Chromatic law from Impressionism

[Adriano Maggi]

Hi Sharon
I meant working from photos.Obviously you cannot see the complementarity on a photo,but you always do a complementary choice when working, first when you take a blue-grey or agreen-grey paper (it's complementary to the complexion) , second when you put on paper colours that mixed toghether let you get the complexion from a distance. Tomorrow I'll post a visible procedure so you 'll understend.Of course you must have been learnt it after painting from life before applying it to a photo.
By the way , the two portraits above are from Gustav klimt ,the great master that in spite of been realistic used the complementarity law from impressionism.
Your paintings are delicious to me . I admire who does things that I would't even think about. Strong and equilibrated colors and a beauty of a fimale face that seems childish , sensual and regal at the some time.
Ciao
Adriano

[Adriano Maggi]

Hi Sharon I'll hope you 'll like it
I begin whith a drawing by a brown color pastel pencil!

[Adriano Maggi]

Secondarily
I put the pink complexion to cover the blue -light color paper !
It's iust an eye, but the procedure will suit in general for a nude or a figure.(putting light color first ,controlling the balance allover the painting)

[Adriano Maggi]

I put half tones looking at how cold or hot are the different parts of the face.I've never used my fingers. I know my colors so I should tell you
the exact name ,next time , if you want to, I'll tell you the palette.

[Adriano Maggi]

Now I continue to mix colors that I know ,for example orange and green or violet and yellow, being carefull to tone toward cold or hot color. I haven 't use my finger yet.

[Adriano Maggi]

I did a mistake before putting the some painting, anyway I''ll continue.
Now I go on applying strong colours and, using the little finger at the end, getting shadows (under the right eye or on the eye-brow).I can use couples of complementary colors because I know them very well.
When I buy the pastel colors I don't need to watch the pastel -number ,I can say it's all right just looking at it.
If I don't have a white-blue I dirty my finger on a blue spot I made before (you can see it on the right) and I cover the white ,
so the light should be cold.
Ciao

[Sharon Knettell]

Adriano,

Thank-you for that informative demonstration. I can see why your method results in such lively skin-tones in pastel.

There are two painters, both American that work with complementary colors in the skin-tones. Frieseke and Stuart, the artist who did the famous portraits of our first president, George Washington. They have quite a few of his in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Even though he painted in the 18th century his skin-tones are as impressionistic as Klimt. I was quite amazed when I saw them in person.

I don't have time now to post a Frieseke now, but his skin-tones and paintings are a riot of color.

What are your colors, how many pastels do you have and what brands?