OLD MASTERS UNDERPAINTING: GRISAILLE: A CONTEMPORARY GUIDE TO UNDERPAINTINGS AND LAYERING FOR BEGINNERS

Pieter Bruegel, Anthonis van Dyck, Jan van Eyck, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt van Rijn, and many other Old Masters built their paintings on a strong foundation of values and light. One of the techniques they often used was grisaille, a gray monochrome underpainting also known as the dead layer.Grisaille helps artists establish form, light, shadow, and tonal structure before introducing color. By removing color, saturation, and temperature from the early stage of the painting process, the artist can focus fully on value, composition, and the realistic depiction of the subject.What is gray underpainting used for, and how can you create it in your own work? In this book, you will learn the principles behind grisaille, how it supports later color layers, and how this Old Master technique can still be used by contemporary oil painters today.Revised and language-updated English edition, 2026. This version has been updated, expanded, and edited for clearer reading while preserving the original purpose of the book. Read more