Q: What is the Portrait Institute Color System?
A: It is an organized, reliable system for the mixing of flesh
colors in portrait and figure painting.
Q: What does the Portrait Institute Color System consist
of?
A: The complete Portrait Institute portrait palette consists
of ten specially formulated colors (the Portrait Institute
colors) and thirteen standard colors plus white.
Q: What is the purpose of the Portrait Institute Color
System?
A: The purpose of the system is two fold: time-saving convenience
and accuracy. Time saving convenience is achieved by greatly
reducing the amount of mixing required during painting. The
ten Portrait Institute colors are the ten most-used colors
in portraiture. When slightly modified by adding touches of
the standard colors, an astonishing array of flesh colors
are readily attained, with a minimum of mixing time. Accuracy
comes from the ability to repeat the color combinations with
assurance.
Q: How does the Portrait Institute Color System work?
A: The principle of the Portrait Institute Color System is
very simple. In the traditional free palette approach, the
painter may mix hundreds of color variations in the course
of painting a portrait or figure subject. Ten mixtures recur
with greater frequency than all the others - these are the
Portrait Institute Colors. To precisely match the colors you
observe in the model, you will almost always want to vary
the Portrait Institute Colors slightly - by adding one color
from the standard colors or another Portrait Institute Color.
For example, if the model's color is warmer than the Portrait
Institute color, you will add a red color. If the color in
the model is cooler, you will a cool color from the standard
palette. To reduce intensity, you will add a neutral. But
you will almost never have to add more than a single color
to achieve your desired results. Without the Portrait Institute
Color System, you would have to add three or four colors together
each time.
Q: How will I benefit from the Portrait Institute Color
System?
A: Instead of a hit-and-miss, trial and error approach, you
will be able to mix with assurance exactly the tone desired,
and you will be able to do it again and again with consistency.
Professional portrait and figure painters rely on the Portrait
Institute Color System. It lets you concentrate on creativity,
knowing your flesh colors are right - every time.
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