Monday, April 7, 2008

Another Grab Bag Palette - "The Grab"

I decided to try another Grab Bag Palette. I liked the challenge of the last one, but was looking for something a little more difficult.
Be careful what you wish for, right?
My pick this time was Raw sienna, Winsor Violet, Permanent Green Light, Olive Green, and Oxide of Chromium.
I guess my thoughts on greens came back to haunt me, or maybe it is just that all those greens were so lame that I never finished the tubes and that is why my paint box is full of them.
Actually the box is getting kind of low. These were chosen from about twelve or fifteen colors. I'll have to throw a few more not so bad colors in there for the next one.
If you did not read about my other grab bag palette see here and here.



The Olive Green was totally dried out, so I was down to four.
No loss.
I would have liked to toss out the Oxide of Chromium though.

All of the colors this time are similar in value. The Raw Sienna is my only "warm" color, so it will have to do a lot. See how those orange colors of the pure sienna plus white pop against all of the other mixes? The purple becomes my blue. What you have to do with a limited palette, is learn how the colors look when mixed, and in relation to each other. The last time I had two primaries to work with. This time the Raw Sienna is as close as I get to having one.
Cool.

I made up another ten step value scale in black and white along the edge of a 6x8 panel. This is a good exrecise too. Don't make a bunch of them all at once. The trick is to get good at making them. I didn't get the scale perfect, but it is good enough for my color/value board. However, my darks got a little cramped because my #6, 7 and 8 grayscale values could have been a bit darker ( 10 being the black).
Here is the color/ value board, and the same board in grayscale.
Thanks for the tip Kathryn. I did not realize that "grayscale" would show my values differently than "black and white". I was closer on that last one than I thought.




I ran out of painting time today, so this is all I got done.
Tomorrow I should have time to attempt a painting with this "Grab".

20 comments:

Jennifer Thermes said...

Hi Frank-- I'm catching up on my blog reading... this is a great bunch of posts. Love the grab bag idea... great way to not feel guilty about all the left over art supplies, too. ;-)

(And I agree with what Alicia said earlier-- t-shirts with "Terre Verte is Stupid." Hilarious!)

Alicia Padrón said...

Oh how exciting Frank, another one! I'm a bit disappointed though... no stupid colors for this one? ;o)

I have to say that I love your step value scale. Well besides being so useful of course, it is so beautiful too! You should make a huge one and have it on one of your walls to admire. The visual texture is so rich and the changes in value are so soothing... I like it a lot.

Can't wait to see what you paint this time :o)

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Jennifer. I know what you mean about feeling guilty about left over art supplies. I guess it is the Yankee in me, but I hate to throw ANYTHING out. I feel like there is a second use for everything. I am not cheap, I just don't like to throw stuff out.
I'll have to work on the T-shirt idea.
Thanks for the comment.

Frank Gardner said...

Oh, there are stupid colors in this one Alicia. I just did not want to wear that one out. Oxide of Chromium is pretty stupid. Up there with the Terre Verte, or dumber. Even the name is stupid.

The boards do have a visual appeal. They remind me of birds feathers or lizard skin.

Thanks!

virtual nexus said...

Frank - thanks for your comment on mine - your grab bag idea kick started me into trying to work out of my head with the strong colours. Haven't painted for ages, and am enjoying these posts.

I'd like to head in the direction of abstracted landscapes, but have only limited background, so haven't really learned a discipline to break!

Christine Mercer-Vernon said...

what a crappy group of colors....ALTHOUGH, i am quite impressed with your value chart. i am curious to see what kind of painting you create with this one. the colors actually suit the weather we've had up here lately. it gives me some ideas for all my unused and old tubes of paint....something to do in my FREE time! ;)

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Julie. A good strong design of values will help you out whether it be abstracted or realistic, from your imagination or from life.
I look forward to seeing more of your paintings.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Christine, good and crappy, just like I was hoping for. ha.
Free Time? I know better, you have a little kid too.

virtual nexus said...

Thanks, agree - in the past I've found shifting into b/w mode in photography sharpens that area of perception.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

such beautiful colors once you start mixing. I guess even crappy colors can perform well once they are mixed.
Thanks for your comment on my Banyan Tree. I'm going after that thing again Thursday with the outdoor group.
I can feel the sweat already.....

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

One of my 'must have' colors is thalo red rose. I find it makes the BEST pinks for floral subjects. It's so intense that I can keep a tiny little 'dregger' tube stashed in my 6x8 box, because you only need a touch.

Frank Gardner said...

They are working out o.k. with these colors Mary. I only got about halfway done with the painting today. The little one is home from school with fever, so I spent the morning making puppets.

Have not tried that phthalo red rose.

Thanks for visiting.

Alicia Padrón said...

You spend the morning making puppets!? That is so incredible sweet.. What a wonderful dad you are :o)

Frank Gardner said...

Alicia, we made a bunch of stick puppets. She has been after me to make some with her ever since the festival de titeres during Easter break from school. We went almost every night and saw some really cool puppets.

http://festivaldetiteres.com/

Karen Cole said...

Great exercise Frank!

I tend to do this when I am traveling. Even though you are giving yourself limitations, somehow there is a certain freedom that comes along for the ride. The painting of the horses pulling the plow is alive with those brush strokes.

Since I'm not much of a technical girl....I hated the required design classes in college, I doubt that I would work on the graduated color charts, but enjoy yourself!!! :-)

kathrynlaw said...

This is going to be awesome! I really think these grab bag exercises bring out our best. If anyone can make these colors sing, you can.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Karen.
I agree about the freedom. I free myself up to accept the fact that the results may just be a pile of ----.
Thanks for the compliment on the other painting.

Oh, and I hate any color chart too and have NEVER done one. These boards are just for fun and there is no right or wrong or set way it needs to be done. That is the freedom of those! It is just playing around for me.
o.k., and learning, but that can be fun too.

Frank Gardner said...

Oh, thanks a lot for the pressure Kathy :-/
Almost done, I'll post it tonight.

Takeyce said...

Great post, Frank! The values in your paintings are spot on. So fresh and bright! Absolutely beautiful!

cheers!
Takeyce

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Takeyce! Nice of you to say that.
I'm glad that you stopped by.
What part of the Hudson Valley are you from?