Fourpainting

Fourpainting is a painting practice defined by the deliberate construction of an image through four distinct, sequential painting passes. Each pass contributes a different layer of information—structure, color, light, and surface texture—resulting in a composite image produced through multiple refinements rather than a single application.

Artists may use traditional media such as oil or acrylic, applying the passes in serial steps with intervals for drying or reworking. Digital tools can be used to plan the sequence, with the final physical work realized through glazing, scumbling, or opaque layers. Commonly, the four passes are planned around a color or tonal system: a neutral underpainting, a mid-tone coloration, a color glaze layer, and a finishing glaze or texture layer.

The term fourpainting does not denote a single school; rather, it describes a flexible approach found across contemporary painting. It emerged in critical writing and studio practice in the 2000s–2010s as artists explored how layered structure affects perception. The method emphasizes process and time, inviting viewers to consider how each layer shapes the final image.

Critics note that the approach can yield depth and luminous color but may also risk overworking or opacity. Proponents argue that the four-pass framework enhances control over form and atmosphere, while critics warn it can become a formal constraint if applied mechanically.

See also: glazing, layering (art), color theory, painting techniques.