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Using the Zorn palette for the first time
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Message
Posted
Yes - it's important to remember to use ALL the colours with this palette, using the black where you'd normally use blue or umber, making full use of the vermillion or cadmium red, maybe easier on the yellow ochre - add the white to it: and in this case, to reduce the red in the car if the enhancements to the flesh tones aren't enough to stop the two fighting each other.
Zorn is good for flesh, but doesn't have to be used for the rest of the painting - a glaze of permanent rose or even burnt sienna (or come to that, a transparent green) over the car, and picking up the colour on the face, should work: without betraying the Zorn principle.... the palette is good for modifying colours and adjusting tones, and should be varied as you paint rather than mixed to a uniform flesh tone.
And I'd still like someone to paint my sorrowful portrait from that rather good photo, Zorn or not. The pullover was blue, by the way: 63 years ago, and I still remember it.....
(What was the medium used in that Bell portrait, by the way? I've only tried Mr Zorn in oil - must have a go in other media, not least to see if it's entirely compatible with them ... I suspect it DOES work best with oil.)
Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA
Posted
Sorry taken me a while to respond, mum in 90's still hospital since just before Xmas, couldn't have picked a worse time! .
Nearly finished the painting and when I have some decent light to photograph it I will stick it on the gallery. Cars being my main thing, in the full painting it does rather stand out and the portrait was meant go be in a supporting role but somehow it hasn't worked like that.
Robert thanks for your tips. The painting is A3 acrylic. I may try your photo as a bit of practice, but I ask forgiveness in advance!!
Posted
I'd encourage anyone to have a go at my childhood 'why do I have to do this?' portrait. Go on, shovel a bit of universal meaning into it!
Acrylic, Steve - OK, well then you could glaze that with transparent colours, and add body-colour, to your heart's content - not to say you couldn't in oil, but it'd take longer.
Reverting to the top sentence: you needn't apologize for anything you do with my photo - I'm long past any vanity about it, and it's a pretty grim picture in a way - I wasn't a happy child, and it showed, even through the Brylcreem .... you couldn't make it any less appealing, I would have thought, and might even cheer the little bugger up a bit.
PS - Best wishes to and for your Mum: mine was in her 90s too, and in the end just lay back and gave up: no tragedy IF they feel ready to go; but of course that's not how it feels for the rest of us.
Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA
Posted
Good - now, you see, you're more adventurous than I am: I'd have stuck with the Zorn colours (for the flesh anyway) but you've introduced Ultramarine; and it worked; you've warmed up the flesh tones, too. In terms of strict accuracy, the nose is a bit on the ski-slope side, but then maybe the original painting has the same feature.
Now then, Flake White - where did you get it? Is it real lead white, or Flake White Hue, or FW Replacement? Because if you have used real lead white, I'd love to know where you bought it. It's not readily available. The hues and replacements are pretty good, but don't have the binding strength of lead.... if you ARE using a lead white, make sure you wash your hands after use, and don't get any on food you might be snacking on. It's not going to kill you dead, but it is a cumulative poison and needs to be treated with some respect.
Posted
I've just looked Robert and it's a hue. I get my paints from Cass or hobbycraft or the art shop the uni students use, so it would have been one of these. The contraption next to it, it what I open the tops with, I have trouble with tops. I put them on to tight, then, can't get them open and I have CRPS in one of my arms which makes one of my hands very weak and these work a treat for getting the lids off. I would like the real lead white. I agree about the nose. Thanks for your comments.
I appreciate your comments Colin and Bari and Colin, I 
just might take up your advice.
just might take up your advice.