Portrait Studio Wall Color

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.

Elizabeth Schott · 01-16-2006, 10:38 PM

Sorry to bump this up, but my head is doing the "Exorcist" thing and spinning after reading this...

I have to call in my paint colors this evening and thought this would be easy. He uses MAB paints - which is my first problem. My second is trying to remember Scottsdale, Linda's and Chris' studio walls.

My biggest problem is since my studio opens off the main house it will need to work with my other walls, and was hoping just to step them x 4 to a lighter value.

I am sure this will show a whole lot of nothing, but I shot this in color corrected light (98 CRI) shown is my Grey Card (older and should be replaced, but I have never really figured it out) and a value scale with color aid chips - but then I am sure I messed it up in Photoshop.

The 3rd from the lightest is what I want for the house walls and then just go up 4 steps, which works out to be a number 6 value, which might not be dark enough.

I was just hoping someone could get an idea from this paint sample if the color looked even close?

[I]Side note; Mike or anyone who might be reading this, is it better too shot your artwork with a smaller - 13 - or a larger - 5.6 - apperature (?) setting?

Garth Herrick · 01-16-2006, 11:29 PM

The green card, Beth? Not even close! Way too much green chroma at any value.

If you want the right formula and look for the "Whitaker Green", then use the posted formula and the Benjamin Moore brand, because they can mix this, their own formula.

Garth

Elizabeth Schott · 01-17-2006, 12:04 AM

Garth what I remember was the second to darkest green on this strip.

The post of Bill's chip on my monitor looks grey.

The ones you posted, one looks like it has lots of yellow/almost brown and the other is just grey.

If I give them the formula that Bill typed way above, can any paint company go from that?

Garth Herrick · 01-17-2006, 12:29 AM

Beth,

Why not just order a test quart from Benjamin Moore? You will see if you ike it or not. If you don't, surely someone else will use the remainder on their walls.

Another paint brand will probably not be faithfullly be able to match the formula, as each brand has their unique proprietary base formulations, each being of a different tinting strength or quality.

Surely there is a friendly Benjamin Moore paint store in your neck of the woods.

Garth