Paxton vs. cads and shadow help please!

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Renee,

Thank you so much, I am beginning to understand more. This whole thing about mixing different values of EACH color is new to me. I have studied a lot of posts by Marvin about Paxton's palette and even ordered all the colors mailorder from the Italian Art Supply place that he recommended. So, I have all the colors.

I recently viewed Daniel Greene's video and he does something that sounds similar, mixing a number of values in each color. As I said, this is new to me. I understood that Marvin mixed his neutrals in all the values.

Originally Posted by Renee Price

. . . a row of neutrals in values 9-1

I will have to find the post that tells me exactly what the neutral is. I remember there was yellow ochre in it ( a yellow) to neutralize the blue in the black. Can't remember exactly . . .

Originally Posted by Renee Price

When mixing colors, remember to work up and down within the values and never across. For example, never mix a value 6 yellow ochre with a value 5 cool red and always use a different brush for each value. Mixing across the values or using the same brush for the different values can result in mud.

Renee, are you saying that when you decide to paint, say, a cheek in a value 3, then you go to your premixed colors as you described them and mix together some of this color in value 3, then a little of that color in value 3, until you get the right color? I understand not mixing in a little of a value 2, for example, with this "3" mixture. Am I getting this right? Doesn't that mean you have to have a pretty huge palette surface? Daniel Greene's is huge, he had is specially made.

Originally Posted by Renee Price

Shadows on the flesh are not just brown or grey. They vary in value and color based on planes of the face, local color and value, temp of light, and surrounding clothing. Don't limit yourself to one value and one color.

Thank you for this thought, it's good for me to remember that a shadow isn't just one color. Although . . . the down side here is that I can hardly figure out ONE good color to make a shadow and now you're telling me to find lots of good shadow colors.

Seriously though, I'll try and be more open minded when it comes to "seeing" the colors in the shadows.

Thank you very much,

Joan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Renee,

Just out of curiousity, do you add a little ultramarine to get a cool flesh tone? I reviewed my notes on Paxton palette and ultramarine wasn't included in "complexion colors".

But this isn't the main point. It's all that mixing before hand that I'm trying to get my mind around. Is all the mixing done as a sort of fail safe way of staying within value ranges? Or is there some other reason? When I paint I first establish the values in either burnt sienna and a turp or raw umber and white. That's because I'm still learning and I think that's a good way to safely get my values correct. Is this the same thinking behind all the premixing and labeling the values?

thanks,

Joan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Now that I just asked about adding blue to cool a flesh tone, I have found this thread started by Marvin called "warm and cool defined". This certainly answers my question about adding blue to cool a skin tone! Here is the link for anyone who may be following tihs thread and is interested:

http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...=values+paxton

Joan

[Leslie Bohoss]

Hi Joan,
A very interesting thread, it helps me a lot.

http://www.karinwells.com/technical2.htm

Karen gives a lot of important tips, in a nutshell. Interesting too: the memoirs of Vige

[Renee Price]

Hi Joan,

Sorry about that! You asked for one good shadow color and I handed you a bunch. There are no absolute right or wrong ways to paint; everybody has their own way. There are several phenomenal portrait artists in the world today and each one uses what works for him or her. Just because something works for one person doesn

[Joan Breckwoldt]

[QUOTE=Renee Price] A color is only warm or cool in relation to the colors around them. A color that is

[Renee Price]

Joan Breckwoldt: I've read so much about cool and warm on the forum, maybe I'm making too much of that?

Hi Joan,

Even though color temperature is a good place to start with a painting, it can be overemphasized sometimes. Warm colors beside cool colors help to model the form and turn edges. In an area where there is not an obvious turning edge like the cheek of a young child for example, the transition of a warm 'reddish' skin tone to a cool 'reddish' skin tone suggests that the cheek is turning away from the viewer. Remember that the more obvious the transition the sharper the edge will appear. Color temperature changes paired with shadows give the illusion of depth.

I understand why you're confused. You're reading and trying to learn as much as possible so you will be able to paint 'right.' Am I right? I hate to tell you this, but there is no absolute 'right' way to paint. Everyone has their own opinions and use techniques that work for her or him. The longer and more a person paints, the more they learn--but not by getting everything right--but by getting things wrong. Everytime someone makes a mistake then finds a way to correct their mistake, the person learns what works and what doesn't. William Whitaker has said on his website, "Many people would like to paint, but not enough to paint those endless failures necessary to get to the good work."

To fast forward the learning process, find workshops that are taught by phenomenal artists who can not only create some of the best paintings on the planet, but who can TEACH as well. The investment will pay off ten-fold.

Good luck,

Renee

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Leslie Bohoss

Karen gives a lot of important tips, in a nutshell.

Hi Leslie,

Thanks for Karin's website. Believe me, I am very familiar with her homepage and have printed out everything on it. I'm not kidding. Plus, I think I've printed out most of her posts. Thank you Karin!

Joan