Very limited palette

[Denise Hall]

I am and have been since studying with Marvin Mattelson - still using his simplified palette of terra rosa, indian red, yellow ochre pale, yellow ochre, ivory black and raw umber. I use flake white #2 also. I am continuously amazed that I stick with this palette and find every skin value I could possibly need as well as intensity and color while using this palette for skintones. I may add colors for fabrics, furniture, etc. but rarely have to add many.


I have said it many times - but one more time is never enough - thanks to Marvin - I have confidence in what I am painting and am selling my work as a result.

After all - Marvin did all the homework for me - so the least I can do is thank him many times over - and this is very sincere!

Denise

[Wilma Hill]

I hope I am not intruding on the original post here. I am presently learning many things at once in oils. Layers technique etc. I am about to reach the stage of my color layers in a portrait and have chosen this palette, looking for something very simple for one who does not have that much confidence in mixing oils. I would like to give a description of my palette for your critique and all critiques will be most welcome. Better to find out the weaknesses before I start.

My palette will center around nine values of neutral gray plus black and white. Those grays will be mixed with White, Raw Umber and Black, using some red if needed in the lower values.

I have chosen Yellow Ochre for the first color to be laid out in a horizontal row and mixing values to correspond with the neutral grays above it. The same procedure will be used for my second color, Cadmium Red.

I will mix my flesh tones in vertical rows, there by leaving me free to concentrate on intensity, temperature etc. of my mixes without having to worry about losing the value I have chosen for a specific area.

For the clothing and background I will proceed with the same palette making extra horizontal rows beneath the flesh colors with colors that are needed.

It

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Wilma, I welcome your post and it's an interesting idea. Let me say some general things first. What you must learn to do is understand what all the colors can do for you. I am not a habit guy. I am not a rule guy. There are many basics you can learn, but as you learn them deeply you'll begin to dismiss them. It is like using recipes or really knowing how to cook. The chefs know, so they don't use recipes. I have a basic palette on my site and a secondary list of extras you may find helpful.

For example, you can make many neutrals but it's nice to have some of them from the tube. Thalo blue you may very rarely need.

There are as many palettes as there are painters. You will find one that fits your own style.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Denise, I'm so happy that the palette is giving you the control that you were seeking. I know that keeping your color in check was an issue of great concern and I'm thrilled that you have overcome this problem and are selling your work. The satisfaction I receive from hearing stories like yours always warms my heart. I understand how important getting more proficient is for my students and I take the responsibility of giving them my all quite seriously. I'll gladly accept your praise any day.

Wilma, the palette you propose is very similar to the palette I use and have shared with my students, so I applaud you on what I perceive to be your great instincts. The results, like those stated by Denise, are pretty much universally shared. If people follow my lead and give it a sincere effort they can achieve great things in a short amount of time. You can check out the works of bothTim Mensching and Joe Daily who both use my palette.

The difference between what you propose and what I use is in the reds. I eschew cadmiums in the flesh as did the vast majority of painters before the twentieth century since cadmiums weren't available. Masters such as Lawrence, Raeburn, Bouguereau and Velasquez didn't use cadmiums in their complexions. Neither did Paxton, who although he had access to cadmiums, employed earth reds instead and produced the most luminous and lifelike complexions I've ever seen.

I use two strings of reds, one mixed with Terra Rosa and the other with Indian Red. These combined with the ochers (darkened with raw umber) and neutrals can provide me with all the nuances of flesh in natural light. Other colors can sometimes be required to depict reflected lights in the shadows. As Denise said I do add other colors but I find that the addition of Ultramarine Blue, Viridian and Alizarin Crimson Permanent I can achieve a myriad of color possibilities. I am constantly amazed at how much more I am able to squeeze out of this simple arrangement with each ensuing painting.

It is my opinion, based on my experience as an artist and teacher, when it comes to color, more is indeed not better. I pursued a non cadmium palette because I found that my students struggled with trying to contain the overpowering strength of cadmiums and I looked to those painters I admired the most to see what they used. It worked for me and the rest, as they say, is history.

Good luck to you.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

What would you say was the difference between those two reds; Indian Red and Terra Rosa? Marvin

Of the "brick" reds which one do you use most? Many painters find the earth reds lead to flat , dull colors due to their opaque nature. Sargent used only one for example then sparingly. Sargent used Mars Orange and cadmium red. Earth reds also tend to cost the painter transparency in the halftones and darks. Many artists have dropped the color completely from their palettes because of these traits.

This Godward for example has little earth red color in it.

[Terri Ficenec]

Originally Posted by Timothy C. Tyler

Many painters find the earth reds lead to flat , dull colors due to their opaque nature. . . . Earth reds also tend to cost the painter transparency in the halftones and darks. Many artists have dropped the color completely from their palettes because of these traits.

Tim,
Just wanted to thank you for that comment coming at a very opportune time for me. I just finished a pair of paintings, brother and sister... and when I put them side by side, she looked 'muddy' compared to him. Read your post and realized I'd used a more opaque red in the half-tones and shadows so reworked her face with a transparent red, and she no longer looks muddy ... It's hard to see on the jpegs, but in person, there's a big difference in how the painting reads!

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Terri, you're going to be a star on our new student page on the website! I'm glad it helped-nothing like good timing huh?

If you capture it on a jpeg it would be fun to see the difference!

[Wilma Hill]

Timothy thank you very much for your input and encouragement.

Marvin I will certainly look into what you have suggested and it did very much encourage me that I was on the right track by some miracle.

This palette that I am refering to is called the Jack Reilly palette. Mr. Reilly was director of the Art Students League of New York for many years and this was the palette he used for his beginning students. Mr. Farraggaso, first a student of his, then a teacher in the school and after Mr. Reilly's passing became director of it for many years also, wrote a book called "The Students Guide tp Painting" of which I have a copy and it is based on Mr. Reilly's teaching. Mentioning this to let you know where I obtained the information in case you were interested. The book has been long out of print and hard to find.

I have been observing your paintings along with many others and admire them greatly. I will now go look at those you have suggested, I believe there is something here posted on your palette already, I read so much here on the site have trouble keeping up with it, but it caught my eye and will go check this out.

Again thank you very much for your generous input.

Wilma

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Wilma, the easiest way to choose a palette from which to depart (or begin) is by looking the works of painters you like and see what they did or do. You also would be wise to look at the award winning painters of today you like best and investigate their palettes. One of these I'd suggest is Nelson Shanks. His palette is listed on SOG somewhere... it is vast and variable according to his subject. The reason for looking into living painters is that colors have improved greatly over the last 30 years. Best wishes, Tim

[Wilma Hill]

Timothy thank you again for your input. I take all comments very seriously and appreciate them very much and follow up on them by doing what has been suggested. I don't feel like I can comment any furthor for I am inexperienced in this field, therefore have no experience to base a comment on. But I want everyone to know that I really appreciate you and others taking time from what must be very busy schedules to post their thoughts on this. I have admired your work and others here for many years.

Wilma