Using white
 

After completing my last oil portrait, I saw that although I liked the overall painting, the skin tones looked too chalky. I realize now that I used too much white.

How do I get around this obstacle? Is there a different brand/shade of white that doesn't make colors look chalky when it is mixed in or layered on top for light reflection? Do I need to buy more colors of paint that do not require so much white to obtain the lighter shades?

Susan

http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...=&threadid=862

Consider the advice given by John de la Vega in this critique.

Dear Susan,

Perhaps you might post the colors on your palette, and it would help to see what you have. If you are starting with a red and yellow of your choosing, the resulting color shouldn't be too dark. To gray-down, or neutralize, the red/orange, try Grumbacher's Thalo Yellow Green. TYG is a very strong color, but far lighter in value than a Viridian or Thalo green; so you can control your color intensity without darkening it(and therby tempting the addtion of more white to restore the right value). Depending upon the skin tone hue of your particular subject, you might also neutralize with violets or blues.

My teacher, Phil Beck, said to me often, "Go BRIGHTER, not lighter." Rather than continuing to lighten higher values with white, you might evaluate using a temperature shift to show subtle form. I have never seen anyone do this better than Burt Silverman; if you have "Sight & Insight", take a moment to see how effectively he uses this technique. The temperature shifts should follow the principle that shadow colors are opposite in color temperature from the color of the light source.

Good luck!

Thanks Mike and Chris! I have so much to learn yet, but I'm glad there's someone here to teach me. I'm definitely taking notes.

Chris- I'm unfamiliar with Burt Silverman's 'Sight and Insight'. Is this a book?

Susan

Yes, it is a wonderful book. Go the Stroke of Genius bookstore, and look under the top category, Portrait Artist Favorites or click the following link to go directly there http://www.portraitartist.com/bookstore/favorites.htm