Chromatic ground

[v0rbiss]

Hey all!:perv: I was thinking about messing around with some ground that isn't white, but I don't know how to make one. What if I add some acyillic paint(the desired color) into the white acryllic Gesso, would it work? :eyeloss:
Thanks in advance! :hatsoff:

[Burtzum]

yeah I do that all the time. Lately I like mixing in unbleached titanium white into it. Or big fat tubes of cheap crap that my photography friends gave me.

[DavePalumbo]

yeah, that's one way. I like it best to keep more on light side and more neutral tones, but you should try different things and see what you like. I assume you're painting oils? You can also do the straight white gesso, then mix yourself a neutral tone in oil, say out of a red and a green, and brush it on keeping it very thin with the turps. I like this because it has some variety to the color (some areas more greenish, some more red) and you can tone on top of a drawing if you keep it transparent.

[v0rbiss]

Thanks guys! :) Yep, oil it is, I'll definately try that transparent neutral tone over the white gesso, Dave!

[MarkHarchar]

In addition to the already mentioned methods, Ruben would take his white ground, mix umber with medium to get a thin mixture and brush it on leaving it streaky. This created variagation which came through the thinner layers.

The master kept to the neutral tones, as Dave has mentioned, but I have also seen a few modern painters work with orange or yellow grounds if they are doing cold winter scenes in order to give them warmth.

Start with the standards, but feel free to experiment. But remember, don't paint acrylic over oil because it can cause cracking.