Day 5 – Beetle Wing Glaze

Layering for Depth and Shine

Technique level: Intermediate
Duration: ~30 minutes

Objective:
Use glazing – layering transparent washes – to build depth, glow, and subtle color shifts. You’ll practice this by painting a close-up of a beetle shell or another shiny surface from nature that reveals iridescence and shadow through layers.

Materials:

• Cold press or hot press paper
• Round brush (size 6–8)
• Transparent pigments (e.g., Phthalo Blue, Quinacridone Rose, Phthalo Green, Indanthrone Blue)
• Optional: a touch of iridescent paint or diluted white gouache for final highlights
• Reference photo of a jewel beetle, scarab, or shiny leaf beetle (or make one up!)

Steps:

1. Sketch a Simple Wing Shape: Think teardrop, oval, or bean shape – zoomed in. Include a hint of structure (ridge line, slight curve).
2. First Glaze: Apply a light, even wash of your base color – e.g., Phthalo Blue. Let it dry completely.
3. Second Glaze: Mix a second transparent color – perhaps a green or violet – and apply it over part of the wing, following the imagined curvature. This creates iridescence. Let dry.
4. Shadow Glaze: Add a slightly darker tone (e.g., Indanthrone Blue or Payne’s Gray) to the underside or edges to increase depth. Let each layer dry before adding the next.
5. Highlight (Optional): Use a clean damp brush to lift a reflective streak – or tap in a tiny white gouache highlight for extra pop.

Focus:

• Let each layer dry fully before the next – patience is key.
• Observe how transparent colors interact – do they glow, dull, shift?
• Try layering warm over cool and vice versa.

Bonus Tip:
Do two versions side by side: one with just 2 glazes, and one with 4 or more. Compare the richness and complexity – you’ll see how glazing builds that beetle magic.