Light Flesh Tones

[Chris Saper]

Dear Enzie,

Without actually seeing the painting you discuss, there are a couple of thoughts that come to min. Although I haven't ever used the Pro-Mix colors, I have the Sanden book, and I think that the Pro-Mix palette is fundamentally very similar to Daniel Greene's palette. Before getting too far down the "What color is that?" path, Dan asks himself a basic temperature question: is the color warm? cool? or neutral?

Sometimes "pastiness" can be the result of adjacent colors or neutrals where one of the temperatures is wrong, particularly if the colors are close in value. After my experience in the Whitaker class, I have also found that (at least in my own experience) too much blending of color, once on the canvas, diminishes its strength. Going too light too soon is another culprit. Painting from photographs makes decisions on temperature terribly difficult because film won't be able to show subtle temperature shifts.

The other thing you might consider is mixing your strong colors and then using the Grumbacher Thalo Yellow-Green on your palette to desaturate skin tones that are too warm. The TYG is a brilliant shocking green, which, when you first squeeze some out of the tube, makes you think, "This can't possbily be right!" It doesn't darken the original color the way, for exambple a Viridian or Thalo Green will.

I hope this is helpful.

[Jim Riley]

Originally Posted by Chris Saper

Dear Enzie,

The other thing you might consider is mixing your strong colors and then using the Grumbacher Thalo Yellow-Green on your palette to desaturate skin tones that are too warm. The TYG is a brilliant shocking green, which, when you first squeeze some out of the tube, makes you think, "This can't possbily be right!" It doesn't darken the original color the way, for exambple a Viridian or Thalo Green will.

I hope this is helpful.

Enzie,

I have never had the nerve to try the Thalo Yellow-Green but often use Cerulean Blue. It doesn't seem to "dirty" or change the color as much as other colors that I have used to modify the strength of a "bright " skin tone. (John Sanden mentioned this idea at one of his Portrait Seminars many years ago and I remember thinking that this useful tip made the trip and costs all worthwhile.)

Jim

[Chris Saper]

Ceruleun blue! I''m going to try it!

[Michele Rushworth]

Tony Ryder also often uses cerulean blue in skintones. Think maybe it's time I put some back out on my palette. too!