Nelson Shanks' Palette

Colors include Gamblin, Winsor-Newton, Old Holland, and Grumbacher, unless noted.

Burnt Umber
Burnt Sienna
Venetian Red
Crimson Lake Deep Extra (Old Holland)
Permanent Rose (W-N)
Cadmium Red Deep
Camium Scarlet
Perinone Red (Gamblin)
Perylene Red (Gamblin)
Cadmium Orange
Raw Sienna
Indian Yellow (W-N)
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Pale
Cadmium Green Pale
Cadmium Green
Viridian (W-N)
Pthalo Green
Cerulean Blue
Cobalt Blue
Manganese Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Dioxazine Purple
Ivory Black
Flake White #2

Source: extracted from Nelson Shanks's website, 12/01, Workshop Supplies. See this site for extaordinary, exquisite work, if you have not already: www.nelson-shanks.com

Now I see why Nelson Shanks charges so much. He's just trying to pay for his 26 colors.

Steve

How much does he charge?

According to an article on his website he has received $200,000 for a full length portrait. I don't know if that is his normal price, but it gives you an idea of his price range.

Steve

Data from a few years ago said he was getting $60,000 for a head and shoulders.

I'm delighted to hear it, thanks to you both.

I have always enjoyed Shanks' work and had the occasion to see a demo by him in Allentown, PA last fall (01). The demo was fair and he offered virtually no comment. All was forgiven however, by the fantastic display of his work on hand. The richness, sublety, and creativity are extraordinary. You see things not evident in reproductions such as an understated suggestion of viens running just below warm skin tones. And he doesn't work by formula. It's special. He is not afraid to attempt the unusual and difficult in order to produce very "original" work.

He also conducted a workshop which I was unable to attend but you can see in his paintings a variety and richness that would not be found using most traditional palettes.

I also think his palette could be a disaster in the hands of the inexperienced. Or should we learn on a larger keyboard?

I wonder if he needs a manager or something?

Slightly simplified Shanks palette
 

I have attended three workshops with Nelson and/or his instructors over the past year. For the record, as of January 2002 he cut the number of colors down to 23. He now omits Venetian Red, Perylene red, and yellow ochre.

Peggy Baumgaertner's palette is also 23 colors, though not the same ones. What the two of them have in common is experience studying at the Cape School, in the Hawthorne/Hensche tradition.

Although he, as you say, puts 23-26 pigments on his palette, what I would like to know is which pigments he actually uses the most. Which colours form the base of his method of painting. My guess is that he probably uses 7 or 8 pigments to do 90% of a painting and uses other pigments for specials flavours in the colouring.

I personally like a limited palette best. I don't think someone like Rembrandt or Vermeer used more than 8 or 10 pigments or so. My guess is that Shanks doesn't use more pigments for the most part. The working method would be too difficult and complex to control.

Peter