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FAQ
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COLOR
Q. How true to the real are the color charts in
your book?
A. The color charts in the fourth and fifth
printing of Alla Prima are about 99% perfect
without using actual paint.
Q. Are Mars Violet and Indian Red the same?
A. Not exactly. Indian Red is usually pure iron
oxide, Fe2 O3; Mars Violet is generally an
artificial form of iron oxide. One tends to be
cooler than the other.
Q. You said in your book that there is no such
thing as a neutral color. Some teachers say to
neutralize a color by adding its compliment.
Could you explain what you meant?
A. "Neutralizing" a color usually means adding
one color to another to make it less ?colorful.?
In other words to make a red less red or a
yellow less yellow and so on. In computer lingo
you would simply be making a color less
saturated.
Remember however that all colors have an
identity--a family of primary or secondary
colors to which they belong--no matter how pale
or dark or bland (for want of a better word)
they may seem. Also, all colors look the way
they do because of the light they are seen by,
and because of the colors they are surrounded
by. Therefore, it is impossible for a ?neutral?
color (a color with no identity) to exist. Even
the grayest of grays is blue-gray or brown-gray
or green-gray, and so on.
Q. What makes a blue a warm blue, and won't
anything you add to it warm it?
A. No, in mixing, adding white will cool it
more, because white is the coldest color on your
palette. What really makes blue or any other
color appear warm or cool in your painting
(other than what you mix) are the surrounding
colors. Read my chapter on color in my book Alla
Prima. And thanks for the question; it's a good
one.
Q. How can I insure that the darks in my
painting dry to a uniform finish that are
neither dull or glossy?
A. You can't! Paints dry to different degrees of
dullness or shine. You can, however, varnish
your painting after it has dried with a varnish
suitable to you.
LIGHT
Q. I notice that in a north light studio the light changes
dramatically from morning to afternoon.
A. I notice that too and I find such changes to be sometimes
quite a challenge. It is
characteristic of all natural light situations, and is
caused by the changing position of the sun and cloud
conditions during the day. Afternoon light usually has much
more contrast; the shadows are clearly darker. Another problem with natural light is when it
changes from an overcast or cloudy sky to a deep blue sky.
Such a change produces a dramatic shift in color balance and
brightness.
Q. Can the color of the walls in a studio affect an artist’s
color judgment?
A. Yes. The color of studio walls (and ceiling)
definitely does affect how a subject looks,
especially the contrast. Dark walls will deepen
shadows; light walls will lighten them. Very
colorful walls will cause all sorts of effects.
Q. What is the ideal placement of a north window in a
studio?
A. From my experience, a window should start at 10' or 11'
above the floor and go up at least 8'. Ideally, there should
also be “step-back” room beneath and behind the window.
Q. I am perplexed as to when and where outdoor light is
warm.
A. Generally speaking (and only generally), sunlight is
warm.
Consequently, the more overcast the sky, the cooler your
light will be. Mother Nature is very tricky though. She can
throw you a curve when you least expect it.
Trust your eye always. These are not hard and fast rules on how to paint.
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