I'm feeling well if a little anxious but I'm back up to speed after some days of rest. I spent a restful day today glazing the second Portrait of Andrew Williams.
I'll be buying some more paints soon. In five years I've used only 10% of my Winsor and Newton cadmium yellows. I'm not sure if I should stick with them or buy some of my favourite, Blockx. The knowledge they'll probably last a lifetime helps.
I've got a pile of tubes now that I'll probably never, or at least very slowly, use. I'll most likely throw them out or give them away. In case anyone finds it useful, here is a list of my least favourite colours and why.
I'll post some heroes tomorrow. First, enemies!
Permanent Rose (Quinacridone). Quinacridone magenta is intense and useful for flower painters perhaps but not much else. This pink has a radioactive glow that lots of black fails to kill. Every time I try it I regret it.
Permananent Alizarin Crimson (Anthraquinone). See Above; however this is a bit darker and could glaze cherries beautifully.
Scarlet Lake (Pyrrol). I've found the blue shade Pyrrol (PR254) one of the more useful bright reds but this yellow shade one is seditious and useful only to burger-van sign writers.
Phthalo Greens/Blues. I don't like these. The blues do nothing that ultramarine can't, unless you count staining your brush. Viridian will substitute the greens generally, but they do have a nice darkness to them that viridian refuses to bend towards. Rather useful in acrylics where a strong tint is needed, but I think I can live without these in oil. I'll keep the tubes to use as wood stain for my frames.
Burnt Umber. Simply; a more ugly brown than transparent oxides. Too transparent to underpaint with and too ugly to glaze with.
What is your favourite enemy? Sorry, who! No wait! I mean paint!
