Re: palette 379 by Patrick on 03/17/01 at 11:38 PM
Re: palette

In Reply to: palette posted by max on 03/17/01 at 1:24 PM:

I can think of two methods that might help - each of these would involve a basic change to your technique, but it sounds like it would be worth it. Your current method seems overly complicated and restrictive.

The first option would be to start with a monochromatic (usually black and white) underpainting. This is known as grisaille. Simply start by painting your entire picture with black and white paint in shades of grey. It is important that you paint it a bit lighter than you want the final result to be. You may do this with tempra or acrylic, as they dry faster than oils.

Next, mix thin washes of oils with NO WHITE - these will be transparent glazes. You can do this with just turpentine and linseed oil, though some people use fancier mediums. Just paint the colors over the shapes and they will be infused with a wonderful glowing color. You won't have to worry at all about value - just color.

The last step is then to add white to your paint and put in any highlights and touchups. That's it. It's easy and pretty. The only drawback is that it is often a very stiff method, thought that can be overcome with practice. This is how the old masters usually painted.

OK. Your second option would be to do more mixing on the canvas. I would reccomend this method to bring livlier colors to your painting.

For instance - are you doing a blue sky? Then, ON YOU CANVAS, dab big blotches of a light blue, another shade of blue, maybe a few purples, and some orange (blue's complement). Then blend them all together with a big dry brush. That will be a lively sky, no doubt, and you will have saved plenty of time and palette space.

You mentioned a forest in your example. Rather than mixing ALL the greens (and reds, and yellows, etc), you would get a much better result by mixing as little as possible! Try just putting a big dab of white in the middle of your palette, then bringing a some green and little burnt sienna into it. Mix a little, but not much! Now take a big brush and put some of that mixture on the end THEN touch the corner of the brush into plain green (Sap or Hookers would be good), and the other corner into some yellow. Then start painting your foliage. As you continue, just randomly pick up more colors and brush them in. Don't worry about the individual leaves, for god's sake. This isn't a photograph. It's way better than that. It's art!

Both of these methods have one thing in common - there is VERY LITTLE time spent mixing the colors. Most of the time is freed up to paint. Isn't that great? I hope these ideas get you started in some new directions. Post a if they did!



Follow Ups:

Re: palette shawn gibson   Posted at: 03/27/01 (0)

Post a Followup 378,379"> Patrick"> megaflowpm_aol.comRe: palette_03/17/01 at 11:38 PM"> "Re: palette"
: I can think of two methods that might help - each of these would involve a basic change to your technique, but it sounds like it would be worth it. Your current method seems overly complicated and restrictive. : The first option would be to start with a monochromatic (usually black and white) underpainting. This is known as grisaille. Simply start by painting your entire picture with black and white paint in shades of grey. It is important that you paint it a bit lighter than you want the final result to be. You may do this with tempra or acrylic, as they dry faster than oils. : Next, mix thin washes of oils with NO WHITE - these will be transparent glazes. You can do this with just turpentine and linseed oil, though some people use fancier mediums. Just paint the colors over the shapes and they will be infused with a wonderful glowing color. You won't have to worry at all about value - just color. : The last step is then to add white to your paint and put in any highlights and touchups. That's it. It's easy and pretty. The only drawback is that it is often a very stiff method, thought that can be overcome with practice. This is how the old masters usually painted. : OK. Your second option would be to do more mixing on the canvas. I would reccomend this method to bring livlier colors to your painting. : For instance - are you doing a blue sky? Then, ON YOU CANVAS, dab big blotches of a light blue, another shade of blue, maybe a few purples, and some orange (blue's complement). Then blend them all together with a big dry brush. That will be a lively sky, no doubt, and you will have saved plenty of time and palette space. : You mentioned a forest in your example. Rather than mixing ALL the greens (and reds, and yellows, etc), you would get a much better result by mixing as little as possible! Try just putting a big dab of white in the middle of your palette, then bringing a some green and little burnt sienna into it. Mix a little, but not much! Now take a big brush and put some of that mixture on the end THEN touch the corner of the brush into plain green (Sap or Hookers would be good), and the other corner into some yellow. Then start painting your foliage. As you continue, just randomly pick up more colors and brush them in. Don't worry about the individual leaves, for god's sake. This isn't a photograph. It's way better than that. It's art! : Both of these methods have one thing in common - there is VERY LITTLE time spent mixing the colors. Most of the time is freed up to paint. Isn't that great? I hope these ideas get you started in some new directions. Post a if they did!

 
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