Dutch Grisaille

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Dutch Masters used Grisaille Techniques

Dutch Masters used the indirect painting method to create their radiant art works that featured jewel-tone elegance. 

The indirect painting method required making an underpainting where values, perspective and light theory is worked out completely.   When that was completed to their  perfection, then they proceeded to lay transparent oil color glazes over the underpainting to begin their color journey.

They worked designs out on paper or quick studies on practice panels before their brush touched the wood panel that the art work would be painted on.  

During this process, their focus was directed to the quality of light, color temperature, and gentle color nuances that brought realism to their finished designs

Rembrandt learned from his teachers the Flemish Method, the Venetian Grisaille Method and the direct painting method of "wet-into-wet"  that we now call alla prima.   The innovative Rembrandt intermixed these three art styles to produce whatever results he desired in each of his paintings.  

Johannes Vermeer chose the grisaille method for his underpaintings and worked every detail to ultimate perfection before he introduced any suggestion of color.   Vermeer is said to have been a Master of Light for he understood the qualities of light and color to the highest degree, as is evident in his radiant  art works. 

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