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Ant Holder

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Posted
Question, for which I cannot decide. Been commissioned to do a painting of a mother & baby in candlelight....only faces and eyes shown in light of candle. I can't decide whether to prime canvas with white or grey gesso. Painting itself is colour, but there is a lot of darkness hence my thoughts on grey gesso. Or shall I use black? Can't decide. Any thoughts?

Alan Bickley

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I probably wouldn't use either of those Tony, I would opt for a base colour of say Sepia, perhaps with a hint of a dark blue mixed in, slosh this on the canvas, forget the gesso and this will give you a good base tone to work on, that's how I would approach it.

Sylvia Evans

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Yup , agree with Alan . White is always off putting to me and more or less any base colour will work.

Ever Bla

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Posted
Same here, sepia. The moment you wrote candle light I was thinking Van Dyke Brown ;-)

Ant Holder

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Posted
Roger that. Thank you