Caput Mortuum

[sidbledsoe]

I must have some "Death's head" or caput mortuum.
I am very interested in obtaining this particular "off the beaten path" or not so well known, or not so available, color. What I want to know is this, what is your experience with it, what brands have you tried and which do you think is the "best". How have you used it, for ex. skintones, tonal landscapes, whatev. It would be so great if I were lucky enough for gunz to have a comparison chart of caput mortuums but I doubt it. I know it is either made from pr101 or from a mix of several pigments, I am not interested in the version made from ground up mummies. Maybe it is easily made with indian red and another color, , do you have some, is it darker than your earth reds or your burnt siennas? I don't know but that is the sort of thing I want to know.
thanks a lot.

[gunzorro]

Sid -- Funny you should mention me -- I've been thinking of doing a comparison of iron oxides in the deeper clor vein, like Indian Red, Mars Violet and Caput Mortuum. At the moment, I'm a bit short on time, so I'll confine myself to a few remarks instead of a full comparison. I'll eventually get to it. . .

The current versions of Caput Mortuum are all variations of synthetic Mars Violet, PR101. Sometimes the name is used interchangably, sometime Caput Mortumm indicates an even deeper, darker version (Vasari).

As with all these types of dark red iron oxides, they shift toward purple when white is added, making their use in fleshtones somewhat difficult. They also live up to their deathly name by producing deadened looking skin tones, although they can be used in shadow areas. Another problems is their extreme tinting strength, which easily overwhelms most other subtle colors for portraiture.

I've got several favorites: Vasari, Mussini and Blockx (Mars Violet).

[sidbledsoe]

That is great Jim, those would be nice to see. I will look at Vasari's.

[Einion]

Originally Posted by sidbledsoe

Maybe it is easily made with indian red and another color...

Yep, that's precisely the reason I wouldn't tend to recommend this colour (and similar ones in this approximate position, especially the duller versions of Cad Red Deep).

If one already has an opaque red earth like Venetian Red it's very easy to mix 'offshoot' colours like this so it seems redundant to also have this on the palette, even if it is a series 1 paint.

Einion

[sidbledsoe]

Thanks, I will probably still get one tube of it, here is a swatch of the Indian red I have from Blick:

Then here is Blockx Mars violet:

And Old Holland Caput Mortuum:

Rembrandt makes their Caput with pr101, pb29, and pr264, I have a mauve from Holbein that is pb29 and pr177 and I think a smidge of that may do the hue and work but is it as dark as caput? What I want it for is this, I want to use this as my only red in a three color palette of yellow ochre, prussian blue, and caput mortuum.

[gunzorro]

Sid -- I think you are making some interesting attempts to simplify your palette toward sort of a "natural" color palette!

I've done a sheet for you on Caput Mortuum (Mars Violet). I also included several "redder" iron oxides. Once I get good weather, I'll photograph and post it here.

I would say "don't get your hopes up" regarding a palette with those three colors, especially the Caput Mortuum. I think you are making a primary error of deciding your palette without having enough comparitive information. Sure, someone, at some time, published some images that seem to look good using this combination, but as you will see, there is a tremendous and extensive range of variations within the whole range or iron oxide reds/violets, further expaned when viewing the natural oxides and synthetic versions (much more powerful).

The Mars Violet/Caput color is very purple when mixed with any light color like white, or light yellows/tans. With the palette of colors you suggest, you are going to have an emphasis on blue/violet, with no real "red". So, you are stacking a Yellow Ochre (I'll assume the synthetic with its shift toward yellow-green) up against a blue-violet -- almost direct complementary colors. Granted, the chroma will be relatively low, so you'll get more of the dull greyish colors than a real black, but still, you've got a palette that is predetermined to cancel hue and chroma. This equals a more or less monotone palette when color mixing takes place.

I think this is the basis for the complaints about muddy colors -- artists inadvertantly choosing a palette with powerful tinting complementary colors that cancel each other out with the slightest contamination. You would have a wonderful palette for an extremely subtle range of greyed-down colors, but I doubt that is what you are shooting for.

[sidbledsoe]

Jim, thanks a lot for doing charts! I am not expecting more than the limitations you have noted, it is for some studies and I find doing this type of thing fun. I have seen examples of these paintings up close and in real life. I have done other limited palette work with just ultramarine and burnt sienna, Zorn, and a venetian red, yellow ochre, ultra blue, and raw umber palette. It is fun and a good exercise in mixing but I am not of the opinion that these palettes must be strickly adhered to in practice. The artist whom I got this palette from wasn't of that opinion either, if a black or an orange was needed and called for somewhere then so be it, it was used. He likened it to a musician playing in a major key most of the time but then here and there adding the variety of doing a morose song in a minor key.
My full palette is always at hand should it be needed, that is my real "palette" and I am not really trying to limit it or select for a new one, thanks though for your thoughts on this, that is the kind of feedback I am interested in.
One more use I read from someone was that they liked using it in shadow areas for portraits. I would think purple shadow passages in landscapes would work too.

[gunzorro]

Here's the sheet of the various red/purple iron oxides.



And the paints used:



There are four types of colors here: Venetian Red, Caput/Mars Violet, English (or Light) Red and Indian Red.

Some of these samples are natural earth iron oxides, designated with PR102. The others are synthetic PR101, a much stronger tinting pigment and often slightly different in color.

Venetian Red

The Blockx and Vasari are natural, and have quite a bit of difference between them -- I prefer the Blockx overall, nice color and not too strong a tinter.

Unfortunatley, Permanent Pigments sold out to Liquitex, who later killed the brand -- this is an outstanding color for synthetic Venetian.

The Davis version doesn't belong here in the Venetian section, but rather in the Indian Red section.

Vasari is nice for those looking for a dull red for flesh tones.

Caput Mortuum/Mars Violet

I feel this color is inappropriate for protraiture, although some special uses could be found. It is a wonderful color, but not completely essential. It would have many uses, especially of nature with aerial perspective and some western vegetation. It is definitely purple.

These are all favorites of mine, but the Smith Autograph has the highest chroma and the Mussini the best handling.

English (Light) Red

Blockx is an excellent choice for a natural iron oxide red (Terra Rosa would be another possible pigment for a bright earth red). This pigment is slightly stronger in chroma and tinting strength than Blockx Venetian.

Mussini English Red is outstanding as one of the best choices of synthetic red oxides -- beautiful red tints when white is added. An all-time favorite.

I didn't bother showing the Old Holland English Red which is quite dull and dark brown/red. These above examples are better choices.

Indian Red

Again, Permanent Pigments (discontinued -- can still be found used/new on eBay) has a near perfect example of the Indian Red color from synthetic iron oxide. Purple color starting to emerge in this range of red iron oxides.

Mussini's example is discontinued since late 1990's. Similar, but slightly darker version of the English Red.

Like other Indian Reds, Harding shows pronounced "purpling" with white added.

Old Holland is excellent with very powerful tinting. Also called "Persian Red". This is an excellent choice for Indian Red.

Vasari is a natural iron oxides with slightly lower tinting strength than the Permanent Pigments version, and slightly more purple. Vasari is my favorite to paint right from the tube.

I hope this helps show how the different color relate and which might be better choices for different subjects such as landscape and portraits.

[sidbledsoe]

Jim I must profusely thank you for doing and showing this, I could not get this kind of side by side comparison anywhere else! I have been staring at them for quite a while now and agree with your summary. I know they are just names but I thought mars violets were more violet than caput mortuums,
I guess not, these look like the caputs are more violet and the mars violets are just slightly redder, at least in the mass and first tint. It looks like I may select a caput from Vasari and a couple of reds Mussini.

[gunzorro]

Sid -- Thanks for your input and suggestions.

I'm really glad to be able to offer these comparisons so people can make informed decisions on paint, or just broaden their experience base.

Keep in mind there is also variation in the Mars Violet/Caput realm -- just these samples seem quite consistent.

I like the direction you are taking in your future purchases, and can only suggest getting a tube or two of the Blockx lighter/brighter reds (Venetian or Light). I'm sure you will love the Mussini colors shown here, and the Vasari. . . goes without saying (but I did! ).

The Mars Violet/Caput are wonderful colors, so I hope I haven't steered anyone off of them. They may not be everyday palette colors, but they have uses that shouldn't be overlooked.

As I said somewhere else -- these are all relatively inexpensive low-series colors, even from the most exclusive paint makers, so it is not too much strain to indulge oneself!

[sidbledsoe]

Jim, I think even Vasari has resorted to the synthetic pr101 for Caput, natural pigments has pr102 but that is all I could find, you may be the last bastion still stocked with natural caput!

[gunzorro]

Sid -- I think you are right, after further checking my Vasari reference. Thanks for the info!

[gunzorro]

Here's an update of the same sheet with the appropriate Munsell chips added (from the "Big Book"). Shot under different lighting conditions, but the relationship of the chips and their color notations are still valid.

[sidbledsoe]

Jim, thanks a lot for adding this new dimension to your already stellar color chart comparisons.

[sidbledsoe]

I haven't gotten caput yet but I did get a tube of winsor newton mars violet deep. It is great, it looks very violet to me. I used it in a portrait with yellow ochre, winsor red, cobalt blue, burnt sienna, and burnt umber.
I still want to get one of those caputs being the earth afficionado I am.