The Bistre (Brown) Technique

The Bistre Technique establishes tonal range quickly. Using only one pigment color (I use Gamblin's Transparent Oxide--a Warm Earth Red--think Rust), the vaqlue range is established by using varying viscosity of mixtures of the same color (Thin, Not so Thin, and Not Thinned) to produce Mid-tones, shadows and highlight. This technique produces quick results that dries in a day when used with a drying Medium.

[@OnAxisMusic]

Great job with this but one important point, this is bistre in name only. Actual bistre is made from the soot of wood, it's not paint it's more like an ink. This is an underpainting in oil which looks like it was made with bistre.

[@longtinart]

Pigments are pigments (soot of wood). Only the binder differs in media. A bistre differs from a verdaccio or a grisaille. The name bistre/imprimatura implies the technique of underpainting in a wash/ thin layer, which can be done in many media.