Also, darker darks and lighter lights can be worked on either side of it. Furthermore, ground tones can be refined in anticipation of subject matter and the planned use of glazes. For example a warm ground later glazed with say, pthalo blue, will neutralize to an even more sophisticated tone. With brightly toned grounds such as red oxide it's a good idea to isolate them with a coat of medium so they don't penetrate and fox later layers, particularly light ones. Transparent glazes in single or varied colors over brilliant white grounds are another way to go.
Some artists enjoy working up a grisaille over a white ground, textured or plain.
This is where elements are painted in shades of gray or brownish, for instance, then colored by glazing. This method leads to compositionally sound paintings by avoiding the early entrance of demon color. The main idea, after sound mechanical and chemical practices are in place, is to experiment until the surface and tone are just right for you at the time. If the ground is happy, the painting is half painted. This is an expression coined by the French in the 18th century which describes the brilliant color effects of painters like Sir Thomas Lawrence and R. Bonnington who were painting transparently over bright white grounds.