RenatoNF
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I researched the forum first to see if there was a thread about this subject, but didn't find any. So, I thought to start one, because this subject is one of the most intresting aspects of painting for me, the pigment choices.
Some people have a palette of colors for portrait, another one for landscapes, etc. It seems to me that this just complicates things instead of improving, anyone thinks this way? Anyway, I'll share the palette that I use for every painting and tell the reasons why I think each pigment is usefull.
I paint in oils and I try to avoid fast drying pigments, because usually they dry to a sunken in spot while i’m painting and makes it difficult to judge values. Also, I like to work wet on wet. So, no Umbers, Prussian Blues and most earth colors for me.
The logic for the palette layout: TW + 3 desaturated colors + 5 saturated colors.
I start a mix with some amount of the desaturated colors and then ajust with the saturated ones. Keeps it simple IMO.
PW6 – Titanium White
PY 43 – Yellow Ochre (M. Graham, for the gloss and slow drying)
PBr25 – Transparent Maroon
PBk 31 – Perylene Black
PY 150 – Nickel Azo Yellow
PR 255 – Scarlet Lake
PR 122 – Quinacridone Magenta
PB 29 – Ultramarine Blue
PG 36 – Phthalo Green Yellow Shade
*ON THE SIDE BENCH: PY 35 – Cad. Yellow Light (only used on the parts of the painting that the PY150 can't reach)
Reasons for each pigment:
Yellow Ochre: Opaque PY43 is great, it seems to me like the most useful earth color to be a starting point for mixing desaturated colors. Add Magenta = opaque natural reds (in place of Venetian Red / Terra Rosa), Add Perylene Black = opaque natural greens (in place of Chromium Oxide Green). Add Phtalo Green = opaque rich greens. Add T. Maroon = opaque browns, chocolates, warms. The list goes on. Here are some mixes of Yellow Ochre + transparent pigments:
Transp. Maroon + Perylene Black: These two serve me as “blacks”. A cool one, and a warm one. They together make a neutral. The one disadvantage is their price compared to PBk 6, 9 or 11. But I think this couple makes the best chromatic blacks because of the high tinting strengh, the glossy finish (unlike PBr7 blacks or even traditional carbon blacks) and dry at a moderate rate (good for wet on wet). I could also recommend M. Graham Ivory Black PBk 9, very high tinting strengh, opaque, dries at a moderate rate to a satin finish. Great option for a more limited palette.
In case you are curious about PBk31, here it is: (bottom left PBk31 + White, upper row is pbk31+Yellow, bottom row is pbk31+Yellow+White in random amounts)
Nickel Azo Yellow: add white and you get 90% of the brightness and saturation of Cad. Yellow Light, with lots of covering power (see image below). But, since PY150 is transparent, what it might lose in upper range, it gains much more in versatility. So, this color can be used to add just that little bit of yellow to a mixture without changing its value (great for dark rich mixes, unlike any opaque yellow). I could also recommend PY110 India Yellow, but its semi-transparent and a lot warmer (I find the cooler more versatile). Another option is PY128, but its a lot more expensive.
Scarlet Lake and Quin. Magenta: PR255 and PR122 will get you the all the red range in the world. Both mixed together will get you the color of Cad. Red Medium. Opacity of PR255 is fine, and Quin. Magenta is one of the best colors for mixing in all pigments, in my opinion. I can also recommend Cad. Red Light instead, but PR255 mixes better, is cheaper and gets the job done. I could also recommend WN Permanent Carmine (PV19) in place of PR122, its a dark rich cool red, an Alizarin Crimson type of color.
Ultramarine blue: no need to explain why, the list of “pros” is off the charts. I could also recommend Pht. Blue Red Shade in its place (having PG 36 on the palette, the red shade makes more sense then the green shade IMO, and the green shade is less predictable with its duo tone nature).
Phthalo Green Yellow Shade: PG36 is a fantastic mixer. This saturated color has a huge range, but its tinting strengh is far lower then its brother PG 7 (PG blue shade), so its easy to work with. Fills the gap of green gamuth and I prefer having a transparent cheap pigment like this rather then expensive and arguably less versatile Cobalt Teal. If you find that pure PG36 is too harsh for skin tone ajustments, for example, just make a pile of PG36+Yellow Ochre and use that, it works great.
That was it, im curious to know about your palettes!
Some people have a palette of colors for portrait, another one for landscapes, etc. It seems to me that this just complicates things instead of improving, anyone thinks this way? Anyway, I'll share the palette that I use for every painting and tell the reasons why I think each pigment is usefull.
I paint in oils and I try to avoid fast drying pigments, because usually they dry to a sunken in spot while i’m painting and makes it difficult to judge values. Also, I like to work wet on wet. So, no Umbers, Prussian Blues and most earth colors for me.
The logic for the palette layout: TW + 3 desaturated colors + 5 saturated colors.
I start a mix with some amount of the desaturated colors and then ajust with the saturated ones. Keeps it simple IMO.
PW6 – Titanium White
PY 43 – Yellow Ochre (M. Graham, for the gloss and slow drying)
PBr25 – Transparent Maroon
PBk 31 – Perylene Black
PY 150 – Nickel Azo Yellow
PR 255 – Scarlet Lake
PR 122 – Quinacridone Magenta
PB 29 – Ultramarine Blue
PG 36 – Phthalo Green Yellow Shade
*ON THE SIDE BENCH: PY 35 – Cad. Yellow Light (only used on the parts of the painting that the PY150 can't reach)
Reasons for each pigment:
Yellow Ochre: Opaque PY43 is great, it seems to me like the most useful earth color to be a starting point for mixing desaturated colors. Add Magenta = opaque natural reds (in place of Venetian Red / Terra Rosa), Add Perylene Black = opaque natural greens (in place of Chromium Oxide Green). Add Phtalo Green = opaque rich greens. Add T. Maroon = opaque browns, chocolates, warms. The list goes on. Here are some mixes of Yellow Ochre + transparent pigments:
Transp. Maroon + Perylene Black: These two serve me as “blacks”. A cool one, and a warm one. They together make a neutral. The one disadvantage is their price compared to PBk 6, 9 or 11. But I think this couple makes the best chromatic blacks because of the high tinting strengh, the glossy finish (unlike PBr7 blacks or even traditional carbon blacks) and dry at a moderate rate (good for wet on wet). I could also recommend M. Graham Ivory Black PBk 9, very high tinting strengh, opaque, dries at a moderate rate to a satin finish. Great option for a more limited palette.
In case you are curious about PBk31, here it is: (bottom left PBk31 + White, upper row is pbk31+Yellow, bottom row is pbk31+Yellow+White in random amounts)
Nickel Azo Yellow: add white and you get 90% of the brightness and saturation of Cad. Yellow Light, with lots of covering power (see image below). But, since PY150 is transparent, what it might lose in upper range, it gains much more in versatility. So, this color can be used to add just that little bit of yellow to a mixture without changing its value (great for dark rich mixes, unlike any opaque yellow). I could also recommend PY110 India Yellow, but its semi-transparent and a lot warmer (I find the cooler more versatile). Another option is PY128, but its a lot more expensive.
Scarlet Lake and Quin. Magenta: PR255 and PR122 will get you the all the red range in the world. Both mixed together will get you the color of Cad. Red Medium. Opacity of PR255 is fine, and Quin. Magenta is one of the best colors for mixing in all pigments, in my opinion. I can also recommend Cad. Red Light instead, but PR255 mixes better, is cheaper and gets the job done. I could also recommend WN Permanent Carmine (PV19) in place of PR122, its a dark rich cool red, an Alizarin Crimson type of color.
Ultramarine blue: no need to explain why, the list of “pros” is off the charts. I could also recommend Pht. Blue Red Shade in its place (having PG 36 on the palette, the red shade makes more sense then the green shade IMO, and the green shade is less predictable with its duo tone nature).
Phthalo Green Yellow Shade: PG36 is a fantastic mixer. This saturated color has a huge range, but its tinting strengh is far lower then its brother PG 7 (PG blue shade), so its easy to work with. Fills the gap of green gamuth and I prefer having a transparent cheap pigment like this rather then expensive and arguably less versatile Cobalt Teal. If you find that pure PG36 is too harsh for skin tone ajustments, for example, just make a pile of PG36+Yellow Ochre and use that, it works great.
That was it, im curious to know about your palettes!
