What Italian term refers to a thin, translucent layer of color applied to a painting's ground before painting begins?
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Imprimatura
Imprimatura provides a middle-toned foundation that helps artists establish values and color relationships more accurately than a stark white canvas. This initial wash of color, often an earth tone like burnt sienna, seals the absorbent ground and ensures the painting's luminosity from within. Many Old Masters used this technique to unify their compositions and prevent the white primer from peeking through the final brushstrokes.
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- What Italian word describes the transparent under-layer of paint used to establish a tonal base on a canvas?