Chromatic law from Impressionism

[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?

[Adriano Maggi]

I've got a little box (45 pastels) and i use few colours for the portrait.
About ten for the complexion ! I usually buy Rembrandt ,just becouse
I don't know other brands.
Do you think that this procedure will suite to the oil painting ?
I saw that your oil painting looks like a pastel.
Adriano

[Sharon Knettell]

Adriano,

You do so much with so few pastels, I have, I am embarrased to say, about 3,000 at least.

I have found some example of Frederick Carl Frieseke, an American artist who lived in Paris around the time of Monet, in fact they were freinds and lived within walking distance of each other.

His work vibrates with color. I had never heard of him until I came across a magnificent painting of his in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This man knew the laws and meaning of color.

[Adriano Maggi]

Hi Sharon
THanks for these beautifull pastels !!!
I suppose they are quite big ,aren't they? I knew Frieseke, but sometime
I thought his pastels were oils. Anyway Idin't know them . As soon as possible I' ll work for a similar pastel trying to get the some effect.
Thanks again
Adriano