Light Flesh Tones

[Linda Brandon]

I also use Cerulean Blue in flesh tones, so I second Jim's endorsement. That, and Gamblin's Portland Gray Medium, are my two bluish "coolants".

[Michele Rushworth]

Gamblin's Ultramarine Violet, while dark, is a wonderful cooling influence on skintones, too. It's perfect for cool shadows when working with a warm light source. I've used it for shadow areas on portraits which were backlit by a late afternoon golden sun, or my current portrait, which is lit by very warm theatrical lights. Since it is a weak pigment I use it to cool light areas nicely, too.

[Richard Budig]

Here's a useful green for you. I make it from cerulean blue and a darker shade of Naples yellow. By fiddling with it, you can make some "high" yellow, or high green shdes, that (probably like Chris Saper's Thalo Yellow Green) will temper warm flesh tones quite nicely, and gently.

It is especially useful if you are doing a portrait that is mostly alizarin or rose madder on the one side, and Naples yellow on the other side (using them in combination to create a delicate flesh tone). By kicking your cerulean/Naples green over to one side or the other (blue or yellow) you can get some very delicate skin tone effects in the cool areas of the face/body, for example.

My point is, this curioius green may be like Chris's TYG. I've promised myself I'm going to try it.