Richard Schmid's Color Chart Exercise For Oil Paints Saved My Art Career

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PAINTING HOW TO
Color Chart Exercise to Master Your Palette Fast

POSTED ON MAY 24, 2020 BY MICHAEL LYNN ADAMS
Zorn Limited Palette
My life as an artist was at a crossroads

I was preparing to leave my job of thirty- ve years as an art director to start a new career as a
professional oil painter. I had years of design experience, but for two decades I had worked
primarily in digital media. Crystal Gazing and a
Limited Palette
I had good drawing skills, but my skill at color mixing oil paints was weak. Even though I had a
thorough understanding of color theory, I didn’t understand how each oil color has a personality of
its own. The colors looked familiar enough but the way they behaved was at times mystifying and
unpredictable. I could see the color I wanted in my subjects, but matching that color with paint
often involved educated guesswork, and too often I guessed wrong. My weak skills undermined
Zorn palette grid in
my con dence and nearly derailed my career before it began. Juliette Aristides'
book
Richard Schmid’s book changed everything

That’s when I discovered Richard Schmid’s fantastic
book on painting, Alla Prima – everything I know
about painting. In his chapter on color, he describes
this color chart exercise for oil paints his teacher, Bill
Mosby, assigned it to his class. Most of Richard’s
classmates dismissed the exercise as a boring waste of time. But Richard took it seriously, enjoying
the challenge of executing it perfectly. It paid o for him. And, it really paid o for me.
This exercise accelerated my career

It took me several weeks to complete the twelve color mixing charts in this exercise (see the
complete set of color chart exercise panels below). I not only learned how to mix colors, but also
the nature of the each color. Their staining power, transparency, temperature shifts when mixed,
even drying times and how glossy or matte they dry. The con dence I gained with such thorough
understanding of my palette helped to rapidly advance my painting skills. In less than two of years,
prestigious galleries were representing my work, and I had my rst of many solo shows.
In doing the color chart exercise, care and patience truly pay off
There is power in the simplicity of this exercise. In a nutshell, you’ll mix all of the possible color
pairs on your palette and chart out ve di erent values (dark to light) of each mixture. Its power is
in its careful execution and paying close attention to the way the paint behaves.
00:00 00:12
My finished panels on the studio wall. The thought of making them all is imposing, but I
guarantee it is worth every minute. The more care you take in making them, the more you will
be rewarded.
“It is the doing of the charts and the how they are done that matter.” ~
Richard Schmid”
To learn how to do anything in art requires doing the physical work. Just looking at the charts
doesn’t come remotely close to teaching you what this color chart exercise has to o er. To get the
most out of the exercise, pay close attention to what is happening.
How a panel of various colors mixed with one predominant color creates a wonderfully
harmonious color scheme.
Which colors have strong staining power.
How dark colors are hard to identify until white is added.
The cooling e ect of adding white.
Mid-tone colors tend to be more vivid.
Accuracy, not speed, is the friend of mixing the right color.
The list goes on . . .
Alla Prima II – Everything I Know About Oil Painting

This exercise is the smallest sample of the riches in Richard Schmid’s Alla
Prima. In my opinion, it is the best book available on the art and craft of oil
painting. Richard gracefully leads you through the subtleties of painting
theory and technique with refreshing directness and technical authority.
Let’s get started

In this tutorial I am using my 11-color palette. If you have a set of colors you
are currently using, I encourage you to use them. Just keep the following
in mind:
The number of panels you will need is equal to the number of colors on
your palette plus one. In this tutorial, I am using an 11-color palette so I Limited Palette
needed 12 panels. Version If you would
like to try a 3-color
You will be painting a series of 1″ squares separated by 1/4″. I used 8″x15″ version of this
panels for the job. If you have more than 11 colors you need to adjust the exercise, see my
Zorn Limited Palette
width accordingly. I used 1/8″ MDF primed with two layers of gesso, lightly
Exercise here.
sanded.
Color Mixing Templates and Panels by Color Frontier

Color Frontier’s templates and panels are great, time-saving, alternatives
to preparing your own panels for this exercise. (Color Frontier is not a
sponsor, and I do not bene t from the sale of their products.)
STEP 1: Draw the Grid
On a your panel, draw a grid of 1 inch squares with 1/4 inch space between them. 11 across and 5
down.
STEP 2: Mask the Grid
Using the drawn squares as your guide, apply 1/4″ house painter’s masking tape to mask the
edges of the rows and columns.
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.
TIP: Remove the tape before the paint dries completely. Removing it when it is dry is not pleasant.
Attach new tape if you need to make corrections.
Your goal is to create ve equally progressive stages of lighter values for each top row color. It’s
not as easy as it sounds, but worth the e ort.
COLOR ROWS KEY
TOP ROW – 100% CYL: Cadmium Yellow Light

These are the BASE colors. They’re either a CYD: Cadmium Yellow Deep
single color or mix of two colors straight out of CO: Cadmium Orange
the tube. YO: Yellow Ochre
CR: Cadmium Red
ROW 2 – 75% TR: Terra Rosa
Mix 3 parts BASE to 1 part white AC: Alizarin Crimson
TRO: Transparent Red Oxide
ROW 3 – 50%
V: Veridian
Mix 1 part BASE to 1 part white
U: French Ultramarine Blue
CB: Colbalt Blue
ROW 4 – 25%
Mix 1 BASE to 3 parts white
Titanium White is added to create values
BOTTOM ROW – TRACE

I use M Graham oil paints. The base color will
Mostly white with just enough color to shift to
vary when using other brands.
an o -white tint
CHART ONE: Palette Colors
Top Row: Unmixed palette colors.
Lightening in Five Steps

This process is repeated on each chart
Each column is then lighted by adding white to the top row color. Your goal is to create ve equal
steps from 100% color to an o -white in the bottom row. The percentages in the margin are only
suggested starting points. Depending on the staining power of the colors, you will need to adjust
the ratio of white to the color. You will notice the mid column, Terra Rosa (TR), got away from me a
little and I went too dark.
ALL OTHER CHARTS: Mixed Colors
TOP ROW: Signature Color plus palette color
For each of the remaining charts the rst column will be the palette color that will be the
predominant color for that chart. In the case shown below, the predominant color is Viridian (V).
Subsequent columns are mixtures of Viridian and the next color on your palette chart. In this case,
the second column is a mixture of Cadmium Yellow Light (CYL) with Viridian predominating, the
second column is Cadmium Yellow Deep with Virdian predominating, and so forth through to
Cobalt Blue (CB). Avoid mixing equal amounts of each color, but enough color of the rst signature
color to predominate while allowing the other color’s character to be recognized.
Lightening in Five Steps

This process is repeated on each chart
Each column is then lighted by adding white to the top row color. Your goal is to create ve equal
steps from 100% color to an o -white in the bottom row. The percentages in the margin are only
suggested starting points. Depending on the staining power of the colors, you will need to adjust
the ratio of white to the color.
All of my charts, shown below, are for your reference.
PALETTE COLOR CHARTS
GREAT RESOURCES
These books have a treasured place in my studio.
Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting and More by Richard

Schmid
Alla Prima, this book o ers to the artist and art lover alike the wisdom and
technical savvy which comes from a classical education and a lifetime of
painting and teaching. Writing as an acknowledged master, Richard
gracefully leads his reader through the subtleties of painting theory and
technique with refreshing directness and unmatched technical authority. With an emphasis on
painting from life, he writes with warm humor about the joys and trials of being an artist. He brings
to life the romance of Bravura painting and examines the mysteries of color in fascinating detail.
Lessons in Classical Painting: Essential Techniques from Inside the

Atelier by Juliette Aristides
Lessons in Classical Painting presents aspiring artists with the fundamental
skills and tools needed to master painting in the atelier style. With more
than 25 years of experience in ateliers and as an art instructor, Aristides
pairs personal examples and insights with theory, assignments and
demonstrations for readers, discussions of technical issues, and
inspirational quotes.
The Art of Still Life by Todd M. Casey

The Art of Still Life o ers a comprehensive, contemporary approach to the
subject that instructs artists on the foundation basics and advanced
techniques they need for successful drawing and painting. In addition to
Casey’s stunning paintings, the work of over fty past and present masters
is included, so that the book is both a hardworking how-to manual and a
visual treasure trove of some of the nest still life art throughout history
and today.
See new work, tutorial and videos. Follow me on
Related Posts:
Zorn
Zorn palette
palette grid
grid in
in
Juliette
Juliette Aristides'
Aristides' Crystal
Crystal Gazing
Gazing and
and aa
Zorn
Zorn Limited
Limited Palette
Palette book
book Limited
Limited Palette
Palette
   
This entry was posted in Painting How To and tagged art lessons, full palette, Michael Lynn Adams, oil painting lessons.
 I Love M. Graham Oil Paints Landscape Collection


29 THOUGHTS ON “COLOR CHART EXERCISE TO MASTER YOUR PALETTE

FAST”
Rob says:
Hi! I studied painting in college eons ago (25+ year) and have painted sporadically. I didn’t
have any color theory, the approach was “paint what you feel” – I want to reboot by
undertaking these exercises. However I noticed you don’t have any earth tones,
umbers/siennas, in your list other than yellow ochre. Do you recommend not using those
colors for these charts?
MAY 28, 2022 AT 6:03 PM REPLY
Michael Lynn Adams says:

If you are used to using the earth tones when you paint, by all means, use them in this
exercise. You can make some beautiful earth tones with the palette as described in this
exercise, too. Look at the Cadmium Orange panel where you will nd one of the best
base colors for esh tones created by mixing Cad Orange and Viridian. The only earth
tone I have on my palette is Burnt Umber, which I use primarily for blocking in values
on my underpainting – but that is my personal preference.
Todd M. Casey says:

Hi Michael,
What a great post and thank you for putting my book in such good company!
Todd

What a wonderful surprise to hear from you. Thank you for writing such a wonderful
book on still life painting. You have written exactly the book I hope someone would
write, and done it masterfully. It’s a work that very much belongs in the company of
Juliette’s, and Richard’s.
Kelli says:
Hi Michael thank you for this information. I am a beginner and wonder what colors should I
use for the exercise? I don’t have my own preferred palette yet but I do have many paints
inherited from another oil painters estate. Does brand matter?
thank you
Kelli
APRIL 4, 2022 AT 7:24 AM REPLY

Your choice of colors for your palette will change as you grow as an artist. I’d start with
the palette used in this demo:
Cadmium Yellow Light
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Cadmium Orange
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Red
Terra Rosa
Alizarin Crimson
Transparent Red Oxide
Veridian
French Ultramarine Blue
Colbalt Blue
As for brands, I recommend you use a professional grade paint. Often, the color named
on the label will not match with another brand. As a beginner you should get used to
the look, feel and qualities of a single brand. That said, as you gain experience, you
might experiment with other brands. I use M Graham oils. I explain why in here:
https://michaellynnadams.com/i-love-m-graham-oil-paints/
Other excellent brands are:

Michael Harding
Rembrandt
Gamblin
Vasari
Happy painting, Kelli
APRIL 4, 2022 AT 11:03 AM REPLY
Lesley says:
Hi Michael.
Just a quick note, you didn’t change the link to Richard’s Website on the one lower down the
page. It still goes to Amazon.
FEBRUARY 22, 2022 AT 5:44 PM REPLY

Thank you for catching that, Lesley.
FEBRUARY 23, 2022 AT 10:22 AM REPLY
Dan says:
The Richard Schmid book … everything and more is worth the investment as it will cause you
to think about and assimilate what he says. It can only improve your approach to learning
color and painting overall.
JULY 24, 2021 AT 4:05 AM REPLY
Nina Ho man says:

Thanks for your article . There’s a much easier way to carte your palette using the product
from ColorFrontier – and it’s endorsed by Richard Schmid !
Colorfrontier.com ,
MAY 3, 2021 AT 7:17 AM REPLY

Randal McClure’s product looks like a real-time-saver but not for this exercise.
Unfortunately, the Color Frontier pre-prepared boards only o er an 11-column grid.
This Zorn Palette exercise requires a 12-column grid. ~ Michael
For those who are doing the Full Palette Exercise, I would absolutely recommend this
product https://www.colorfrontier.com/
MAY 3, 2021 AT 10:13 AM REPLY
Trish says:
Hi, I’ve just read the wonderful article re Zorn palette on Jackson’s website. Fascinating, can’t
wait to try it. I’ve just looked at Richard Schmidt’s book online – Alla Prima and it’s very
expensive; is it worth it in your opinion?
Many thanks

Hi Trish ~
NOTE: After receiving your comment I looked for a better source for the book than
Amazon. You can purchase “Alla Prima II” directly from Richard for $95 (softcover) plus
shipping, at https://www.richardschmid.com/Alla-Prima-II-By-Richard-Schmid-
p/skuap.htm – I have also changed the link in the blog text.
I absolutely think Richard Schmid’s “Alla Prima” is worth the investment. Of and dozens
of art books in my library I feel the “Alla Prima” is the one I have learned the most from,
and is the one I, by far, treasure the most. Let me explain. Richard’s gift of creating
marvelous paintings is matched by his beautiful ability to make his experience of
painting accessible and personal. This is evidenced by the caliber of the artists who
view him as both mentor and friend. Among them are some of my friends and artist
colleagues, Jeremy Lipking, Tony Pro, Alexey Steele, Michelle Dunaway, and Aaron
Westerberg, and many many more. Richard wrote his book focused is on alla prima
and plein air painting, but the lessons in it, both technical and from his life as an artist,
are universal. Although he and I paint representationally, our techniques and nal
painting are very di erent.
Trish says:
Thank you for this, I’ll look into purchasing
FEBRUARY 11, 2021 AT 11:35 PM REPLY
Jenny Russell says:

Hi Micheal,
Thank you so much for sharing this excercise I did the Zorn one last year and it really was so
helpful. Im preparing to do this one tomorrow and I just wanted to check on “V”. Did you mean
Veridian ( as I think you do) or did you mean Vermillion as its written here in your personal
initial list of base colours?
JANUARY 13, 2021 AT 11:08 AM REPLY

Thank you, Jenny, for catching my error. The “V” in my color does stand for Veridian. I
will x it right away.
Jenny Russell says:

Hi Micheal,
Thank you so much for sharing this excercise I did the Zorn one last year and it really was so
helpful. Im preparing to do this one tomorrow and I just wanted to check on “V”. Did you mean
Veridian ( as I think you do) or did you mean Vermillion as its written here in your personal
initial list of base colours?
Israel says:
Great website ! Love the technical information as well as stories. Also the honest
encouragement. Keep up the excellent work Michael !
DECEMBER 29, 2020 AT 10:05 PM REPLY
Vijaya Shetty says:

Thank you for this tutorial. Cole theory has been one of my biggest drawbacks! Hopefully this
will help. I have owned the book for years but never did the exercise
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 AT 12:41 PM REPLY
Valarie says:
I did this exercise when I was reading Richard Schmidt’s book a few years ago and it was one
of the best things I’ve done to advance my work. Highly recommend!
SEPTEMBER 13, 2020 AT 8:14 AM REPLY
Mary-Alice Martin says:

Thank you for recommending this exercise. I plan to do it. Should one add any medium to
your paints or just use out of the tube?
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 AT 9:52 AM REPLY
Pam Enchayan says:

More info please
AUGUST 18, 2020 AT 2:43 PM REPLY

Pam, I really want this tutorial to be helpful. What seem incomplete or unclear? Thank
you..
Linda says:
Can this also be done in acrylic

Absolutely, Linda. I have done a similar exercise with watercolor, too. It is such a
good way to learn the nature of your paints, which is really critical to color
mixing. Happy painting!
Claude Graham says:

I’m tackling this exercise very soon. I need more control and planning of colour in my
paintings. Thank you for your tutorial.

Your welcome. This exercise sounds right for you. Don’t rush it. If you feel like a break to
paint, do it for a while then get back to the exercise. You won’t regret taking the time.
Happy Painting!
Jill Karr says:

Hi Michael….Thank you for this tutorial!! For health reasons I have been away from my art for a
couple of years and this tutorial has given me inspiration to get back to it. Thank you!

I am so happy that you feel ready to get back to creating art Jill. This exercise is a great
way to ease yourself back into a routine. Be patient with it and enjoy the challenges
and great bene ts. Happy painting!!!
AUGUST 6, 2020 AT 10:08 AM REPLY
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ARTWORK  ART PRINTS COLLECTIONS  HOW-TO  ABOUT  

Color Chart Exercise to Master Your Palette Fast

My life as an artist was at a crossroads

This exercise accelerated my career

Which colors have strong staining power.

How dark colors are hard to identify until white is added.

The cooling e ect of adding white.

Mid-tone colors tend to be more vivid.

Accuracy, not speed, is the friend of mixing the right color.

The list goes on . . .

Alla Prima II – Everything I Know About Oil Painting

Let’s get started

Color Mixing Templates and Panels by Color Frontier

STEP 1: Draw the Grid

STEP 2: Mask the Grid

STEP 3: Mixing and Painting the Grid

This is where the fun begins!

COLOR ROWS KEY

TOP ROW – 100% CYL: Cadmium Yellow Light

BOTTOM ROW – TRACE

CHART ONE: Palette Colors

Top Row: Unmixed palette colors.

Lightening in Five Steps

ALL OTHER CHARTS: Mixed Colors

TOP ROW: Signature Color plus palette color

Lightening in Five Steps

All of my charts, shown below, are for your reference.

PALETTE COLOR CHARTS

Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting and More by Richard

Lessons in Classical Painting: Essential Techniques from Inside the

The Art of Still Life by Todd M. Casey

See new work, tutorial and videos. Follow me on

 I Love M. Graham Oil Paints Landscape Collection

29 THOUGHTS ON “COLOR CHART EXERCISE TO MASTER YOUR PALETTE

MAY 28, 2022 AT 6:03 PM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

MAY 29, 2022 AT 4:26 PM REPLY

Todd M. Casey says:

MAY 7, 2022 AT 6:58 PM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

MAY 8, 2022 AT 1:21 PM REPLY

APRIL 4, 2022 AT 7:24 AM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

Other excellent brands are:

Happy painting, Kelli

APRIL 4, 2022 AT 11:03 AM REPLY

FEBRUARY 22, 2022 AT 5:44 PM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

FEBRUARY 23, 2022 AT 10:22 AM REPLY

JULY 24, 2021 AT 4:05 AM REPLY

Nina Ho man says:

MAY 3, 2021 AT 7:17 AM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

MAY 3, 2021 AT 10:13 AM REPLY

FEBRUARY 4, 2021 AT 2:15 AM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

FEBRUARY 4, 2021 AT 11:35 AM REPLY

FEBRUARY 11, 2021 AT 11:35 PM REPLY

Jenny Russell says:

JANUARY 13, 2021 AT 11:08 AM REPLY

Michael Lynn Adams says:

JANUARY 13, 2021 AT 11:15 AM REPLY

Jenny Russell says: