setting up a palatte

[inkgal8290]

would any one like to share how they set their palatte for painting. im going left to right tit white ,prushian blue , ultra blue,aliz crimsion, cad red,cadyellow mid,lemon yellow.

i also have a second palatte i call my synthethic pallate which contains colours like raw umber burnt seana raw seana etc

just with this linited palatte in getting some quiet good resilts

[Bob Abrahams]

would any one like to share how they set their palatte for painting. im going left to right tit white ,prushian blue , ultra blue,aliz crimsion, cad red,cadyellow mid,lemon yellow. i also have a second palatte i call my synthethic pallate which contains colours like raw umber burnt seana raw seana etc. just with this linited palatte in getting some quiet good resilts

I use a limited palette, specially when painting on location

I have collected some interesting information on palettes HERE (http://boaboblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/transparent-primaries-don-jusko.html)

I do not think it is important how an artist arranges paint colours on the palette as long as it suits their style and they are consistent

I am right handed and start with Tit white top right then moving to the left accross the top cad yellow light, cad yellow, cad range, cad red, light red (or equiv), Quinacridine magenta, Ultra Marine Blue, Phthalo green, Azo green.

I aim to mix my own earth colours from the above.
I do not always have all these colours out at any one time, but they all have their own place on the palette

I use M Graham walnut oil based paints with fast drying walnut/alkyd medium for plein air painting

[inkgal8290]

thanks bob...would you like to show me how you make the earth colors from your limited palatte?

[Bob Abrahams]

thanks bob...would you like to show me how you make the earth colors from your limited palatte?

Inkgal
In this demo I have used three primaries, Ultra Marine Blue, Quinacradone Magenta and Cad Yellow plus T White
Using other primaries would result in similar results

From these primaries I have mixed blue violet, red violet , red and orange. (I could have also mixed green or any other colour from these primaries)

Basically, it is trial and error until you get the earth colour mix you need. Mixing the violets with yellows and oranges will make earth colours.

If I had spent more time I could have produced more realistic earth colours, but only wanted to show you the process.

http://img30.picoodle.com/img/img30/4/1/19/f_MixingEarthm_9a63d44.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/4/1/19/f_MixingEarthm_9a63d44.jpg&srv=img30)


I am not saying that we should not use earth colours out of the tube, but this is an interesting exercise in colour mixing resulting in very beautiful earth colours that should provide unity in the painting because they are mixed from - related to, the other colours.

Pure earth colours can sometimes look very dead in a painting

[inkgal8290]

thanks heaps for that bob.....much appreciated

[inkgal8290]

yes...i was told this mixing violets and yellows and oranges make your earths.....ive tried this....i find the colors i mix better than straight from the tube earth colors...they seem to glow more.

i was thinking from the lack of posts on this thread people must mix their paints in a more intuitive way than systematic.....just another way of mixing...i guess you cant say much about a system when you have an intuition.

i use to mix by intuition...however i felt the need to have a system because i just had too many colors in front of me....although i was still seeing it through color theory...it was getting way confusing.....plus i was tending to repeat my self.

[Bob Abrahams]

yes...i was told this mixing violets and yellows and oranges make your earths.....ive tried this....i find the colors i mix better than straight from the tube earth colors...they seem to glow more.

i was thinking from the lack of posts on this thread people must mix their paints in a more intuitive way than systematic.....just another way of mixing...i guess you cant say much about a system when you have an intuition.

Inkgal
I think intuition is an important part of our creative activities, but we probably need some craft or technical learning as well, otherwise it becomes more like doodling or trial and error.

My approach is

Initially, lay out maximum four colours on the palette and force fit the tonal and colour compostion using these colours . Hold off using white (5th colour) for as long as possible. Use large brush for as long as possible, small brush, only at the very end.

Ensure the intitial compostison is limited to 2-3 main tonal areas. (light, medium and dark tonal areas) Join the darks.

When you are sure that tonal compostion is going to work, enhance the colour effects of light and shadow, (rather than local colours). Add more colours to your palette if necessary without disturbing the unity aleady achieved from the minimum palette

The above is not a set rigid rules for me, but it is way of getting started until such time as the creative juices start flowing. Then I am away!!!!!!!!!!!

[emkay]

i was thinking from the lack of posts on this thread people must mix their paints in a more intuitive way than systematic.....just another way of mixing...i guess you cant say much about a system when you have an intuition.

i use to mix by intuition...however i felt the need to have a system because i just had too many colors in front of me....although i was still seeing it through color theory...it was getting way confusing.....plus i was tending to repeat my self.

Well Bob will be appalled but I'm completely intuitive, with a fair amount of past experience in the mix. I rarely end up with a colour I don't use somewhere in a painting. I have about 10 tube colours that are a standard starting point for me, and I go on from there.

Slap me I'm a happy cretin. :blush:

[Bob Abrahams]

Well Bob will be appalled but I'm completely intuitive, with a fair amount of past experience in the mix. I rarely end up with a colour I don't use somewhere in a painting. I have about 10 tube colours that are a standard starting point for me, and I go on from there. :blush:

Michelle
I am not appalled,:biggrin: I was only explaining my approach. Every artist has their own way, but as you said
"I am completely intuitive but with fair amount of past experience in the mix" I think this past experience in the mix is the craft or technical learning for you.

[Petra Sohns]

Michelle
I am not appalled,:biggrin: I was only explaining my approach. Every artist has their own way, but as you said
"I am completely intuitive but with fair amount of past experience in the mix" I think this past experience in the mix is the craft or technical learning for you.

i usally use a limited palette
starting with light spectrums on the left going into the darks spectrums down the right hand side

there after i use my colourwheel to mix and match

i am still stuck on skintones though anymore suggestions ??

[emkay]

There's a lot more blue in skin than we usually think.

My skin tones often have Indian Red in the shadows, blue and green as extended shadows. Over the top is titanium white mixed with yellow ochre, a touch of red, and then I often over-glaze with other colours, but always sneak a heavily diluted Raw Umber.

Different almost every time, but along the same lines as a basic starting point.

Colour has always been intuitive for me - I know I've got it right for me when I feel a vibration coming from it.

[Petra Sohns]

i am writing your comb in my colour book
will play with those colours

i glaze and scumble mostly and this will be great to exercise
thank you muchly

[inkgal8290]

yes skin tones are probably the hardest tone and chroma to work.....i find raw seana mixed with reds ...both warm and cool to like what i call an elivator color as it helps heaps with the transition between the light tones and the darker shaddows....for light skin tones i use yellows mixed with white ...and actually blues and greens ...you would be amazed at how much green and blue is in skin...for the shaddows i use transparent color start off with burnt umber and go from there. thanks to all who posted this thread.

to bob...i would like to talk about your palatte more as i have confurmed ...with the zen painting master...that you do really know what your talking about.

[inkgal8290]

all that being said...im changing to using a palatte similar to bobs

[Bob Abrahams]

to bob...i would like to talk about your palatte more as i have confurmed ...with the zen painting master...that you do really know what your talking about.

Inkgal
WOW:rolleyes:
Tell me more about the Zen painting master