Home Forums Explore Media Oil Painting What is your favorite palette for nudes of all skin tones

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  • #984358
    Praire Rune
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        I sketch and paint a live nude model at the local university. I have done her in watercolors, pen & Ink, pastels, pencils and charcoal. Now I want to paint her in oils. I have made several oil sketches, as she only poses for 30-40 minutes. My question is, what is your favorite palette for skin tones? Do you mind sharing? My model is half Creek Indian and half African American, so she has brownish, golden skin. Although, I would love to know what palette choices you use for any skin type. Thank you! :) Heidi

        #1034184
        Rosic
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            This was one of my favorites (because it is plain jane simple):

            MattV gave me this recipe when I was a very fresh fish (which wasn’t that long ago ;) )

            1) Begin with a dab of titanium white
            2) Add a little cadmium red
            3) Then add a little yellow ochre

            Add tiny bit of black to bring down.
            Add more red for blood areas.
            More ochre for yellow areas.

            Example where this palette was used:
            Zorn MOM project

            I have expanded my palette since then (hardly ever use black) to include:
            raw sienna
            ultramarine
            burnt sienna
            cadmium orange
            viridian

            But when I grow up I want to be able to work Philippe’s palette. :D

            Bernie

            Heidi… I already let Cathleen know this thread will now need the . :evil:

            "I'm traveling 33 1/3 RPM's in an IPOD world..."
            #1034194
            Praire Rune
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                Thanks, Bernie! Me too, me too, me too! I want to work Philippe’s palette! Heidi

                #1034186
                bagwash
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                    I’ve found any kind of cadmium too harsh for rendering life-like skin tones in white people. I prefer to use lead white plus a bit of zinc (but titanium with zinc might be just as good) plus yellow ochre and burnt sienna, in various proportions to get the pinker/ yellower areas. Looking at my Degas book, I think he used these colors in painting flesh.

                    I use these after underpainting in burnt sienna, with darker areas underpainted in a darkened burnt sienna made by adding a little cobalt blue (learnt this from Linda Ciallello here on WC, tho’ she does it with b.s. plus ultra blue).

                    One thing I’ve found difficult is getting the right color for shadows, especially dark shadows. If I use too dark a color it can really kill the painting. Black, even used sparingly, can be very risky, though it can be useful in very tiny amounts added to mixtures. Generally I stick with burnt sienna, perhaps darkened as noted with a bit of blue, for shading, but wonder if there’s something better that could be used.

                    Jenny

                    #1034179
                    JamieWG
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                        My fave portrait/skin tone palette:
                        Cad red light (or WN cad red medium, which is very light)
                        Naples Yellow
                        Ultramarine Blue
                        Viridian
                        Trans Red Oxide
                        Titanium White

                        Jamie

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                        #1034199

                        Originally posted by Rosic
                        But when I grow up I want to be able to work Philippe’s palette.

                        Originally posted by Praire Rune
                        Thanks, Bernie! Me too, me too, me too! I want to work Philippe’s palette!

                        What is “Philippe’s palette” and why does everyone what to work it?

                        Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.

                        "Don't worry about the world ending today, its already tomorrow in Australia."
                        -Charles M. Schulz

                        #1034195
                        Praire Rune
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                            Thank you Jenny and Jamie…I am scribbling down notes! This is all very helpful information.

                            A Few Pigments: Philippe is an awesome Belgium painter. Stay in the Oil Painting Forum and look for threads with the butt icon. Two that Philippe started are called, “An Unfinished Oil,” and “A Back View.” There are more. Just look for the butt icon and “Philippe started” and you will find some great paintings. I hope that answers your question. :) Heidi

                            #1034180
                            JamieWG
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                                What is “Philippe’s palette” and why does everyone what to work it?

                                Philippe’s palette:

                                https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2479096&postcount=6

                                Hudson Valley Painter[/url]
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                                #1034200

                                Thank you Praire Rune and JamieWG. I just looked at Philippe’s palette and I see he uses T white. I just bought a tube of flake white today for the MOM’s I’m doing this year. Now I’m wondering if I should take it back and stick to my good old T white. I should of become a doctor…lol

                                Philippe’s palette:
                                Titanium white
                                cadmium yellow light and dark
                                cadmium yellow-orange
                                vermillion
                                camium red light and dark
                                cadmium red purple
                                alizarine crimson
                                cobalt blue
                                cerulean blue
                                ultramarine blue
                                indigo
                                ivory black,
                                terre verte
                                ocre
                                raw sienna
                                burnt sienna
                                burnt umber
                                phtalocyanine green

                                Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.

                                "Don't worry about the world ending today, its already tomorrow in Australia."
                                -Charles M. Schulz

                                #1034189
                                dcorc
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                                    Bruce

                                    no harm in having both Titanium White and Flake White

                                    (indeed, as I spend most of the time in front of the computer, and never get out into sunlight, these are the only two colours I need for my own nude self-portraits :D :p )

                                    :D Dave

                                    #1034181
                                    JamieWG
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                                        (indeed, as I spend most of the time in front of the computer, and never get out into sunlight, these are the [U]only[/U] two colours I need for my own nude self-portraits :D :p )

                                        :D Dave

                                        LOL, Dave. Perhaps buff titanium would be more appropriate? :D

                                        Jamie

                                        Hudson Valley Painter[/url]
                                        Hudson Valley Sketches -- Reviews/Lightfastness Tests/Art Materials
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                                        One year from now, you'll wish you had started today.

                                        #1034188
                                        Paul Mesken
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                                            LOL, Dave. Perhaps [I]buff[/I] titanium would be more appropriate? :D

                                            Jamie

                                            Actually, I do use Buff Titanium in flesh colors from time to time. It doesn’t seem to be a popular color though since few mention it.

                                            Fryslân boppe!
                                            #1034201

                                            Originally Posted by dcorc
                                            Bruce

                                            no harm in having both Titanium White and Flake White

                                            (indeed, as I spend most of the time in front of the computer, and never get out into sunlight, these are the only two colours I need for my own nude self-portraits )

                                            Dave

                                            I don’t think I’ll be doing any “buff” self-portraits anytime soon, still I can see a need for T white, flake white and zinc white. My palette has just expanded from it’s coveted and much loved 14 pigments to 16 pigments. Another momentous event in my young, innocent, impressionable life as an artist. One can only wonder where will it all end…

                                            Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.

                                            "Don't worry about the world ending today, its already tomorrow in Australia."
                                            -Charles M. Schulz

                                            #1034187
                                            bagwash
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                                                I might revise my earlier list by admitting you do need pink tints made with some kind of brighter red (not just earth reds) for scumbling over the underpainting–probably a cad red, as the synthetics seem to be all a bit too electric for this purpose–but my feeling is that it needs to be used sparingly.

                                                Also an alizarin-type red (but a permanent version of the hue) is useful–again hard to find a good one that doesn’t have an electric, lurid pink look to it, I’ve found. I’ve been experimenting with Williamsburg perylene crimson for this purpose lately.

                                                I also use buff titanium in my flesh tones–mixed with a fair bit of white and scumbled over with the other colors I mentioned in my earlier post where needed, I find it quite good for flesh. But too much can look wierd.

                                                In regards to shadows on white skin, I just read one of Linda Ciallelo’s posts where she now recommends burnt sienna mixed with viridian for these. I find the flesh tones she achieves realistic and not harsh or lurid-looking.

                                                Jenny

                                                #1034190
                                                dcorc
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                                                    I don’t think I’ll be doing any “buff” self-portraits anytime soon, still I can see a need for T white, flake white and zinc white. My palette has just expanded from it’s coveted and much loved 14 pigments to 16 pigments. Another momentous event in my young, innocent, impressionable life as an artist. One can only wonder where will it all end…

                                                    You’ll end up selling out your principles, and buying tubes of Phthalo Blue, Cadmium Orange, and Viridian :evil: :D

                                                    Dave

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