Palette Ponderings

V....Vaughan took this photo at Joel's and sent it to me. I can't quite remember why it intrigued her but I think it was the palette arrangement sort of reflecting the painting image. I have mixed - quite unconsciously - my colors as they appear in the painting. The darkest darks were the first down (alizarin and pthalo). I used that to sketch my figures as well as paint the darks. Then I mixed the fuscia shirt color, the green shadow color is below just as it is in the painting and the flesh tones and background light to the side. 

I don't know if I do that other times. Maybe I do since it was quite unplanned. I think when I have a larger space I start mixing my darks (cool colors) on the left and work lighter (warm colors) to the right. That is how my palette is set up as well. 

Note: you don't need fancy equipment and the perfect setting to work! Lately I've been sitting on my family room floor painting while "watching" the tv and hanging with my family. 

My Palette

I've thought I'd share my colors, especially those that I use as substitutes for cadmiums and other heavy metals.
In some case, I find that the "hue" is nearly as good as the real thing, though maybe not as vibrant or intense. And who knows about longevity as of yet. I admit trouble with intense reds... I was painting a woman's red shirt recently and found that if I wiped it back and left it slightly transparent, I got the best effect. Otherwise it just wasn't bright enough.
My palette is heavy on the warm tones. They are always there while the cooler ones, aside from alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue, vary. Also, I've been told that I set my palette up "backwards"... but this is what works for me.

The colors that are always found on my palette are:
Titanium white, or quick dry white (combo of titanium and zinc) (Classic or Gamblin)
Hansa Yellow (Classic Artist Oils or WN)
Indian Yellow (WN) -- that brand is the best!
Permanent Yellow (Rembrandt)
Cad Red Hue (Sennelier)
Alizarin Crimson (Classic Artist Oils or WN)
Ultramarine Blue (Classic Artist Oils or WN)
Sap Green (Classic)
Mars Black (Classic)



Frequently used colors are:
Asphaltum
Raw Siena
Prussian Blue
Warm Grey
Royal Blue or Violet Grey (depending on brand)

The brands I gravitate towards are WN, Classic, Rembrandt and Gamblin. Gamblin especially makes some fun colors in their "radiant" series. Classic oils come in large tubes, like caulk tubes, and they are so buttery and rich. Really nice to work with, but not great for travel. I love the large tubes though, they make me feel less frugal about squeezing paint onto my palette.
The palette I prefer is disposable paper palettes which I close up in the Tupperware-like Masterson box.
My paints dry quickly here in Austin. Its so dry and hot that I almost always have to start with fresh paint daily. The box helps some, but many colors will form a shell overnight in the summer.

ok - that is that. Now for a health update. Obviously I have not been painting/posting again. Ben's dad is home in Indiana and mending. Ben is up and down... down this week unfortunately. As if things couldn't get more weird he now has vertigo. I'm rolling my eyes. What's next?!