Very limited palette

[Tom Edgerton]

I took a workshop with Shane Neal last spring, and one exercise was to paint from life with five colors: white, ultramarine blue, cad yellow medium (I think), cad red light, and alizarin crimson. Not just the skin tones, but the whole painting. My model had near black hair, and after some brief struggle, I even got a deep black with the same colors. I didn't find it any more daunting than painting with my usual palette.

As you might guess, my result was much fresher, less labored and really satisfying to have done, more so than a subsequent painting of the same model and lighting with the fuller palette. It really opened my eyes.

I'm beginning to think that the curse of living in our society and our time is the curse of too much choice.

(But I still wouldn't want to grind them.)

Best--TE

[Marvin Mattelson]

I get great results with raspberry jam and peanut butter, washed down with grape juice; on white bread, of course.

[Tom Edgerton]

Marvin--

Always thought your work looked good enough to eat... Haw!

Best as always--TE

(Though come to think of it, the luscious array of colors on the Mattleson/Paxton palette obscures the fact that it's mixed from only four basic colors plus white and black. Not counting the bread.)

[Michele Rushworth]

Hey, VanGogh used to eat his paints. Wonder if that was before or after he went off the deep end....

[Marvin Mattelson]

No wonder he was so Flake(y). You are what you eat.

[Margaret Port]

Raspberry jam, indeed. Marvin!!

In my part of the world, if the ants didn't get it, the cockies would, and failing that, the mouse loves peanut butter! Imagine the mold! A hole new perspective on art!

Has anyone had the pleasure of sampling the chocolate portraits on display on a sidewalk somewhere in New York? Now there is a palette I am very partial to.

[Margaret Port]

The yellow is called Spectrum Yellow.

To Linda,
yes it seems you can get a good range of greens with these limited colours. I have more experimenting to do at this stage but my mauves, pinks, ochres etc are beautiful.