Anders Zorn palette was limited to very few hues: Cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ivory black and titanium white, with these few colors he was able to obtain incredibly chromatic and expressive results. Painting with a limited palette like this one or like the classic limited palette with low chroma colors (red earth, yellow ochre, blue black and lead white), will improve your painting technique overall, exploring the many chromatic possibilities these few colors can offer, making you more efficient in color mixing and creating cleaner, more impactful chromatic effects.

Zorn was one of the three “Big” realist artists working between the end of the 19^th and the beginning of the 20^Th century, together with Sargent and Sorolla. They where the heir of the classical painting tradition that was soon to be overtaken by Modernism.

During this two session course, we will create a copy of a beautiful, intimate portrait of Emma Zorn, the Artist’s wife, practicing this traditional technique that is still extremely efficient and very enjoyable.

Materials:

• Paint: Yellow ochre, Cadmium red light, ivory black, titanium white. To this basic palette we will also add cobalt blue and viridian, two pigments that have been found in some of Zorn’s paintings.
• Linseed oil and Turpenoid or Gamsol.
• Brushes: natural sable or synthetic brushes, flat or Filbert, #2, 4, 8.
• Small metal cups for mixing the medium.
• A palette for mixing colors.
• Canvas size about 16” by 20”.
• Cotton rags or paper towels.