This is an in-class demo I did recently at the Semiahmoo Art Center. First, I did a blue-gray under-painting (slightly grayed down blue to avoid having to deal with intense blues – the blues will also make the toned areas recede, as in shadows, etc. The grisaille method can also be done with warms such as burnt umber or even greens – experiment!). Secondly, I will over-paint the grisaille with actual hues, such as greens, oranges, violets, etc. The blue does not show much in the final. The advantage of this is that it lets you work out the composition and values before committing to color and detail too early. The method (which is actually very old and certainly not mine, originally – check out grisaille on Wiki) can be interesting and effective. In the modern era we tend do go directly to full color, but when color was very expensive and precious, it was quite common to do a grisaille underpainting. Also check out: VILLAGE DEMO ‘ GRISAILLE ‘ TO COLOR .
