# Newbie here, need some help



## Eva

Hello everyone, I think I might have posted my first question on the wrong forum, so please forgive me if you see this as a duplicate.
I have an inspiration piece I would like to replicate. This would be my first acrylic painting. I am unsure of the background mixture of colors. I think it might be a blend of yellow ochre, red and burnt umber. What is your expert opinion? Is there a color I am missing? thanks so much.


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## WoodlandSpirit

I'm seeing scarlet and peacock green but there may be blue. It's hard to tell on a phone.


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## WoodlandSpirit

WoodlandSpirit said:


> I'm seeing scarlet and peacock green but there may be blue. It's hard to tell on a phone.


The dark red looks like a green was added


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## Eva

Thank you woodlandspirit, you have a good eye. So are you saying that the blue and green is added instead of the umber and yellow?


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## WoodlandSpirit

There are some yellow tones. Maybe the artist painted the canvass yellow then went over it with the other colors. Its like its showing through. But mostly it's scarlet with green and maybe blue in the dark areas. At least that's what it looks like on my screen.


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## Asancta

Eva said:


> Hello everyone, I think I might have posted my first question on the wrong forum, so please forgive me if you see this as a duplicate.
> I have an inspiration piece I would like to replicate. This would be my first acrylic painting. I am unsure of the background mixture of colors. I think it might be a blend of yellow ochre, red and burnt umber. What is your expert opinion? Is there a color I am missing? thanks so much.


I think it's an acrylic and the flowers(circles) are done in impasto paste.I see at least 2 underlayers and I would assume that closer to the tree the first layer might be white then the artist went with a yellow then a deep red;far away from the tree at the corners I think might be blue as first underlayer or/and purple then he/she went high on the color scale with some yellow ochre and red.Of course this is what I see...might be wrong.You just have to try.


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## WoodlandSpirit

I'd guess your right. I have a hard time seeing it on my phone but I do see a little of what you're talking about.


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## Eva

That is awesome, now that you mention those colors, I do see them. Thanks so much for that. I will try underpainting in those colors.
Another question, the color of the circles, is that just a mix of impesto and yellow/brown to get that golden color? What technique/tool do you think was used to make the circles?


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## Asancta

Impasto medium is a very very thick paste...and I think he/she just circled the flowers right from the tube or maybe he/she had one of those devices that pastry chefs have to spread the cream on the cupcakes(??).I've seen artists making birds out of impasto medium btw


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## Eva

thank you Asancta, you have been a great help.


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## Eva

I have another question regarding this inspiration piece, its about scale. I will be painting the tree as a 3 canvas painting, 3-24x48, so total 72 wide x 48 high. How wide should the tree trunk be so it looks proportioned. I think the tree should start widening at the top third of the center canvas.


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## TerryCurley

What I would do is put the picture in Publisher (or some such app) and divided the picture by thirds and then you can see exactly how the panels should join. The tree is definitely in the second panel. 

This is an amazing project. Sure hope you do a work in progress thread for it.


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## Eva

Thank you Terry. I have never heard of Publisher. I will definitely have to look in to that.


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## Eva

Terry that was a great suggestion. I was able to divide the piece into thirds and also in half. That will greatly help me with the scale. Thanks again for that suggestion.:laugh:


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## Asancta

You want to make it EXACTLY the same?It's not such a complex piece for you to need dividing...just do it by eye first and if you don't like it then divide it with some app.there are plenty of videos on youtube on how to divide.


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## Eva

For me, this is complex lol. I am worried about the scale, since I am making it almost double in size, and going from a single canvas to a three canvas piece.


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## Eva

Is there a specific green shade that would look better for part of the under painting or will any shade of green do.


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## TerryCurley

It's your painting, you decide. I think I would go a dark green, like sap green mixed with some cobalt blue.


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## Eva

thanks Terry. As you and everyone here can probably tell by my questions I am very new to this and this will be my first painting. I dont know if I am taking on too much but I am going to give it a shot. I am open to any and all suggestions, I may ask a few silly questions but with each reply I receive I am learning. I may take the suggestion offered or I may venture on my own but at least I know the options I have to choose from. Thanks again for your suggestions. Keep them coming!


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## Asancta

Grrr I've just wrote you a reply and then forum asked me to log in and then message got lost grrrr
Ok,so, here is what I would do: go and download or buy a color scale(the most complex one you can find) and a color checker-make or buy(basically anything with a hole in it lol) and look up on your painting picture with your color checker the EXACT shade of red that you see in the painting(beware-each and every one of us is seeing a different shade based on different variables such as the device we are using,the light in the room,our own eyes so you should trust only yourself in choosing a color) when you've found it go to the opposite dirrection to the complementary color that will be a green.Use that green...easy as that.


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## Asancta

This one would be good for you


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## Eva

Thank Asancta, I cut out a 4x4 piece of cardboard and punched a hole in it. The painting has more orange in it than I would like. I would like the color to be a deeper red, more of a blue red and an orange red.


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## Eva

What do the numbers on the colors represent?


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## Asancta

Eva said:


> What do the numbers on the colors represent?


 the color...lol


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## Eva

lol, its been a looooong day Asancta


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## dickhutchings

Actually, they are percentages of Cyan,Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK)


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## WoodlandSpirit

Yep CMYK but I wouldn't pay much attention to that for paint. Just print it and get some clear cover sheets to mach your colors on. Every brand of paint calls their colors something different


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## TerryCurley

Eva said:


> thanks Terry. As you and everyone here can probably tell by my questions I am very new to this and this will be my first painting. I dont know if I am taking on too much but I am going to give it a shot. I am open to any and all suggestions, I may ask a few silly questions but with each reply I receive I am learning. I may take the suggestion offered or I may venture on my own but at least I know the options I have to choose from. Thanks again for your suggestions. Keep them coming!


My goodness for a first painting you have taken on a big project and a costly one at that. My suggestion is do it first with small panels, like three 8x10. It will be a great learning experience, then tackle the big project if you are happy with the small one. If not try again until you get to one that you are happy with. And then do the biggie. Personally I would never try to do a large canvas or panel until I'm confident I can do it well.


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## TerryCurley

dickhutchings said:


> Actually, they are percentages of Cyan,Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK)


I just learned something. Cool.


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## Asancta

WoodlandSpirit said:


> Yep CMYK but I wouldn't pay much attention to that for paint. Just print it and get some clear cover sheets to mach your colors on. Every brand of paint calls their colors something different


 EXACTLY... you don't need to get into detail at this moment.Geee


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## dickhutchings

So what exactly is that chart good for? More important, how can I make use of it.:biggrin:


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## Eva

Thank you all for the suggestions on finding my red color.
Terry I am going to practice alot first . I bought a pad of paint paper. Now I just need to get some paint. 

Would you all suggest heavy body acrylics with a medium to mix or fluid acrylics? I am leaning toward full body.


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## Asancta

Eva said:


> Thank you all for the suggestions on finding my red color.
> Terry I am going to practice alot first . I bought a pad of paint paper. Now I just need to get some paint.
> 
> Would you all suggest heavy body acrylics with a medium to mix or fluid acrylics? I am leaning toward full body.


Acrylics you mix with water you know that right?


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## dickhutchings

I would look at Chroma Atelier Interactive. If I had it to do over again that's what I would do. It gives you the options for wet on wet or fast dry. It seems to have it all. I just ordered some but I have a bunch of Galleria to use up first.


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## Eva

Asancta, yes water or a medium is that not correct? You would thin the paint if you want it more transparent and to blend, is that right?

dick, I will have to look up the paint you suggest. I will be purchasing my paint from Michael's, so depending on the brands they carry I will make my choice of brand.


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## Eva

When enlarging the painting to look at the details, the background has different shadings of color in squares, is that just because a flat brush was used or is there a technique I need to learn.


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## Asancta

@Eva "Another word for creativity is courage" Henri Matisse
You have all the information needed from many of us ...now you just need to do it.


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## Eva

'You have all the information needed from many of us ...now you just need to do it.'

You picked up on it, I am nervous to start.


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## DantonRezosDesigns

Hey I thought I would chime in... water can be used as a thinning agent and provide more fluidity with the paint, but water and acrylics really aren't friends. I would suggest using an acrylic based medium to help give this fluidity in the paints you use. You are using the acrylic medium to give more 'pull' while the paint is on the brush, not to make it more transparent. I like to use Liquitex gloss medium & varnish. Many different brand sell a similar product. As for the 'glazes' that are made to make acrylics transparent, I veer away from those products.


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## Eva

Thank you denton, that makes sense. I have been trying to read everything I can on line and watch videos. So much to learn!


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## Eva

Are the marks on the background done with a flat brush using the wet on wet technique or simply with a pallet knife?


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## Asancta

Have you started yet ?  If yes take a pic and post it here...we will help you from there...no matter how bad you think it is...


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## Eva

Not started yet, still gathering information. I know you would say stop gathering and start painting but until I feel comfortable starting I wont. I havent even bought the paint yet. Not sure if it should be heavy body or fluid acrylics. :unhappy:


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