Have you ever wondered why it is recommended to create an underpainting or to tone your canvas even though you're going to just paint over it? Here are five reasons that doing so is a good idea even though it may seem like a waste of time and paint.
Underpainting and the Final 
ONE: ELIMINATES ANXIETY
Have you ever stared at a blank canvas and feared you might mess up or questioned your ability to even start? If you just lay down some color and know that it will be eventually covered up, it will help alleviate the anxiety we build up to just get started.
TWO: CREATES A ROADMAP
By creating an underpainting, it can create a roadmap for color placement. Even though the colors may not be exactly placed, it helps guide you with your layout and proportion in the space.
THREE: VIBRANCY
When I paint my first transparent color layer, I allow the white of the canvas to enhance the brilliance of the color, like in watercolor painting. I don't need to add white. Then as I paint over with the opaque colors, I allow some of these translucent colors underneath to shine through. This process creates the most luminous colored paintings.
FOUR: SAVES TIME
Having an underpainting can save you from doing multiple layers of paint to get a good coverage on the canvas and it will mute the brightness of the white of the canvas.
FIVE: UNIFIES
If you tone your canvas with only one color and allow some of that color to peek throughout, it will unify the piece. The color will appear in multiple places, allowing your eye to travel around and create connection and harmony.
If you would like to watch me paint using this same method, please check out my YouTube channel.
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