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Zorn Limited Palette
The Zorn limited palette is named after renowned Swedish artist Anders Leonard Zorn (February 18, 1860 – August 22, 1920). Best know for his portraits, domestic scenes and nudes in outdoor settings, he like John Singer Sargent and Joaquín Sorolla, are greatly admired by many realist artists today for his lively and skillful brushwork.
Zorn is also known for using a palette limited to just four colors. Although there is some disagreement over the exact colors on his palette it is generally believed that Zorn reduced his palette to the rather earthy colors of Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Medium, Ivory Black plus White. Some lists add Vermillion, Viridian, and/or Cerulean Blue. Wherever the truth lies the palette is far more limited in color range than most artists use today.
Why Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Medium, and Ivory Black? They are an earthy version of the primary pigment colors Yellow, Red and Blue. Yellow Ochre is earthy but still mixes with red and black to create some very pleasant warm orange hues and cool green hues respectively. Cadmium Red is rich and warm. Ivory Black is cool and acts like very deep blue.
Curious about what happens when you work with a bare bones palette I tried a little exercise borrowed from Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting–And More by Richard Schmid. I created a color chart using the basic Zorn palette of Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Medium, Ivory Black and Titanium White.
Instructions for creating a Zorn limited palette grid
This exercise involves creating a color chart where the basic Zorn limited palette of Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, and Ivory Black are systematically mixed from fully saturated hue to barely tinted white. The resulting chart demonstrates the remarkable range of colors you can get from this basic palette. I also discovered the beautifully harmonious color combinations that are created by using this palette.
MATERIALS
These are the materials that I used for this exercise. Investing in professional quality oil paints and tools as always worth it. M Graham is my favorite brand of oil paints and medium. i explain why in my post, “Why I Love m Graham Oil Paints”.
Other useful studio materials
Walnut Alkyd Medium – Speeds paint drying time. Mix only in a few drops into small puddle of paint.
Nitrite Gloves – Protection against heavy metals used in cadmium pigments
Turpenoid Natural – Non-toxic solvent for cleaning brushes and palette
The Master’s Brush Cleaner – For cleaning and restoring brushes and spot cleaning fabrics.
Full Disclosure: The items on this list link to Amazon. If you buy products from a link, I receive a very small commission.
STEP 1: Draw the Grid
On a 16-inch x 12-inch canvas panel draw a grid of 1-inch squares, 12 across and 10 down.
STEP 2: Mask the Grid
Using house painter’s masking tape cut into 1/4 inch wide strips, mask the edges of the 10 rows and 12 columns creating squares in which mixed colors will go.
STEP 3: Mixing and Painting the Grid
This is where the fun begins!
Using a small palette knife or brush, paint the grid with the colors mixed as follows.
[hfcm src=”https://michaellynnadams.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ML-Adams-zorn-palette-exercise-1024-1024×936.jpg” alt=”Zorn limited palette grid by Michael Lynn Adams” width=”426″ height=”389″ />
Top Row:
Colors straight out of the tube in columns 1, 5 and 9. The other mixed colors establish a base of secondary colors (oranges, purples and greens), by mixing sets of two primaries each – Yellow & Red; Red & Black; Black & Yellow – in the ratios noted on the Zorn limited palette chart. Do not add white to the first row.
Next Four Rows:
Mix white with the color at the top each column. The objective is to create a 5-stage progressively lighter value of each top row color. Listed on the left side of the guide is the approximate percentage of the top row color mixed with pure white for each row. Your goal is to create a gradual but clear series from the pure color to a light tint of that same color.
Bottom Five Rows:
Here you explore the tertiary colors. When using this limited palette the tertiary color are mostly in the brown to pink family. You will also discover some lovely flesh tones. The progression is the same as the upper grid but with the addition of a third color. In this exercise you will be adding the third color mix. For example, in the columns where Yellow Ochre and Red were mixed add a trace of Ivory Black. Carefully mix in a little pigment at a time – just enough color to see a shift in hue. You should also see the color’s temperature shifting as the third color is added.
TIPS
Mix One Column At A Time
Mix a large puddle of pure colors first and divide it into five smaller puddles. Then add white to each puddle to create the gradually lighter mixes. After those colors are painted on the grid, add the third, trace color, to each mixture to use in the lower half of the column.
Keep Your Palette and Colors Clean
Clean your palette, brush or palette knife after you finish each column to keep your colors clean.
GREAT READS:
Anders Zorn: Sweden’s Master Painter
Accompanying a major retrospective of Anders Zorn’s work, this is the first volume in English to explore the Swedish Impressionist’s entire career in depth. Anders Zorn (1860–1920) is one of Sweden’s most accomplished and beloved artists.
Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting–And More
This is my painting Bible. Icon Richard Schmid shares his wisdom and technical savvy which came from a classical education and a lifetime of painting and teaching. The supreme alla prima master, Richard gracefully leads his reader through the subtleties of painting theory and technique with refreshing directness and unmatched technical authority. Richard’s insights and lessons are not just valuable alla prima painitng, but for all styles.
Alla Prima II Companion: Richard Schmid’s Materials, Tools and Techniques
Richard Schmid’s Materials, Tools and Techniques – By Katie Swatland. The path to creating great works of art begins with knowing the capabilities of your materials and tools.Contained within the pages of this book are detailed descriptions of the processes that go into the creation of a painting.
Sorolla: The Masterworks
A new survey of the best works by the elusive and spectacular Spanish Impressionist Joaquín Sorolla. Often compared to his contemporary, the American artist John Singer Sargent, Joaquín Sorolla (1863–1923) was a master draftsman and painter of landscapes, formal portraits, and monumental, historically themed canvases.
The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
“Art when really understood is the province of every human being.” So begins The Art Spirit, the collected words, teachings, and wisdom of innovative artist and beloved teacher Robert Henri. Henri, who painted in the Realist style and was a founding member of the Ashcan School, was known for his belief in interactive nature of creativity and inspiration, and the enduring power of art.
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ORIGINAL POST: JANUARY, 2014 – UPDATE: AUGUST, 2021
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Arthur Reddy says:
I still don’t understand. The bottom Trace of Black, Trace of Yellow, Trace of Red are all gradually darkened with black? So the trace of any color in the bottom section comes from the 5% row in the top section and is gradually darkened with black?
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Good question Arthur.
The section using a trace amount of Black, Ochre, and Red is exactly the same mixtures as the upper half of the chart with the following changes:
• They are in inverse order, from light to dark
• The addition of a very small amount of Black, Ochre, or Red. The “trace” is the amount of color needed to slightly alter the basic mixture in the direction of the trace color. These trace colors shift the saturation, brightness, and temperature of the resulting colors to a warmer or cooler hue. The exact amount of shift is where your artist’s judgment comes into play. Learning to control those attributes is the goal of this exercise.
Jacob Greer says:
The column of pure red cadmium; the first row, it’s pure red at 100 percent. Working it’s way down adding more white. Then gradually working its way darker in Inverse order. so the very bottom row at 100 percent is a mixture of pure red and a trace of yellow? This makes sense but for me this color is closer to the first row, 1y:2r column. I got a B on this assignment because my trace of yellow box doesn’t match yours. The only way I can fix this is adding black to the pure red column along with the trace of yellow. But the way this palette is explained, the pure red column and the last row at 100 percent, it should not be this dark. So question is… did you add black to the pure red column in the bottom row trace of yellow?
Louise says:
Hi, I have grid made up and paint at the ready however I need help with the bottom five rows. Are you able to clarify? I’m quite new to this and I just can’t figure it out! Than you, Louise
Michael Lynn Adams says:
The section using a trace amount of Black, Ochre, and Red is exactly the same mixtures as the upper half of the chart with the following changes:
• They are in inverse order, from light to dark
• The addition of a very small amount of Black, Ochre, or Red. The “trace” is the amount of color needed to slightly alter the basic mixture in the direction of the trace color. These trace colors shift the saturation, brightness, and temperature of the resulting colors to a warmer or cooler hue. The exact amount of shift is where your artist’s judgment comes into play. Learning to control those attributes is the goal of this exercise.
Dedra Morgan says:
I am really enjoying mixing with the Zorn Palette and amazed at the beautiful colors it creates. I have one question, as I am using your limited palette grid heavily to check myself. When using your grid on the Pure Red all the way down to the bottom five tertiary colors, I am not sure how starting with 100% red and adding a trace of yellow can make the color you are suggesting? On the pure color with a trace of yellow, I get a much more red color, as I would expect. What am I missiing?
PETER KNIGHT says:
Hi Michael! I am pretty new to painting and found this page on the Zorn Palette. I made one of the grids according to your plan above and it worked out great. I am really glad you put in the tip about mixing the paint and then making multiple puddles in which to add your tint and then trace. I can see it would have been much tougher if I had done it by mixing one square at a time. It was a lot easier to see the differences in the values the way you suggested which made it a success. Thanks!
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Peter, I’m so happy that you have found this tutorial helpful. I made the world of difference to my understanding of color and the power of a simple palette
Rick Madore says:
Hi Michael. I just received my print of the Zorn Palette and I was disappointed with the quality of the print. What I wanted was a good colour print that I could copy based on your instructions above, so that I could make my own palette. What I received though was a print of what seems to be low quality pixels of the colour image. When I compare the actual chart with what you present here, the colours on the chart are more muted and pixelated. Is there any chance I can send this back and receive a refund? I think it would be better for me to create my own chart based on the images from the computer. Please know that I love your work. Thank you.
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Rick, I am so sorry you’re not happy with your print. For a full refund, you can return it to FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, within 30 days of the order date. As soon as they receive it, they’ll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note – Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality. You can call FineArtAmerica.com any time (24/7) at 877-807-5901 for details. Happy painting ~ Michael
Chantal says:
Great article! I will definitely experiment with this. I am a wildlife artist but I found myself needing this palette for the face of apes! Love your swatch sheet, will use it for sure! The question I have though would relate to the use of Cad Red. It was only patented in like the last year of Zorn’s life, do you think he would have used something older like vermilion or another red?
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Chantal, good question. I agree that Zorn probably used Vermillion. I use Cad Red as a personal preference. I’m sure substituting Vermillion for the Cad Red would give great results as well.
Natalie I Delgado says:
Can you please explain the percentages and what they are in relation to on the bottom half of the palette? Thank you so much for your help!
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Hi Natalie. The percentages refer to the ratio of a given color mixture to white. The first row contains pure color mixtures (100%) without white. The second row has 3 parts (75%) color mixture plus 1 part (25%) white and so forth. The 5% row has predominantly white with a small amount of the color mixture. The rows in the bottom half have the same ratios of color mixture to white at the top half with the addition of a trace of a third color. In essence, the upper half of the chart contains a limited-pallette version of primary colors (yellow, red, and blue) and secondary colors (oranges, greens, and violets). The lower half contains a representation of tertiary color (browns and grays). I hope that helps.
Martin Shellabarger says:
When mixing colors, especially for color charts, it is much easier to start with the lightest tint and continue to add the darker color until the sequence is finished. You just need a very little bit of the darker color, usually. Unless you are very experienced with mixing colors, doing the opposite will often result in huge piles of the final tint as you find you need to add more and more white to lighten the base color enough.
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Thank you so much for your insight Martin. I also find dividing the base color/mixture into five piles before adding white to each helps control the amount of paint used. Mixing and adjusting all the values for a single base give the artist an opportunity to be sure that the graduation of values is properly balance before applying them to the grid.
John Baumlin says:
I recently discovered Spinel Black, which is somewhat cooler than Ivory Black. It would be interesting to see the results with Spinel. I did one painting using this palette (although I used Vermilion instead of cad red) with beautiful results. It’s amazing how harmonious the hues are with such a limited palette and how it’s virtually impossible to paint a wrong note anywhere, as the mixes all have some pigment in common.
Michael Lynn Adams says:
I have never used Spinel Black. Gamblin claims that Spinel Black is a “truly neutral black”. It would be interesting to see how yellow ochre shifts when mixed with Spinel black. What I like about playing with a limited palette is discovering the nuanced colors and temperatures when using different “primary” colors. You are so right, John – the beauty of a limited palette is the wonderful color harmony. It is the magic of simplicity.
Mark Amparan says:
Bruce Marsh asks why some painters have a large number of colors in their palettes. One reason is that some colors cannot be mixed from other color combinations. For example, Blue Shade Phthalo Green (PG7) cannot be mixed from any blue and yellow pigment combinations, so if a painter wants that particular green, he must use that pigment. Some other examples, which I call “primary pigments” as opposed to “primary colors”, are Indian Yellow (PY83), Quinacridone Magenta (PR122), Indanthrone Blue (PB60), and Transparent Red Iron Oxide (PR101). These may be approximated, and such approximations may work beautifully and satisfy the artist’s particular need, especially when the basic principle of color proximity is considered. Two other factors are cost–mixing earth tones from primaries is more expensive than buying the ready-made siennas, umbers, etc.–and the fact that many artists do not care to mix extensively either due to lack of training or the time needed, and prefer to work directly with the “ready-made” color. Of course, color may not be the dominant factor in a work, and in such cases a limited palette might be most desirable. It should be added that many artists do accomplish fabulous work with limited color palettes, and that is an art in itself.
Nancy Hamer Orozco says:
So, where it says Trace of Yellow and Trace of Red, we are to understand it to mean Trace of Yellow and black and Trace of Red and Black?
Vanessa Warheit says:
Similar question – because that is what the colors on Michael’s sample palette seem to be! My column 5 looks very different — because it does not include black. Michael can you please clarify? Thank you!
Vanessa Warheit says:
Actually I wonder if maybe Michael made the same mistake I did at first, including a trace of black in column 5? Columns 6-12 have black in them already!
Michael Lynn Adams says:
Hi Vanessa. Good question and good analysis. You sound like you have a clear understanding of the spirit of this exercise. Good catch about the trace amount of black in column 5. I did add a trace amount of black there to see what the tertiary color (the blending of all three colors) would look like in that column. As you point out, because black is already in columns 6-12, it’s not needed to create the tertiary colors in those columns.
Louise Scott-Bushell says:
I have enjoyed reading this article and the comments. I would enjoy following your blog.
Artenet says:
Thank you so much for this article. I think the limited palette makes painting easier so you can focus on ligh and shadow and not worry so much about which color tube to use, you can just mix your own colors with a limited palette and create more harmony in the painting. Zorn was a great artist.
Bruce Marsh says:
Zorn was an extremely interesting artist…but…to limit your palette to a few colors is to deny yourself the full range of colors possible! I use a very limited palette, white, Ult.Marine Blue, Pthalo Blue, Cad Yellow medium, Cad Red light and Aliz Crimson. This gives the full spectrum, and full value range. I make all color choices based on the color wheel…Blue, Green, Yellow, Orang, Red, and Violet. I also make adjustments in value and saturation by thinking in these terms. So my thinking is never about earth colors…I can make them easily and quickly with the spectrum above. I also can easily move a color warmer or cooler by thinking about which way I want to move it on the color wheel. I’ve never understood why some painters use a great number of colors…they can be mixed from a few. Mixed colors always lose a bit of saturation…but my paintings depend on the colors I observe…in nature…which are always mixtures…never fully saturated. I will say that I do NOT paint sunsets.
Benedict Moleta says:
Hi Michael,
I don’t quite follow your procedure for the lower five squares in each column. For the columns containing only one pure tube colour (pure red, yellow or black), the trace colour added in the lower five squares is not actually a third colour, but only a second colour. Correct ? I.e. the first column contains pure yellow ochre, lightened by degrees with white in the next 4 squares. Then in the lower five squares, the leftover quantity of yellow ochre lightened with white is darkened by adding successive quantities of black. But since we only began with one colour (yellow ochre) the black being added is only the second colour in this mixture. Correct ? Secondly, perhaps I’ve misunderstood the process, but in the pure red column, if white is added incrementally to end up with a pale neutralised reddish-white, and then in the lower five squares yellow is added to this pale, neutralised reddish white, how does this eventually create a near black ? I’ve made additions in capital letters to your description below. I figure I must be misunderstanding something, so perhaps you could delete or correct my additions as appropriate: “I added a trace of the color that was not mixed in upper half of the chart. So where Yellow Ochre and Red are mixed AND THEN LIGHTENED SUCCESSIVELY WITH WHITE, I added to trace of Ivory Black TO THE LIGHTEST MIXTURE, THE ONE CONTAINING THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF WHITE – enough to see a shift in saturation without overwhelming the original mixture. The idea here was to see what kind of color shift from warm to cool happens when a trace of the third color is added.” “TIP 1: Mix One Column At A Time.
Mix a large puddle of pure colors first and divide it into five smaller puddles. Then add white to each puddle to create the gradually lighter mixes. After those colors are painted on the grid, add the third, trace color, to THE REMAINDER OF EACH mixture (WHICH WILL BE VERY PALE AND NEUTRALISED WITH WHITE) to use in the lower half of the column. kind regards,
Benedict Moleta
Neutrals: Selecting the Right Neutral Pigment for Your Palette
Mitchell Albala, End of Summer, Ship Harbor, oil on panel, 5.5″ x 8. By adding a single neutral pigment to my palette, I can create neutral color mixtes more quickly. Additionally, I can pick a neutral with a color bias that leans toward the color direction of my piece. In this piece my “go-to” neutral was Portland Gray Deep (from Gamblin).
Just about any palette, even a limited palette, will include at least one version of each of the three primaries — a red, a blue, and a yellow. Theoretically, by mixing these primaries together, in various proportions, you can create a wide variety of neutral colors. These neutral colors can also be used to neutralize other mixtures. But that’s a lot of extra mixing. Many painters like to include at least one neutral color on their palette — a single “go-to” pigment that can quickly be added to other mixtures to make them more neutral.
A neutral color is any color that is less than fully saturated. Neutrals will appear muted, dull, or “brown.” Whether mixed or squeezed from a tube, most neutral colors have a color bias; meaning, we can still see hints of the hue family to which it belongs. Even black has a hue bias. (When lightened with white, it’s subtle blue tones are revealed.) The color bias is important. For example, if I am painting a cool blue-gray landscape like End of Summer (above), I will pick a neutral pigment that is cooler (like Gamblin’s Portland Gray Deep), as opposed to a neutral pigment that is warmer, such as burnt umber. In other words, the choice of a neutral pigment is not arbitrary; I choose it based on the temperature direction of my painting.
Another reason I like having neutral pigments on my palette is because, by making it easier to mix neutral colors, I am more likely to do so. With so many primary colors on my palette (ultramarine blue, cadmiums, alizarin, etc.), it’s easy to forget just how important neutral colors are in creating shadows and colors that look natural and convincing.
Let’s take a closer look at the individual characteristics of these “go-to” neutrals.
Burnt Umber – This earth color has been my neutral of choice for many years. Straight from the tube burnt umber is dark and chocolate-colored. As you lighten it with white, however, a subtle orange-red tint is revealed. Whenever I introduce this pigment to painters, I always remind them that it’s not meant to serve as a generic “brown” color for things like tree trunks or soil. Rather, it is used to modify other mixtures and make them less saturated.
Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue make rich black
When burnt umber it is added with equal parts of ultramarine (right), it yields a deep, dark mixture which is as dark as black. This “rich black” can be pushed toward the cool side with a little extra blue or pushed toward the warm side with a little more burnt umber. Thus, with just burnt umber as your single neutral pigment you can create both cool or warm neutrals.
Payne’s Gray (right) – As compared to black, Payne’s Gray is cooler and bluer. Straight from the tube, it looks just like black. As white is added, it’s bluish tint becomes obvious. This might be the pigment of choice if you want a black-like pigment with a stronger color bias than regular black.
Gamblin’s Portland Grays
Gamblin’s Portland Grays – Gamblin Artist’s Colors offers a wide range of neutral pigments called Portland Grays. (Gamblin is based in Portland, Oregon.) The light, medium, or deep varieties are formulated to be unbiased neutrals; that is, without any temperature shift in either direction. To my eye, however, they appear slightly cool. The swatch at right is Portland Gray Deep. Portland Grays are comprised of mars black and iron oxide (umber) pigments.
Titanium Buff – There is a common misperception that Titanium White is made by “bleaching” the more muted Titanium Buff. In fact, Titanium Buff is made from titanium dioxide, which is a very bright white and the same white that is on most painters’ palettes. What makes Titanium Buff appear muted is that it is compounded with iron oxide. Like Titanium White, Titanium Buff is opaque and has strong covering power.
Ivory Black (Graphic: Gamlin Artist’s Colors)
Black – Some painters use black as their de facto neutral and use it as a universal darkening agent — which I believe is a bad habit. When used sparingly it does effectively neutralize a mixture, but when used in larger amounts, it has a tendency to overly darken and deaden color mixtures, bringing a lifeless gray to everything it touches. Black has a blue color bias, which is more apparent when it’s lightened with white. In fact, some limited palettes use black as a substitute for a traditional blue pigment like Ultramarine.
Van Dyke Brown (Graphic: Gamblin Artist’s Colors)
Van Dyke Brown – As compared to Ivory Black, Van Dyck Brown has a warmer color bias. Depending on the brand, it can look quite warm. To my eye, Gamblin’s Van Dyke Brown appears to have the least color bias of all the neutral pigments shown here.
Conclusion – As luscious as these neutral pigments are, don’t go overboard with them. Your cool and warm primary and secondary colors will always be the mainstay of your palette. Your neutral pigments, perhaps one or two at most, augment the palette by helping you mix neutrals that fit the color scheme of your painting.
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About Author
Mitchell Albala is a painter, workshop instructor, and author. His semi-abstract and atmospheric landscapes have been exhibited nationally and are represented in corporate and private collections. He is the author of the two best selling books on landscape painting in the nation: “The Landscape Painter’s Workbook: Essential Studies in Shape, Composition, and Color” (Rockport Publishers, 2021) and “Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice” (Watson-Guptill, 2009). In addition to leading plein air workshops in Italy, Mitchell also teaches workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest. He has lectured on Impressionism and landscape painting at the Seattle Art Museum and has written for “International Artist” and “Artists & Illustrators” magazines. He also hosts a popular painting blog, which holds a top 20 spot on Feedspot.com’s “Top 90 Painting Blogs for Artists.”
Catherine on May 10, 2013 1:50 am
This latest post is very interesting to me as I am struggling with this issue in my watercolour work. Do you happen to know how to use Neutral Tint (a Winsor + Newton Artist’s Grade Watercolour)? Why is it called Neutral Tint and what is it used for? Does it fit into any of the categories discussed in your post?
Mitchell Albala on May 10, 2013 2:10 am
Catherine — Ah, you’re testing the limits of my knowledge, as I am not a watercolorist. However, a quick Google search yields this this little tidbit from the ASW Express website: Neutral tint is “an opaque, deep gray with a very slight blue-violet undertone. Used to dull or darken colours, excellent for shadow mixes.” Of course, I haven’t tried it but it sounds similar to the Payne’s Gray I discussed in the post. Although watercolor is an entirely transparent medium, the idea that neutral pigments will neutralize more saturated colors will hold true. Although they call it “neutral tint” it is nothing more than a variety of pigment combinations that add up to a neutral color, much like the Portland Grays discussed in the article. The site reports that it’s made up of these pigment combinations: Copper Phthalocyanine, PB15; Carbon Black, PBk6; Quinacridone, PV19.
