Expert: Judy - 11/6/2009

Question
QUESTION: In many of Dufy's pictures, one can see very fine dark lines, usually black, in the distance. What medium or type of brush does he use for those fine lines? TY.

ANSWER: Hi, David,

Thanks for the question.

Some of the vague fine lines you see are pencil lines.  However, most of the lines are prominently dark lines; they are ink lines.  Adding lines as contours is one of Dufy's painting characteristics. He used ink for these dark and heavy lines most of the time.  He used some watercolor paint to draw the lines after he had all the washes.

I am not sure what type of brushes he used, but the look of these lines suggest that he used more pointed round sable brushes.  A Chinese brush would give you the same effect with a wide range of calligraphical execution.  You practically can use one single Chinese brush to draw something very tiny and thin and paint a wide and broad area.  Any western watercolor brushes would not give you the look or effect in Dufy's works.  Thus, I am suspecting that he used Chinese brushes quite often.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks. I'm wondering if you can clarify part of your answer. And forgive me, my question is based on seeing prints, not originals, of his work. Would he have used an ink pen on top of an oil/thinner wash after the oil had dried? Or directly onto unpainted canvas? I can't figure out how the latter would look smooth with the rough canvas texture.

I'm not sure what you mean by "He used some watercolor paint to draw the lines after he had all the washes." Do you mean he drew the washes first, then the ink pen, then dark painted lines using brush?

I would appreciate any insight on this. My reason for asking these questions is to find out how I as an amateur can draw fine lines easier than with oil and brush.  Utrillo did something similar, it seems, when he drew or painted windows - there appears to be so much detail - though that could be an illusion with oil paint.
Many thanks.

Answer
David,

When i was saying that Dufy used ink, it referred to water based media only, such as watercolor and ink paintings.  When he used ink, he was still using brushes, but not pen.  Pen would not make his lines so flowing or gallegraphical.  He did not use ink at all on his oil.  He painted the dark outlines afterwards with oil paints.

Actually, it is easier to paint fine lines with oil paint than you think.  What you need is good brushes.  Brushes are essential for controlling brush strokes.  I am not sure what genre you are painting, but traditionally we don't use fine lines much in oil paintings.  Unless you are painting something modern like Dufy.  However, in order to create better flow of oil paint fine lines, you would need to practice drawing.  This is the only way to carry out your fine lines with better flow and spontaneity.