Beginner Question

Erich

Is the color Mark teaches the steps with the same for portraits? 

Also, when he is satisfied with the color he puts a small amount on his palette above and then starts the next step. Does he paint later from those small blobs or mix it all one more time?

Newbie questions. I know.

Erich 

oilpainter1950

He mixes what he hopes to be enough to finish the painting for each step.  This takes time but it is a big help in the long run.  It also teaches you color matching and mixing.

Erich

Thank you.

kaustavM

He mixes further from those blobs while he paints. The blobs are just basic colors of a section in objects.

BOB73

The main reason for mixing by small steps is to get the right values. when it comes time to paint he adjusts the color of a little of the blob.

Erich

Thank you, Bob. I'm going to give it a try in the next few days.

dencal

Erich

In addition to getting the values right, the big benefit is a continuous flow in painting, rather than stopping to mix another value at each step.

Denis

TedB

You don't have to waste it.  When you get to a stopping-point, you can scrape all the paint into a jar if you're not preserving the palette for the next session.  Or just the color-strings that have gotten too messy on the palette into a jar.  The jarred-mess can be mixed to tint a new ground or canvas later, consider it home-made Torrit Gray.

Erich

Thanks, Ted. I just saw that vdo and felt such relief.