Apart from the obligatory soup and casserole making I decided it was a day of art, a day for finishing off and playing with new toys!!
I bought a new palette from Ken Bromley on Thursday and as many of you will know from previous posts I am not the most decisive person in the world and as the three radial palettes I currently use have 36 colours (I know, I know..... what on earth am I doing with so many colours, back to that later) and this palette only has 21 wells, have had to have a serious cull of colour... it was a sad day!!!
I love my radial palettes, the wells are so big when I add water to them I can get quite a dilute wash within the wells and as you know I do the rest of my mixing on the paper so rarely have to use the central area
So what have I bought another palette for? Well although these stack and I like using them they are rather large and a bit cumbersome for me to cart about to all the groups I go to.... as I mentioned, a lid would help as I could stand them up and any wet paint wouldn't run all over the place but as they are I have to have a bag wide enough to fit them in laid flat.
I saw this new palette advertised at Ken Bromley's and happened to be speaking to Gill Fox who had just bought one and was very happy with it. The wells are quite large and when I saw it thought it would be much easier to carry about. As I do workshops both at my own group and others and I also go to Bolton Art Circle I thought I would try it out... phew!!!
The number of colours I possess have been accrued over many years and am a sucker for buying anything anyone says is a nice colour!!! So my basic palette I think would be
UB, cob, indigo, prussian, cerulean, windsor violet, helio turquoise, raw sienna, burnt sienna, cad yellow, lemon yellow, translucent yellow, translucent orange, quin gold, aliz crimson, permanent rose, opera rose, green gold, May green.
My other colours include quin magenta, rose carthame, pthalo blue, aureolin, sepia, brown madder, raw umber,cad yellow light, permanent magenta, permanent mauve, perylene maroon, perylene violet.
I also have a few other blues and yellows which seem to be very close to the ones listed and one or two reds and oranges so in total a lot of colours. Having said that I rarely use more than 5 in any one painting but I do intend to start experimenting with some of the colours I don't use as often....... what seem to happen is we have a comfort zone of colours, we know what we like and what works for us, what to expect of those familiar friends and for me at least, I forget to try the different ones.. but no more!! I have already started on them, using them to create my colour planets and trying to get some different combinations... the painting of the rook used perylene maroon which I haven't use a lot of but felt I wanted to get to know it!! So that was my start!!
That was my lazy Friday then... it probably took me close on 2 hours to sort out my new palette..... deliberating, considering, wondering, deciding...... make no mistake these were big decisions to make in Judith's world and couldn't be taken lightly!!! My husband thinks I was painting, he would think I was mental taking so much time to sort out a new palette, but we know some things just cannot be rushed and that was one of them!!
oh that was perfect timing Judith...was reading Polly's write up on FB today.and reading about her warm and cool colours decided I had too many colours in my pallette....... and would change it tomorro........now I read your write up and think I dont want to cut them down after all....... cos I just love all my different colours!!! oh me oh my....the more I read the more confused I get!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteps forgot what I meant to say....love the look of that palette......but could I cut my colours down to 21??.oh the dilemmas!!
ReplyDeleteNo, no don't cut down on your colours Val... covet them, enjoy them, play with them, you love colour, don't deprive yourself!! And don't forget I've only cut mine down in this palette to transport them to the workshops I do.. I still have my 36 colours (and if I'm honest a few more as well!!)in my art room which I will still use in my big palettes.
DeleteExcellent post, Judith. I've got various palettes accumulated over a number of workshops and trials. I have thought seriously about getting one with a lid so the one you've found looks like a real contender. I would struggle with cutting down on my colours though. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Vandy... as I said to Val will only use this to carry about, will still have all my lovely colours at home to work with, but may use this one as well to try and sort out my others so that I can empty them and start afresh with a better system. Have laid the new one out with blues, yellows and reds in the separate blocks of 7 so I should know where I am with it!!
DeleteSeems we are all the same when it comes to palettes and colours. My latest palette is a Stephen Quiller porcelain and I love it because it cleans up so easily.Hopeless for taking out of the studio though because it is so heavy. I agree with the colour thing- have lots so choice is great and then limit to a few with each painting. I love variety. I had to laugh Judith at you taking this time just to get organised but its something we just have to do from time to time - I'm sure it makes painting easier LOL
ReplyDeleteAre you saying you actually clean your palettes??? Haven't cleaned any of these radial palettes yet!! But then I don't really use the centres so a quick wipe will do. Have just seen some new paints which Elise has bought from Jacksons.... very reasonable and she likes the Cobalt Blue... dare I?
DeleteI have, well had a couple of Stephen Quiller books... seem to have lost one or let someone borrow it as I can't find it!! I like his approach to colour and have learned a lot from his books.
Great post - after reading Polly's post I've been busy writing down all the info I need about the colours I've got (31 so far and tempted to get a couple more I've heard of!) whether they're warm or cool, transparent or opaque, granulating etc. and will be typing it up tomorrow to put up next to the easel for quick reference in the hope that over time I will know all this info without having to look! I do tend to go with the same colours though but like you want to experiment with the other lovely juicy pigments I have - I really like the look of that palette too - I tend to use kids painting palettes but could do with having an organised palette like this! Enjoy the rest of your weekend - I loved your rook painting!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon, one thing I would do is test your individual paints yourself for their opacity... once I had done that I remembered it and have never had to refer to the chart again, sort of seeing is believing. Don't forget to give me a shout if you ever get to KB's again!
Deletehaha I'll be shopping online at KBs from now on! Just bought some more paper and paints. But if I'm ever up that way will give you a shout, I think it's Meresands wood or something that is up that way - and yes I will have to have a play
DeleteIf using tubes of paint to save carrying so many you could pick the appropriate colours required for a sea scape, landscape,flowers, portraits etc as you would need different colours for these subjects ''just a thought'' Ron Brine Yeovil.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ron I do use tubes and may try that though am a very "just in case sort of person" and a bit disorganised!! This new palette though does let me take my regular colours and if I needed any more could always take the extra tubes with me... now that's an idea!!! Thanks Ron!!!
ReplyDeleteI bought one of those some time ago, it's called the "Ultimate Palette Box". The large mixing tray very quickly became warped, which was annoying, and one of the lid clasps broke. Just keep an eye on it. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, Judith, even four years later.......and I thought I must be the any one juggling palettes!
ReplyDelete