Traveling Palettes for Sketching and En Plein Air

A bit messy, huh?  Well, I decided to show them with all the mess on the palette.  That is how they look most of the time and so it is important that it be realistic.  The larger palette is not really all that large.  It is about 10" by 5" when folded shut.  The smaller palette (Cotman Field Kit) is even smaller...just a tad larger than a deck of playing cards when folded up.  The water cup clamps on over the top.  Both of these will be available to talk about at the September 16 workshop (see info on the right side of the blog page).  I have a "studio palette" as well which is much larger but that's another story.  Same colors however!!!  The Cotman set is a "pan paint" and the other is tube paints.  I'll discuss advantages and disadvantages of both in the workshop.  

Mostly today I wanted to talk about colors...I have been asked about what colors are needed.  This is, of course, a very personal choice but it's nice to know what the workshop instructor is using.  I have taken 3-4 workshops from Diane Maxey (one of my favorite workshop presenters) and I based my palette on hers but gradually have deleted and added the colors that I like to use and like best.  

Here's my basic palette colors:  Quin Gold, Aureolin Yellow, Naples Yellow, Indian Yellow or New Gamboge, Windsor Orange, Scarlet Lake, Windsor Red, Permanent Rose, Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt violet, Turquoise, Windsor Violet, French Ultramarine blue, cobalt Blue, Manganese blue or Cerulean blue, Antwerp Blue or Prussian blue, Windsor Green (blue shade), Viridian, and Burnt Sienna.  Almost all of these are Windsor Newton Paints or Holbein.  I do like Daniel Smith paints but you have to buy them direct from their catalog..no one else carries them that I know of.  I do carry some "dessert" colors with me like Opera (Holbein) and Rose Madder Genuine.  But they are not on the palette.  

Now for the workshop on the 16, it would be nice to have two blues, two reds, two yellows and maybe a Burnt Sienna.  Try to pick a warm and a cool in each of the primaries.  You can mix your greens and oranges and purples yourself.