# Need help finding base color



## RJS86

I am trying to paint this dog and she is mostly grey. I don't want to just mix white and black together I would rather start with a color. So what would be the base color for this dog?

Also every time I work on a painting it takes a while to mix the colors together then if I stop for a while and decide to work on it again later I can't remember what colors to mix together to get that exact color I had the day before. Any tips for this?

Thanks
Ryan


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## RJS86

This is what I have so far but I can't remember what colors I mixed to get that color grey!


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## Bushcraftonfire

I took this picture into Artrage to check the colors.. and it is a Brown- Grey everywhere (I took about 75 samples) in the picture. Red - Yellow - and maybe a touch of Prussian Blue would be the base if I was trying to recreate it (but I deal in watercolor) 

I also did a check on your colors..and they were *VERY *similar.. but a wee bit more saturated..


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## TerryCurley

I'm guessing Artrage is a digital art program?


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## RJS86

Cool, thanks bushcraft. I think those colors are close to what I used in the first place which was burnt umber and pthalocaynine blue. I going to have to check out artrage.


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## TerryCurley

RJS86 welcome to the forum. The picture you are doing is coming out wonderful. I look forward to seeing the finished piece.


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## Bushcraftonfire

TerryCurley said:


> I'm guessing Artrage is a digital art program?


I'm so sorry.. Yes.. Artrage is a digital drawing program that actually emulates Oil, watercolor, graphite etc. 

D


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## Bushcraftonfire

RJS86 said:


> Cool, thanks bushcraft. I think those colors are close to what I used in the first place which was burnt umber and pthalocaynine blue. I going to have to check out artrage.


Yes.. the Burnt Umber would be close to the Red/Yellow mix.. and the Pthalo Blue would tone it down to a grey.. 

D


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## RJS86

TerryCurley said:


> RJS86 welcome to the forum. The picture you are doing is coming out wonderful. I look forward to seeing the finished piece.


hey terry, thanks. i was really suprised at how well it looks too. i have been drawing with pencil for a couple months now and just started painting with acrylics. i am hooked.


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## Bushcraftonfire

A couple of months? *WOW!* You're definitely a "natural"!


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## Susan Mulno

I agree with Bushcraftonfire here. Amazing for a couple months!


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## RJS86

Hey thanks bushcraft and susan! Here is my finished pet portrait. Please please critique, any and all advice or tips will be very much appreciated.


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## TerryCurley

This is a wonderful especially for someone only painting a few months -- WOW -- you have a great adventure ahead of you in painting.

Is the picture acrylic or oil? You might have said so before but I didn't notice. I've switched from acrylic to oil (even with oil's smell and toxicity) because I could not get decent blending with acrylic. Maybe just me, but if you are using oil you can take a mop brush, or any very soft brush, and go over the transitions from on value to the other very very lightly and it blends in the transition of the colors so gently that it looks totally natural.

This is a wonderful piece RJS86, is he/she your dog? I'm a big time lover of dogs. In fact I have one on my lap right now keeping me from typing.


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## RJS86

It is acrylic. I did have a tough time blending especially when I ran out of the good paint and had to use Luiquitex Basics paint to finish. I was wondering what was so special about oils. I hate the fact that acrylic dries so fast, I feel like I have to rush when im painting. Maybe I will give oils a try in the future.

Its actually my brothers dog, its a mixed akita. Me too, I love dogs. I have a mixed Beagle. Hes a great lap dog, he even sleeps under the covers with me at night!


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## Bushcraftonfire

I like this very much.. you did a fine job. 

The only thing I can see that I might change is the background.. Maybe it's the blending.. or maybe that it doesn't go all the way to the edge of the canvas.. or maybe it's the color.. I'm not sure which.. but it seems to distract from the subject. Of course this is just my opinion.

I think you have a great work here.. and if the BG was touched up it would be awesome! Here's a quick example I took a min to do to show you what I mean.. 










D


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## TerryCurley

Hey David try this on the background, make it darker on the edges and lighter around the dog. This will make the dog even more standoutish (my own word). RJS86 I hope you don't mind us playing around with your painting. 

You know David you just gave me a great reason to get the digital art program. I can plug in a picture of mine and do some tweets and then I will make it even better the next time.....What a wonderful thought. I often do the same picture over if it is one I like.


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## Bushcraftonfire

Yes Terry.. I often throw together a mock up to give me ideas. then I know what I'm gonna do when I get to the canvas

Here's the dog reworked.. is this what you were thinking? I don't want to change RJS' concept.. because he had an idea why he wanted it like he did.. 










D


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## TerryCurley

Yes. That is what I had in mind. I like it.


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## cjm1972

What a wonderful painting, for only having been at it for a few months, you seem much more advanced.
Really well done, looking forward to seeing much more from you.


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## RJS86

That background looks good bushcraft Im going to see if I can paint it like that.


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## Bushcraftonfire

You can RJS.. Think layers!

D


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## RJS86

Good call bushcraft


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## TerryCurley

Oh Yeah that looks nice!


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## Bushcraftonfire

Awesome!

That's very good with the 3D box effect.. I like it

D:"cool"


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