Verdaccio became integral part of fresco painting where this color is used for defining tonal values, creating complete monochromatic underpainting. Often architectural details in frescoes are left in Verdacchio without any additional color layers, best example is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, where you can clearly see verdaccio underpainting left as is on all architectural details of the composition.

The technique of underpainting in verdaccio became known as Verdaccio.

In oil painting a similar technique is used by flemish painters which is referred to as the "Dead Layer". "Dead Layer" is applied over the traditional burnt umber underpainting to refine the values and remove the warm tone of umber. The resulted "white to olive green to black" underpainting is like "like being lit by a moon light" which does not affect the tonality of the final painting.

learn fresco at http://FrescoSchool.org

fresco painting video tutorials: http://www.FrescoSchool.com

also visit

Fresco School Video Channel
http://youtube.com/FrescoSchool

Contemporary Fresco Gazette
http://trueFresco.Org
commission fresco or mural http://iLAdesigns.com

In 1200 painting was not so diffuse in Florence and governor of city called some Greek painters to decorate some churches (see Vasari book). There started to work Cimabue that learned to use verdaccio as an underpanting of flesh color.

Before apply verdaccio he did a line drawing and traced some dark area with terra verte (earth green) then on top of it applied the verdaccio.

Cimabue taught the process to Giotto. Giotto taught the process to Taddeo Gaddi that was his pupil for 24 years. Taddeo taught it to his son Agnolo. Agnolo taught it to Cennino Cennini that reported the process in his Craftsman's Handbook.
http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Cennini/

No green pigment was used. Only black, yellow ochre, white and red. White in the english text is called white lime but actual Italian name was "Bianco San Giovanni" literally can be translated in "White Saint John" but I do not think it exists any more. Yellow Ochre was available at that time in two versions: dark and light. Cennini wrote to prefer dark if possible. The red was Cinabrese. So no green was present in the mixture.

Also the recipes provided by Wikipedia seems wrong because it does not cite the red.

So I think your recipes is pretty good because you cited yellow ochre and blank. White was used for light area. You missed red probably used to neutralize the green color and make it more gray.

I wrote an article on this here.
http://www.drawandpaint.net/verdaccio-underpainting/

Let me know what do you think about my research.
Thank you

Cimabue taught the process to Giotto. Giotto taught the process to Taddeo Gaddi that was his pupil for 24 years.
Taddeo taught it to his son Agnolo. Agnolo taught it to Cennino Cennini that reported the process in his
Craftsman's Handbook.
http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Cennini/

No green pigment was used. Only black, yellow ochre, white and red. White in the english text is called white lime
but actual italian name was "Bianco San Giovanni" literally translated "White Saint John" but I do not think it exists any more. Yellow Ocrhe was available at that time in two versions: dark and light. Cennini wrote to prefer dark if possible. The red was cinabrese. So no green is present in the mixture. Also the recipes provided by
Wikipedia seems wrong because it does not cite the red.

I wrote an article on this here.
http://www.drawandpaint.net/verdaccio-underpainting/
Thank you