1. Colours used
Many artists used to use monochromatic
underpaintings. The reason for this was to give substance and volume to
the different aspects of the painting, as well as to enhance the
contrast between darker areas and lighter areas. However, any colour and
any colour of combinations can be used. It's worth experimenting to see
what different effects can be produced by using different colours and
colour combinations for your underpainting. Many choose to use lots of
different colours as a sort of template for layers to be painted on top.
2. Purpose
Underpaintings
are used to give paintings more tonality and texture. Many artists use a
limited number of colours to create a first version of their painting,
marking of areas that are going to be rich in colour as further layers
are added. Underpaintings can also be used to give your painting flashes
of colour. The colour used in the underpainting will very slightly show
through the layers on top of it. It's a good idea to experiment with
contrasting colours, so the colours from the bottom layer will be shown
more effectively. A really good underpainting can produce colours that
visually mix with colours from the topmost layers of the painting
without the colours physically blending together. Think of an
underpainting as a blueprint for the final version of the painting.
3. Popularity today
A
lot of artists don't actually use this technique today. The reason is
because they simply don't see the point in spending time on the bottom
layers when it's the topmost layers that matter the most. Underpaintings
were very popular throughout history, though nowadays the practice of
creating an underpainting has lost favour with many artists. Using this
technique definitely has its advantages, as it allows you to map out
your painting and highlight areas where more colour is going to be
applied. Using underpaintings can be a great way to get you to think
more about the composition of your painting.
4. Grisaille
Grisaille
refers to paintings that are completed either in monochrome or nearly
all in monochrome. The colour used in grisaille paintings is usually
grey; grisaille works can be found in many different shades of grey.
Artists also use grisaille as an underpainting: the first and bottommost
layer of the painting they complete in grey. Using the grisaille
underpainting technique can give paintings a sort of 3D effect.
Grisaille was developed by French painters and was commonly used
throughout the Renaissance. Though grey is mainly used, browns can be
used as well.
5. Verdaccio
Verdaccio is the name given to a
specific mixture of pigments. Those pigments are black, white and
yellow. When these pigments are mixed together, they produce soft green
colour that has hints of yellow or grey, depending on how much of each
colour is used. This mixture of pigments was very commonly used by
Italian artists for underpainting. It was especially popular for
portraits and other works featuring people, as the green of the
verdaccio would complement and balance the pinks and other light colours
used to depict the subject's skin tones.
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