Portrait Studio Wall Color - Page 4

Garth Herrick · 12-02-2005, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joan Breckwoldt

Dear Mr. Whitaker,

I am one of your (many, I'm sure) silent admirers. I have been reading your posts, studying and admiring your portraits, and most recently printing them on my new printer to put up in my 'studio'. I am happy to finally take the opportunity to tell you how incredible your work is and to thank you for your many posts that have been so helpful to me.

I went to the paint store this morning to get a quart of paint to paint a background for my 'studio'. I will share with you and the forum what I found:

I went to the local Benjamin Moore store and had them mix up a quart according to the formula above. Well, it was close, but had too much yellow in it, making it too green. After some conversation with the salesperson, I found out that Benjamin Moore has recently (in the last 18 months) brought back the 'old' colors. The store I was at is computerized and has the info on a CD now. So, he was able to look up the number GN-25 and mix the original paint color. This second mixture was what, I believe, I was looking for, a dark greenish grey.

I asked the salesperson to write down the formula for anyone who doesn't have a Benjamin Store nearby, or if that particular store isn't computerized (as the salesman said some of the stores aren't).

Benjamin Moore & Co. GN-25
319-3B (that's just the base color, and it also means 'eggshell' finish)

UTC Gallon Formula
OY 1x 24.50
RX 0x 2.25
BK 2x 6.00
GY 0x 12.00

I bought two large pieces of foamcore, 60" x 40", from our art store and have painted one side of each of them. It's not really practical to paint my 'studio' walls since it's half studio and half computer room, and the walls are covered with bookcases and windows anyway. The color is, as you say, sometimes grey and sometimes more green. It's pretty dark though! I am anxious to put a model in front of it and see what happens!

Joan

Dear Joan,

I finally received your excellent note and included color wall paint samples. I think the mail carrier dropped them into my next door neighbor's mail. She's the Dean of Moore College of Art here in Philly (Dona Lantz). After a couple of weeks she found it and sent it into my mail slot. I bet you thought it dropped off the edge of the world somewhere!

Anyway, you sent two very nice wall colors. The Benjamin Moore GN-25 is more of a gray-green and the other card marked "Formula Bill posted" happens to match my wall color pretty exactly. It's the same formulation.

I scanned them both as promised with my Gretag-MacBeth Eye-One-Photo color spectrometer and have posted the results and nearest Photoshop color equivalents below. Note I do not have a dual color picker in Photoshop (as the montage suggests), but that would be so cool (are you listening, Adobe?)!

Thanks, and enjoy,

Garth

Lacey Lewis · 12-02-2005, 01:48 PM

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!

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

Chris Saper · 12-04-2005, 01:01 AM

Gosh, Garth, you are amazing!

My studio walls (you've seen them) are a slightly cooler and less saturated version of the Scottsdale Artists' School and what I think Bill's walls are.

Mesa Gray, a Home Depot Behr color - from the staining palette. In the matte enamel (not shiny, easy to clean).

Linda Brandon has painted her studio in what seems to be a true gray.

I am building a studio in our in-process spot in Prescott AZ, and I think that I need both colors. So the family room walls will go Mesa gray, (unbeknownst to all, just another studio backdrop) and my studio walls a true gray ( whatever that is). I like the option of either a warm or cool neutral, both in mid values.

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.