Portrait Studio Wall Color

Garth Herrick · 12-02-2005, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lacey Lewis

Garth-

Can you tell me about that spectrometer doo-hickey you have there? Being an artist AND a geek (and married to a total nerd) I'm suprised I don't know about it already myself!

Sure Lacey:

The Gretag-MacBeth Eye-One Photo is an all in one device. The link will explain it all. True, it isn't cheap; it's kind of like a good digital camera that's a bit specialized and myopic at the same time. The build quality is excellent (I dropped mine onto the floor once, which knocked the activation button out of kilter, but did no harm to it's operation and functionality. It's fine now, the button popped back into place, and my heart recovered!). It will scan and profile your monitor and give you the best possible display profiles, it makes superb printer profiles, with unparalleled color and tonal fidelity, it will tell you what color the ambient light is, it will also tell you what color is on your palette or canvas in digital terms (Very Risky business with wet paint!!!), and the current model since mine also profiles your digital camera! That's a lot. I've put mine through a lot of creative experimental usage.

Hope this helps!

Garth

Joan Breckwoldt · 12-02-2005, 07:20 PM

Hi Garth,

I did wonder if you got the samples, I just figured you were very busy. I have been planning to post and ask if you had gotten the samples. I'm glad you got them. All of the photos you posted are very helpful to really see the difference between the two colors.

That's pretty cool to see the differences between the two analyzed, and amazing that yours is a pretty close match to what I had mixed (Bill's formula) even though it was mixed 1000 miles away.

Thanks for the info!

Joan

William Whitaker · 12-04-2005, 12:17 AM

Joan,

Sorry I've been so tardy in thanking you for the samples you sent me in the mail. I compared them to my sample and found them close, but not exact. My color is a little darker. It makes me wonder if there is that much variation in batches when they make up the formula!

Without trying to be biased, I think the color I have is the best of the three variations.

The Scottsdale Artists School decided to use it for the walls of at least two of their studios, but at the last minute got "cold feet" and lightened it up too much.

Darker is better!

Garth Herrick · 12-04-2005, 12:38 AM

Dear Mr. Whitaker,

I suppose I should follow up on your kind offer and purchase a paint sample of your wall color. I don't know if you can judge by the bottom-most photo I posted above whether my studio wall color made to the published Benjamin Moore formulation is on target with your ideal color choice or not? Maybe I am just splitting hairs, but I thrive on exploring these issues of colors and their associative standards.

Thanks,

Garth

Lacey Lewis · 12-04-2005, 01:04 AM

Garth, thanks for the info and the link! That is one cool, and expensive, doo hickey! Is it something that you use every day? I can tell that my ideas of how to use it have only scratched the surface. (Wet paint!?! Wow.)

Joan, I like your idea of painting the foamboard to use as a backdrop! I have no studio, so this is ideal for me to use in my livingroom and for taking reference photos at other peoples' homes.

I am really enjoying this thread! I, too, am a silent Whitaker admirer (*waving from the crowd* "Hi Mr. Whitaker!") and love the fact that so many people are willing to take the time to share information with others.

William Whitaker · 12-04-2005, 01:19 AM

Hello back Lacey.
Lucky for you that you're not in Arizona. I know a lot of folks who would draft you for a workshop portrait painting subject so fast! You have that "stepped right out of a painting" countenance.

You have a fine website and a great future. Paint on!

Garth and everybody, a good backdrop or studio wall color is indeed very important, but there can be a great deal of personal variety. Both Chris's and Linda Brandon's studio walls are wonderful.

Just remember that white walls destroy shadows and shadows are what we need to create proper form on canvas.

If you are going to paint a wall or a backdrop for photography, keep your color lighter than the color you'd use if you were painting from life. My studio walls are rich and dark. Wonderful!

Lacey Lewis · 12-04-2005, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Whitaker

Hello back Lacey.
Lucky for you that you're not in Arizona. I know a lot of folks who would draft you for a workshop portrait painting subject so fast! You have that "stepped right out of a painting" countenance.

You have a fine website and a great future. Paint on!

Ahem... I would be very, very lucky if I was in Arizona! I am DYING to take a workshop with you, and to study with and meet others on the forum who live in Arizona. I would gladly trade hours of modelling for that!!

No one comes to Kansas City.

P.S. I've now printed out post #39 on parchment, framed it, and hung it in the livingroom.