Home Forums The Learning Center Color Theory and Mixing Observations About Mixing Skin Tones and A Question About Shadows on Faces

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  • #481580
    DMSS
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        I paint with acrylics. These observations apply to mixing a Caucasian skin tone of several values, using a photo of myself for reference. I wanted to compare using high chroma colors plus grey, to using neutral colors, in terms of quality of the result (how well I could match the reference), and ease of achieving the target color. For the high chroma palette I used Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow Light, Pyrrole Red Medium, Titanium White and a tubed grey, and to darken for shadows I used Burnt Umber. For the neutral palette I used Burnt Sienna, Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Red Oxide and Burnt Umber to darken.

        High chroma starting point: I lightened the Cadmium Orange with Titanium White, adjusted hue with Cadmium Yellow Light and Pyrrole Red Medium, and dulled the chroma with a tubed grey of the correct value. This seemed pretty easy to do, and I got satisfactory results.

        Low chroma starting point: I lightened Burnt Sienna with Titanium White, adjusted the hue with Yellow Ochre and Red Oxide, and found that I did not need to adjust the chroma. This, also, seemed pretty easy to do, and I got nearly identical, satisfactory results.

        I can’t decide whether I have a preference as to how to proceed. I thought this was an interesting experiment that I wanted to share with you, and invite your comments. How do you mix skin tones?

        As far as darkening the colors, Burnt Umber darkens them fine, but I long for more chromatic shadows. I don’t see colors in the shadows of faces in my reference photos, just brown and grey, but I like portraits that have some color in the shadows. I’m having trouble figuring out how to achieve that, so any suggestions about how to see the colors in shadows would be appreciated. I am open to mixing some color into my shadow colors directly on the palette, or glazing some color on top.

        Actually, on a recent portrait I did see a blush of red in the shadow side of a face and glazed some Quinacridone Magenta on top (a weak glaze) and I guess that came out alright, not great but o.k.

        Thanks for your thoughts.

        --David

        #921112

        You will get higher chroma shadows by using the high chroma palette without using a pre mixed grey. Replace that with a deep blue: cobalt blue deep, Ultramarine deep or Prussian Blue (Phalo Blue shade can work but a little trickier).
        Premixed greys usually have a Pbk## pigment most of which can mute a primary’s chroma when adding along with white.
        Premixed chromatic blacks can work if you like the convenience, but I think you will learn more about color relations if you mix your own darks from the deep primaries.

        #921105
        DMSS
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            Clarification: When I said I long for more chromatic shadows I meant colorful shadows.

            --David

            #921106
            DMSS
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                You will get higher chroma shadows by using the high chroma palette without using a pre mixed grey. Replace that with a deep blue: cobalt blue deep, Ultramarine deep or Prussian Blue (Phalo Blue shade can work but a little trickier).
                Premixed greys usually have a Pbk## pigment most of which can mute a primary’s chroma when adding along with white.
                Premixed chromatic blacks can work if you like the convenience, but I think you will learn more about color relations if you mix your own darks from the deep primaries.

                Thanks.

                --David

                #921107
                DMSS
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                    Clarification: When I said I long for more chromatic shadows I meant colorful shadows.

                    Well, on second thought, I guess chromatic and colorful mean the same thing.

                    --David

                    #921102
                    Delofasht
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                        Try replacing Burnt Umber with Prussian Blue and either a Permanent Alizarin or some other kind of extremely dark red. This will allow you to add any range of greens and violets in your darks for portraits, useful for portraits done in outdoor and environments rather than just portraits done indoors. Reflected light into the shadows of the face are often tinted with greens, blues, and violets.

                        - Delo Delofasht
                        #921099
                        Patrick1
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                            David, since you got satisfactory results both ways, so the best way is…whichever works better & easier for you :) .

                            I tend to like skintone shadows to be more saturated rather than greyed (a healthy tanned look)…but it depeneds on the reference scene and just as importantly: your expressive style. White tends to grey down color mixes – so to get less greyed skin & shadow colors, use less white.

                            My usual base mix for healthy tanned skin shadows starts with a high-chroma orange-red, or a red earth, then darkened with black (Ivory is easiest). Burnt Umber or Ultramarine Blue are other valid ways to darken. Using Phthalo Blue will give a nasty green surprise. There are almost limitless ways to mix skin & shadow colors – find a few mixes that work well for you. And yes – additional colors like quins or yellows are sometimes needed. Making permanent reference swatches can be useful for years to come. BTW, using value strings/series makes life a lot easier.

                            #921100
                            Patrick1
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                                [I]I don’t see colors in the shadows of faces in my reference photos, just brown and grey[/I]

                                Shadow skin colors are often a lot more saturated than they appear (they can be a surprisingly rich brown or even reddish, depending…). Using the color picker in Photoshop (or similar) is a great way to learn to see & discern color. Or by isolating colors from a glossy magazine through a color checker peephole.

                                #921101
                                Patrick1
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                                    An example of warm, ‘normal’ shadow colors I like:

                                    https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j8cfyFtwn6Q/VXg1mT0u2PI/AAAAAAAA7R0/89rUfKvHjAQ/s1600/_DSC0081.JPG

                                    Same artist but more diverse shadow colors, different lighting:

                                    https://i.pinimg.com/600×315/74/b8/fc/74b8fc8d9b5d3e543653cf7ea67b580f.jpg

                                    #921104

                                    Shadow skin colors are often a lot more saturated than they appear (they can be a surprisingly rich brown or even reddish, depending…). Using the color picker in Photoshop (or similar) is a great way to learn to see & discern color. Or by isolating colors from a glossy magazine through a color checker peephole.

                                    But then it is important to check what pictures you are using as well, images that have been heavily enhanced by “photoshop” might not be the best training material.

                                    "no no! You are doing it all wrong, in the internet we are supposed to be stubborn, inflexible and arrogant. One cannot simply be suddenly reasonable and reflexive in the internet, that breaks years of internet tradition as a medium of anger, arrogance, bigotry and self entitlement. Damm these internet newcomers being nice to to others!!!"

                                    "If brute force does not solve your problem, then you are not using enough!"

                                    #921108
                                    DMSS
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                                        Thanks, Delo, Patrick and Tiago.

                                        --David

                                        #921109
                                        DMSS
                                        Default

                                            An example of warm, ‘normal’ shadow colors I like:

                                            [url]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j8cfyFtwn6Q/VXg1mT0u2PI/AAAAAAAA7R0/89rUfKvHjAQ/s1600/_DSC0081.JPG[/url]

                                            Same artist but more diverse shadow colors, different lighting:

                                            [url]https://i.pinimg.com/600×315/74/b8/fc/74b8fc8d9b5d3e543653cf7ea67b580f.jpg[/url]

                                            I do like the first one. Kind of orange.

                                            --David

                                            #921110
                                            DMSS
                                            Default

                                                I have mixed some nice shadow colors by adding a near complement to the mix. So if the mix is orange, adding green. I get some very nice browns that way. I could do that on the next portrait. Although those shadow colors are nice, they don’t match the reference photo, but I suppose that does not matter. A little artistic license is a good thing, no? I guess it depends on whether the goal is to copy the reference photo exactly, or to use it as a starting point.

                                                --David

                                                #921111
                                                DMSS
                                                Default

                                                    Also, I shall have to experiment with darkening with blue or purple, instead of with Burnt Umber.

                                                    --David

                                                    #921103
                                                    llawrence
                                                    Default

                                                        Low chroma starting point: I lightened Burnt Sienna with Titanium White, adjusted the hue with Yellow Ochre and Red Oxide, and found that I did not need to adjust the chroma. This, also, seemed pretty easy to do, and I got nearly identical, satisfactory results.

                                                        This is the approach I prefer. Earth colors want to be mixed into flesh tones. I can get maybe 90–95% of the skin tones I need with a palette like the one above, and when I need something a little different I can add just a bit of ultramarine or cerulean or viridian or rose madder or whatever. It’s a nice way to work, and there are plenty of interesting earth colors to try out.

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