Yes --- Black Gesso! I bought some and used it underneath the second painting, the one just above this copy. I'm sorry the photo of the top painting is so glarish, it makes it difficult to compare them. The black gesso was fun to work on, BUT there is a diminishment of light in it. The top painting was done on white gesso with no toning at all, so there is maximum light. This is, though, only my first time to use the black so maybe you can compensate for it by having your paint really thick and laying it on in one go, no mucking it around which always thins it. And ruins it, too. Using the black was thrilling - the color of the paint as it goes down on the black ground is electric right away, very exciting. There is not that much difference in the two really, but if you saw them in person you would know right away which one was the black ground. I used the flat brush again, a number 10. I can see reasons for using both the round and flat, I guess maybe the more important issue is actual size. But that black gesso is a kick!
