Richard Olsen in His Studio II (work in progress, 6)

Step 6

The painting is almost finished. I lightened the white wall in selected areas using a scumble of zinc white and verdaccio. I softened the contrasts within the yellow painting behind his head by washing over the darks with slightly lighter versions of themselves, and glazing over the lightest areas with barely darker colors. I also lightened the broad yellow field, in general. (I'd like the rectangle to hover about his head like a thought balloon, or halo, but I still need it to sit back in space behind him.) The most obvious change since the last post is the stronger modeling on Olé's head and shoulder. This was done through short linear strokes of opaque paint, following facial surface planes. I used Indian red and titanium white on the face and hair, greenish raw umber and white for the lab coat. After heightening the flesh tones, I glazed the bright areas with a thin cinabrese to subdue the contrast a little. I also glazed the brighter umber highlights on the shoulder with a mixture of raw umber, greenish umber, and bianco de Vicenza. The latter pigment has a very subtle, warm hue and almost no opaque capacity. In tempera it is a useful glazing color to impart warmth to cooler tones. It also provides a delicate cloudiness that can help to soften focus and articulate a sense of space.
I'll probably now let the painting rest for a day or two before making final touches.