This is the first in a three-part “Underpainting Series” featuring Vitaliy Shtanko, Ukranian artist based in Florence and a Principal Instructor of Advanced Painting at FAA.

Filmed with a live model in his studio, Vitaliy begins developing the underpainting of a portrait. The underpainting is a very important step of the painting process, as it allows painters to study their subjects and resolve compositional issues in drawing before adding color.

In Pt.1 of this series we follow Vitaliy’s process as he blocks-in the sitter on the canvas, and begins to formulate the composition. The artist gives us a precise understanding of his thought process during this important stage in the painting’s development, as he determines the basic values.