unfinished painting I’m calling ‘Bash’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bash<\/em> is 40″ x 54″<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rereading what I wrote about preparing a canvas, I realized that I didn’t emphasize the main goal enough. Yes, it’s important to protect the canvas, but the real goal is to make a great surface. The best surface is smooth. Read moreIn the Studio Oct. 14 2012How smooth? If you’ve done lithography, then you know […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":9331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,446,208,113,343,1],"tags":[244],"class_list":["post-9329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists","category-how-to","category-materials","category-tips_tricks","category-turpentine-diaries","category-uncategorized","tag-oil-ground"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/pallo.png?fit=600%2C279&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12795,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2023\/09\/starting-a-painting-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":9329,"position":0},"title":"Starting a painting","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"September 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Everyone knows how to start a painting, right? You take up your brush and begin--what's the problem? Joking aside, if you want to create a sketch or study, that IS exactly how you start. That approach is fine until you want to create something more ambitious. If you intend to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to"","block_context":{"text":"How to","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/how-to\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/winner1.jpg?fit=959%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/winner1.jpg?fit=959%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/winner1.jpg?fit=959%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/winner1.jpg?fit=959%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4354,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2014\/11\/in-the-studio-11214\/","url_meta":{"origin":9329,"position":1},"title":"In the studio 11\/2\/14","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"November 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the first time I've shown this painting, titled Three Girls. Today's painting session was the fourth. The underpainting is finished and this morning I started the over-painting. The stretcher is 40\" x 50\" and old; it's not heavy duty, it's like the thinner ones you see on smaller\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Paintings"","block_context":{"text":"Paintings","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/paintings\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/studio-11-2-2014.jpg?fit=444%2C483&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":186,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2012\/10\/smooth-move-smooth-painting-surfaces\/","url_meta":{"origin":9329,"position":2},"title":"Smooth Move\u2014Smooth Painting Surfaces","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"October 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"All artists are self-taught today. It doesn't matter if you have a masters\u00a0degree or never set foot in an art school--everyone is on their own. The most important piece of painting gear my last professor had was a pair of fishing boots. His technique was to cover the studio floor\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Shop Talk"","block_context":{"text":"Shop Talk","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/shop_talk\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8812,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2020\/06\/how-to-grounds\/","url_meta":{"origin":9329,"position":3},"title":"How to–grounds","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"June 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Most artists do not know how to prepare grounds for oil painting. I know this is true because none of my teachers were able to prepare acceptable grounds, and none of the commercially-prepared canvases that I've used have been acceptable. This is even true for vendors who claim the highest\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to"","block_context":{"text":"How to","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/how-to\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/oil-grounds-compare2.png?fit=800%2C651&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/oil-grounds-compare2.png?fit=800%2C651&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/oil-grounds-compare2.png?fit=800%2C651&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/oil-grounds-compare2.png?fit=800%2C651&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7516,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2017\/11\/turpentine-diaries-11-26-17\/","url_meta":{"origin":9329,"position":4},"title":"Turpentine diaries 11\/26\/17","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"November 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"After flavoring my medium with additions for several days, today I used my normal medium.\u00a0 I worked on this painting during both of today's sessions.\u00a0 When the painting surface is right, as with this painting, my normal medium is unbeatable.\u00a0 What is a good surface?\u00a0 I like smooth surfaces.\u00a0 'Smooth'\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "materials"","block_context":{"text":"materials","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/materials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/studio-2017-11-26.png?fit=800%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/studio-2017-11-26.png?fit=800%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/studio-2017-11-26.png?fit=800%2C682&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/studio-2017-11-26.png?fit=800%2C682&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13202,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2023\/12\/drawing-on-canvas-board\/","url_meta":{"origin":9329,"position":5},"title":"Drawing on canvas board","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"December 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Whenever I have time, I prepare new canvases, consequently, I have a large stock of canvases and boards for painting. I prepare canvas boards by sanding the supplied surface and applying additional layers. I like smooth surfaces for painting and find that my canvas boards serve well for drawing. These\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "art boards"","block_context":{"text":"art boards","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/art-boards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/drawing-on-board1.jpg?fit=878%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/drawing-on-board1.jpg?fit=878%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/drawing-on-board1.jpg?fit=878%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/drawing-on-board1.jpg?fit=878%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Gw6F-2qt","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9329"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9336,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9329\/revisions\/9336"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}