Development of Neutral Basis

Introduction

• Visual Contentment: Eye seeks full spectrum of colors, similar to diet requiring variety.
• Objective: Introduce burnt umber and burnt sienna for neutralizing color instead of using complements.

Burnt Sienna vs. Burnt Umber

• Burnt Sienna:
  • Contains red, yellow, some blue
  • Warmer hue
• Burnt Umber:
  • Contains red, yellow, more blue than sienna
  • Cooler hue

Benefits of Using Burnt Sienna/Umber

• Ensure spectrum presence, resulting in more vibrant colors
• Goethe's Insight: Black extinguishes color; burnt sienna or umber maintains vibrancy.

Neutralizing Colors

• Burnt Sienna:
  • Neutralizes warm colors (red, yellow, orange)
  • Retains warmth
• Burnt Umber:
  • Neutralizes and darkens cool colors (blue, green, violet)
  • Retains blue in mixtures
• Flexibility: Both can neutralize any color depending on the desired result.

Definitions

• Neutral: Neither one thing nor another, nearly achromatic (no hue)
• Neutralized Color: Shows some color, e.g., chroma scale (Mansell charts 2, 4, 6).

Mixing Neutral Bases

• Donald Kaufmann's Approach: Every color should contain all spectrum colors for luminous result.
• Paint Companies: Use neutral base instead of adding color to white.
• White Paint: Already contains added blue (WB).

Five Neutral Bases

1. Light Neutral Base #1:
   • Ingredients: White + Green + Burnt Sienna
   • Use: Tints of warm hues (red, yellow, orange)
2. Light Neutral Base #2:
   • Ingredients: White + Green + Burnt Umber
   • Use: Tints of cool hues (blue, green, violet)
3. Medium Neutral Base #1:
   • Ingredients: White + Green + Burnt Sienna
   • Use: Medium shades of warm hues (red, yellow, orange)
4. Medium Neutral Base #2:
   • Ingredients: White + Green + Burnt Umber
   • Use: Medium shades of cool hues (blue, green, violet)
5. Dark Neutral Base:
   • Ingredients: Blue + Burnt Umber
   • Use: Dark shades of warm and cool colors
   • Reference: Tonal value 8 on VanCell charts

Process Notes

• Start with white, add green and burnt sienna/umber
• Medium bases: Same white, more green/burnt sienna/umber
• Dark base: Adjust balance of blue and burnt umber
• Important: Paint darkens when dry; judge colors when dry
• Use one color for all bases to show subtle tonal mixtures.