Report on Whitelaw Workshop

Julie Deane · 11-22-2005, 08:38 PM

That's okay, Mary. Although I will post my workshop "finished" piece again, because I was happy with the progress I made.

Thanks again, Steven and Michelle, for your kind comments.

Marcus Lim · 11-22-2005, 11:10 PM

Hi Mary and Julie,
Thanks for sharing insights from the workshop. You guys are so lucky to have workshops like this in your country. I'm curious about Dawn's palette.
Would you be able to provide a description of the colors used? (I presume she must mention it somewhere on the buying list attached to the workshop programme?)

And strangely, i don't see ceruleum blue on her palette. If she mixes her own flesh tones, wouldn't it be an essential color on her palette?

And last but not least, i was wondering about the green (circle) that she used. Any idea what's that green?

Sorry for so many questions, hope you can indulge this curious cat here (meow!)

Julie Deane · 11-23-2005, 02:26 PM

Hi Marcus -

Actually, it was just myself that went to the workshop. Mary was changing the title for me and ran into technical glitches and had to reinstate some of the message, hence her name and photo attached to messages that I sent.

Dawn actually only used three colors and white. Utrecht Cadmium Yellow Light (her preferred yellow), French Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Medium. I believe the red and blue were Winton - nothing special. In fact, she commented that she usually doesn't buy expensive paints. She does have preferences for whites: Holbein Titanium White or Gamblin Replacement Flake White.

The green you see is a mix of the ultramarine blue and yellow. White and possibly a bit of the red may also be added. She says that a simple color mix helps her to "think in terms of the spectrum".

Personally, I had to add colors. My portrait used an extra blue, Prussian Blue, so that I could get that green you see. I also used a transparent earth tone. I also used an extra yellow and red, but could have probably mixed them from my primaries.

Dawn did not insist we use her colors, but I am glad I tried.

She did have a canvas preference. She orders a linen with alkyd primer from an art supply store in New York City. Unfortunately, she couldn't remember which, but I believe they have "New York" as part of their name. It had a little bit of texture to it - not a whole lot, and I noticed little "nubbies" in the cloth. By that, I mean that some parts of the cloth protruded, not perfectly smooth.

Marcus Lim · 11-24-2005, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie Deane

Dawn actually only used...Utrecht Cadmium Yellow Light (her preferred yellow), French Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Medium.

The green you see is a mix of the ultramarine blue and yellow. White and possibly a bit of the red may also be added. She says that a simple color mix helps her to "think in terms of the spectrum".

She orders a linen with alkyd primer from an art supply store in New York City. Unfortunately, she couldn't remember which, but I believe they have "New York" as part of their name. It had a little bit of texture to it - not a whole lot, and I noticed little "nubbies" in the cloth. By that, I mean that some parts of the cloth protruded, not perfectly smooth.

Hi Julie,
Thanks for the new insight on your experience. I'm surprised to know that Ultramarine is used in portraiture. Since i started painting, i did away with Ultras for my portraits! The only blue i have is Ceruleum Blue!

Alkyd primers? That's the second time i heard this term. How is it compared to acrylic primers used in usual canvases?
When i think about using linen, i naturally think about smooth surfaces, so it's quite a surprise for me to have textures on linen!

It must be quite a different feeling painting on this type of linen then?

Linda Brandon · 11-24-2005, 01:18 PM

Julie, thanks for posting these images and the description of Dawn's workshop. She is a terrific artist and I am a big fan of her fresh, painterly alla prima working method. And I really like how your painting turned out as well!

Julie Deane · 11-25-2005, 08:16 PM

Thanks, Linda -

I really like her things too.

Her website is www.dawnwhitelaw.com, for anyone interested in checking out her work.

Marcus, I would hate to have to limit myself to one blue. I like cerulean for its beautiful blues but also for the greens I can mix from it. But if I want a more reddish blue, I would go for ultramarine. I am also liking Prussion Blue, because it's dark like ultramarine, but with a greenish tinge, so it mixes into a green very nicely when yellow is added.

Alkyd is like an oil paint, I think, but it dries faster. I'm not an expert, so I'm sure you can get a better description from someone who knows more about it.

Mary Reilly · 01-10-2006, 11:44 PM

Hi Julie,
I'm a little late with this response, because I was so busy with holiday deadlines that I hadn't had a chance to visit this site for the past month.

Anyhow, thanks so much for reporting back to us about the workshop. I think the painting you completed looks great! I am also intriqued with the primary palette that she uses. I've used a primary palette for landscapes and still lifes with wonderful results but it never crossed my mind to use it for a portrait. I think I will try experimenting with it on a portrait sometime.

Thanks again,
Mary