How many colors do I use?

[Lunatique]

In general, the biggest problem with novice artists asking these types of questions is that they don't understand it's the wrong question to ask. Colors are not constant, as your light sources and immediate ambient environment will alter their colors, and most organic surfaces contain a lot more complexity in color variations than artificial surfaces. Skin on different ethnic groups will differ wildly, and lighting will also change the skin colors dramatically, not to mention the physical condition of the person (during physical exertion, for example). Also, the areas on the body with more fat will be cooler in color temperature, as with areas where there's mostly bone under the skin. Subsurface scattering type of situation will also cause some body parts to be extreme warm in color temperature. There's also the shift between often tanned areas and mostly hidden areas of the skin.

To generalize, you don't just choose a small batch of colors and say they'll be your official skin tones from now on--it just doesn't work that way. Artists rarely depict humans only under perfectly neutral color temperature lighting in their entire artistic careers, and as soon as the lighting situation changes, the entire color range of your scene will change.

The key is to understand the scientific reasons behind why skin has variations, and how different lighting will affect the color of the skin.

This is one of the most often asked questions by novice artists, and I'm in the middle of finishing up the material for a workshop I'll be teaching that covers this question plus many other topics. (It'll be announced right here at cgtalk/cgsociety when the workshop is ready to accept students.)

[Mr. D]

Hello

Firstly Lunatique is of course correct here on skin tones.

I am writing this if you just want to play around using 3 colors you could try working on laying out an underpainting. Basically laying out/ blocking out shapes and forms for your face. This can be done with 3 colors for base color, shadows color, and highlight color.
This is mainly (though still used) an older technique used in oil painting to help define the volumes of the face onto which you would then layer your skin tones in thin glazzes (paints thinned down with oils) were you build up the colors through repeated layering. How to do an SSS Shader in 17th Century oil painting.
Now it can be any 3 colors you like purple base, green shadows, and red highlights. Remember your not working on detailing your painting your just roughing it out.

Mr. D

[EHP]

^ I was reading something about blocking out the colors somewhere, but if its an old technique do you know what a more up to date practice would be?

I do understand that skin tones concept, but what I was asking for was more along the lines of Mr.D's response. Its not so much what colors I use but how do I build a good foundation to get my painting started- I'm a game and anime artist and the coloring for painting is entirely different, its more realistic and such

[Lunatique]

There really is not shortcut--either you take the time to learn the foundations knowledge about colors, or you'll always be scratching your head wondering how to choose the appropriate colors. There are no "default set of colors" you can use because the subject and the lighting situation in your scene can differ dramatically from one painting to the next, and unless you only paint the exact same person in the exact same scene with the exact same lighting for the rest of your life, you'll always be dealing with very different colors each time you start a portrait. It all comes down to observation skills and analytical skills. You can't consider skin tone alone--you have to also consider light source(s) color temperature, surrounding environment colors, and how they will affect the colors of the skin. And of course, people can have drastically different skin tones, so there really can't be any "one set of colors fits all" approach. The more time you spend mastering the foundation knowledge the more easy this stuff becomes.

[Mr. D]

Hello

Well hopefully you have a community college or other place you might be able to pickup on the fundimentals of painting, tradictional or digital. For as Lunatique points out there is quite a bit involved in this subject that you should get the basics of. Including color theory, but with that said having lived long, long ago in Arizona I understand it might be a tad difficult to find such.
So I'll recommend this book for you to look at
'How to Paint Like the Old Masters'
Probably find it at amazon for under $20, cheaper yet if a near by bookstore just happens to have a copy and you can sit about and have a quick read.
Should help you to get a better understanding of how different artists approach doing skin.
And perhaps look at the site here for book recommendations, or if other members would be so kind to give their ideas on good basic techinque books. Or video tutorials they found useful.

Mr. D

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