underpainting

noun

un·​der·​paint·​ing ˈən-dər-ˌpān-tiŋ How to pronounce underpainting (audio)
: preliminary painting
especially : such painting done on a canvas or panel and covered completely or partially by the final layers of paint

Examples of underpainting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In addition to the impasto fireworks, subtle red underpainting is glimpsed beneath the greenish brown color of the back wall and the black jacket, yielding smoldering life to what could have been just tired passages of dark flat color. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2023 La La Anthony’s Guide to Crease-Free Concealer and Bronzed Makeup While her underpainting may have caught the attention of a younger audience, Phillips is keen to share the virtues of make-up tricks that work at any age. Georgia Day, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2023 The hack is somewhat similar to underpainting—the application of highlighter and contour ahead of foundation—a method re-popularized (with help from TikTok) by makeup artist Mary Phillips and favored by the likes of Jennifer Lopez. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2023 Mary Phillips, the celebrity makeup artist known for the viral underpainting trend on TikTok, has done it again, this time taking siren eyes to the next level by using a poppy pink liner that plays nicely with Bieber’s buttercup yellow mani. Lisa Desantis, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2023 Their research was initially hobbled by the pandemic, and other factors, but last spring MacDonald-Korth used high-tech equipment to study the underpainting and trace the elements of the paints used in the original in Philadelphia. Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023 Over the years, her riff on underpainting has become a favorite of celebs like JLo, who was as radiant as ever at the Shotgun Wedding premiere earlier this month. Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2023 The artist would first block the position of the flower with a monochrome underpainting and then flesh out the details by applying semi-transparent paints such as glazes for the shadows. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 June 2022 There is also evidence of some white underpainting, possibly in cadmium, in the lower part of the figure. Alison Cole, CNN, 11 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underpainting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underpainting was in 1866

Dictionary Entries Near underpainting

Cite this Entry

“Underpainting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underpainting. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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