English

Noun

underpainting ‎(countable and uncountable, plural underpaintings)

1. (art) An initial layer of paint, often monochromatic, applied to a ground as a base for subsequent layers.
   • 2007 May 13, Carol Kino, “Something There Is That Loves a Wall”, in New York Times:

     He would start with a stenciled acrylic underpainting and finish by making marks with the chalk and charcoal shells.