Selecting the wood panel
Yuroz selects high quality kiln-dried birch plywood and supports them by custom-made heavy-duty mortises on the back surface.
Preparing the surfaces
Yuroz then applies two layers of water sealer to the back and sides of the panel. When the water sealer dries, Yuroz spreads a layer of clay on the front surface and sand it down. More clay and sanding is applied two or three times until Yuroz is satisfied with the surface.
Creating the images
The artist then uses a drawing medium, sometimes watercolor, to draw his images, which is then sealed by a special fixative. Using a transparent gel as a mock oil paint and the sealed surface as a mock canvas, the artist applies his brush strokes with a coarse brush to the entire surface to add texture without obscuring the drawing to his work.
Exemplifying the mood and movement
Once the painting is completely dried, Yuroz forces thick oil paint into the brushstrokes and “that’s when the magic begins”, says the artist, as he gently and patiently wipes the oil paint from the surface to bring out the highlights on his panel while it is drying.
This process is called chiaroscuro, a technique originated during the Renaissance, describing the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, resulting in a stunning visual effect in a work of art. This technique was initially pioneered by Leonardo da Vinci, then further developed by Caravaggio and perfected by Rembrandt.
The use of chiaroscuro allows Yuroz to achieve a dramatic intensification of action or atmospheric mood surrounding the figures or subjects, imbuing them with a sense of glowing enthusiasm, or sometimes a sense of gloom but always a sense of movement.
Applying the silver leaf
Masking the drawn images to isolate only the areas ready to receive the silver leaf, Yuroz brushes homemade glue and carefully applies the silver leaf, brushing away the excess until this sparkling luster beautifully embraces the clay surface. This is left to dry for another couple of days.
Adding a cachet of antique affluence
The last step of this process is to apply a special finish that imparts a cachet of antique affluence and an extra shade of brown to the artwork. After the panel is dried, the painting is born.
The 6.5 step, custom frame by Yuroz
Each Venetian silver painting is coupled with a custom designed frame by Yuroz that is built with the same process as the work of it itself, fitting to showcase the timeless beauty in the work of distinctive fusion of the ancient elegance and the modern precision.
