I noticed during the discussion on the recent Natural Pigments thread, that there was quite a bit of interest in my procedure for conducting these comparisons. Please keep in mind that I am not a scientist, although I like to think I generally follow a more or less logical approach to the paint comparisons.
For the introduction of the Landscape Palette and update on Studio Products’ paints, I’d like to show how my introduction to the materials begins.
First, I received the paints.
Next, I examined them by taking off the caps and looking for suitable comparison candidates.
When possible, I try to find direct comparisons (same pigment/oil, different manufacturer), but other times that is not possible, or I might want to compare with a dissimilar pigment or intensity that we are more familiar with.
From these steps, I compile the assortment of candidates for the comparison.
Paints shown above:
Studio Products Ultramarine Violet
SP Fra Angelico Blue
SP Cobalt Blue Turq
SP Cobalt Green
SP Magenta
SP Sunshine
SP Sky
Winsor Newton Titanium
Harding Cremnitz (w/ driers)
Paints shown above:
Vasari Video Blue Extra Pale
Puro Kings Blue Light
Blockx Carmine
Old Holland Magenta
Mussini Cobalt Turq
Sennelier Cobalt Turq
SP Marble Paste 2
SP Marble Paste 1 (from earlier mediums report)
Williamsburg Brilliant Yellow Pale
Mussini Brilliant Yellow Light
Blue Ridge Fra Angelico Blue
Doak Fra Angelico Blue
Doak Ceret Green
Mussini Cobalt Green Deep
SP Optical Grey Value 5
SP Cobalt Green Yellow Shade (from earlier comparison)
SP Transparent French Red Oxide (from earlier comparison)
SP Transparent French Red Oxide (replacement from current production)
As I go through the comparisons, I often find areas of interest or avenues to explore; this leads to introducing even more paints into the comparison. In this case, Zecchi Raw Sienna, Richeson Burnt Umber and Old Holland Persian (Indian) Red.
This sheet concentrates on the new SP Landscape palette.
On the left column are the four colors featured in this palette: Sunshine, Sky, Magenta and Cobalt Green (deep).
I’ve done my typical “spread” to check strength and color, and shown the peaking at the end of the palette knife stroke. The sharp, stiff peaks indicate a relatively thick consistency with creamy mixing – nearly ideal.
To the right, are the colors in graduated tints of 50/50 additions of mixing white with Graham’s Walnut Alkyd.
To the right of the tints, is the column featuring straight color, and the color mixed with Optical Grey Value 5. The straight color piles were used as "depots" for the further "quad" color mixes to the right.
On the far right, are the columns featuring Zecchi Raw Sienna and Richeson Burnt Umber in “quad" mixes. The system of the quad mixes is to take the Raw Sienna or Burnt Umber and mix in with the target color (RS+A) in the upper left spot. Next, the spot below is that same RS+A, with a matching amount of pure “A”. The lower right spot is the RS+A mix, PLUS “B” (instead of the “A” to the left of it, simulating light/shadow relationship). Finally, the upper right is the RS+A mixed into an equal amount of SP Optical Grey “C”. Each of the quad mixes follows this same procedure with the earth colors mixing into the five SP paints, plus the additional amounts of Sunshine “A” and Sky “B”. Confusing? Try doing as a chart!
Regarding the greys at the bottom of the sheet:
I decided to see how close to neutral grey I could get by mixing the Magenta and Cobalt Green. This middle grey here (“mix”) is the best I could come up with: a slightly blue-purple grey. The SP Optical Grey is on the left, which is fairly close to Munsell neutral grey Value 5. Quite a difference between those two colors! Also, note that the Magenta has tremendously greater tinting strength than the Cobalt Green, making for a difficult relationship in trying to balance the two against each other. You’ll be using slightly more than twice as much green as red to achieve a relative balance.
Seeing the off balance mixing complements, I became curious as to what paint might more effectively neutralize the Cobalt Green. I was fortunate in my first choice: OH Persian Red (also known as Indian Red, a synthetic iron oxide).
You can see here how well they neutralized to an almost perfect Munsell Neutral Value 5. When I added more white to get to Value 7, you can see the color shifted a little and needs a slight correction of added Persian Red (or better, Burnt Sienna, if it was handy!). All in all, a remarkable set of mixing complements. I took a dab of this grey back to the first sheet, and that is what you see on the right side of the previous illustration. The Persian Red is still an overpowering tinter compared to the Cobalt Green, which is a moderate or average strength tinting pigment.
I know the intent of the landscape set is not to achieve perfect neutral. The intent is to help painters develop a sense of the color influences of sunlight objects and those lit by skylight. The Magenta and Green are intended to provide a simplified palette to achieve most of the basic colors in a landscape, when mixed with appropriate parts of the light modifiers – Sunshine and Sky.
Personally, I still find a place for the neutrals in landscape painting – from black, grey, to white (not to mention earth colors!). But this SP set is a good start at simplifying the general approach to landscape and placing attention on how natural objects are lit.
I will be adding comparison sheets of the other brands in a few days.
Linear Mode
