article by John Howard Sanden

[Marvin Mattelson]

For the sake of clarification, Richard, I don't start with any standardized shadow, highlight, light or halftone colors. I don't have any pre-mixtures that are combinations of different hues, save for my neutral grays.

I premix each hue string according to value (light-light yellow, light yellow, medium-light yellow, etc.). When facing my model, I mix the exact colors for my flesh tones by combining different hues of the same value. This allows me the flexibility to mix and modify each color without preconceptions, recreating the subtle variations that bring flesh to life.

My palette gives me the flexibility to respond to each unique subject objectively. Based on the infinite variety indigenous to the human species, no one's coloration is ever the same as any others. I work very deliberately but my painting progresses rapidly. I highly recommend my approach to anyone who aspires to achieve similar results.

My premixing saves me an enormous amount of time, because I don't have to waste my precious model time trying to adjust the hue, value and chroma simultaneously, as anyone who has attended a class or workshop can attest to. My "system!?!" needs to be seen in action to be appreciated. Artists from DaVinci to Bouguereau used similar palette arrangements themselves.

I believe there are more than enough oohs and aahs to go around.

[Richard Budig]

Marvin:

Please be assurred that I was not taking "shots" at you or anyone else. I hold you and your work in the highest regard.

The point I was reaching for is that many artist often pre mix something. And, in all the cases I know of where pre mixing occurrs, the premixed colors then must be modified in some way . . . from a little to a lot, and that this premixing thing is, among other things, a time saving for the artist.

I don't see any sort of premixing as bad. I just wonder why some artists are praised for doing it, while others are sniped at. If premixing is "bad," it's bad and if it's good, it's good.

When you think about it, every color we finally put up on our canvas is pre mixed, whether than means it was mixed far in advance of the painting session, or whether it was mixed in that tiny moment during the painting process.

What's the difference between mixing a series of colors before the model arrives, or after the model has taken the stand before us. It is a rare moment when a color right out of the tube meeds our flesh-color requirement, and thus, 99.9% of all color is premixed, anyway.

My question, which I obviously did not state well, is, why are some praised for doing it, and some criticized?