Richard Lack's outdoor palette

[Mari DeRuntz]

In his book, "On the Training of Painters," published by and available from the ASCR (American Society of Classical Realism), Richard Lack lists the following "outdoor palette," which I use as a simple plein air palette. With it you can hit an incredible range, and with it I think you can record enough color information to do a plein-air portrait color study.

It's based on Emil Grippe's palette:

cadmium lemon (or light)
cadmium yellow medium
cadmium orange
cadmium red deep
ultramarine blue
thio violet (Grumbacher, a transparent quacridone violet)
thalo blue
mixed white

[Timothy C. Tyler]

A palette like that gives a work unity, but there are some many things that must needs be compromised due to the inability to get there from such a palette. Shanks would not have that trouble with his palette.

Reflections on snow on a sunny day simple could not be depicted. As tough as thalos can be they are needed for certain subjects. Orange is so easy to make with yellow and red, don't you think?

[Mari DeRuntz]

Reflections on snow on a sunny day simple could not be depicted

I know what you mean about the delicate balance between unity and a limited palette. The same problems of course occur when painting waterscapes, another highly reflective situation.

This palette I find very useful for driving around and knocking off quick, small pochades. A sketchbook and pen are always part of my arsenal because I don't always have the color I need when traveling this light. The sketchbook contains about 50% writing to 50% drawing notes. Then when I return to the studio, I can flesh out any color notes while the visual memory is still fresh.

When you're traveling light, what essential palette do you carry with you? This question is of course addressed to everyone.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Mine is shamefully large with lots of earth tones-usually Old Holland's. I don't hike far from the auto normally-car camping sort of deal. I hate getting somewhere and wishing I had cobalt blue or Quint. Rose and I find the numerous colors of "earth" nice short cuts. I will take 4 or 5 earthy greens like terre verte too. Here's my apple basket-it's usually full.

[Mari DeRuntz]

Cool photo, and you've answered my question about what size do you work on when you're doing landscapes from life

[Timothy C. Tyler]

This was started and finished on site. About half was done in studio. I had to wade the river (twice per day) each direction waist deep water carrying my stuff overhead, Marine style, and above the falls; White River falls in Oregon.