ˈdead ˌcolour Painting.
[dead a. 13 b.]
The first or preparatory layer of colour in a painting. So ˈdead-ˌcolour v. trans., to paint in dead colour; ˈdead-ˌcolouring vbl. n.
| 1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 63 First to speak of dead-colours. 1672 in H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (1786) III. 128, 5 June, Dr. Tillotson sat..to Mr. Lely for him to lay in a dead colour of his picture. 1788 Sir J. Reynolds Disc. xiv. (1876) 94 That lightness of hand which was in his dead colour, or first painting. c 1843 H. Greenough in Flagg Life W. Allston (1893) 182 This dead color I paint solidly, with a good body of color. |
| 1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 64 Pictures by a good Master, begun, and dead-coloured only. 1668 Excellency of Pen & Pencil 82 In this Dead-colouring you need not be over curious..the colours may be mended at the second Operation. Ibid. 101 For a light-red Garment, first dead-colour it with Vermilion. c 1790 J. Imison Sch. Art. II. 58 After the student has covered over, or as artists term it, has dead-coloured the head. 1859 Gullick & Timbs Paint. 230 The Dead-colouring is the first or preparatory painting, and is so termed because the colours are laid cold and pale to admit of the after-paintings. |