Napoleonic Green

[P GREEN]

I have been looking for a relatively close Napoleonic green in oils , The color that I have been using for the last years ,and I will admit that it is on the dark side was a Holbien terra vert but seems really grainy while painting 54s . Prussian green is on the dark but really easy to bring into the closer proximity but it's really greasy and has poor coverage. Could anyone point me in a better direction?
Thanks
Paul

 

[Einion]

I'll assume you have a version of French Ultramarine and it's a good starting point for mixing dark greens since it dries matt so reliably. Just try mixing it with Cad Yellow or Yellow Ochre/Mars Yellow and see which you think fits the bill.

Einion

 

[P GREEN]

Thanks Einion,
What do you feel is the most appropriate way to take the highlights brighter yellows( cads) or a naples yellow, I have had some input by others to use a portrait pink. To me it gave me weird effects that I'm not sure if I like the results. The look I would like to get is to create a warm pleasing look, not necessarily true to colour theory .As per the the french ultramarine I will give it a shot
Thanks

 

[Einion]

What do you feel is the most appropriate way to take the highlights brighter yellows( cads) or a naples yellow, I have had some input by others to use a portrait pink. To me it gave me weird effects that I'm not sure if I like the results.

Well as was mentioned in another thread the other day, Naples Yellow Hue varies a lot - as can the real thing - so with a recommendation to use it or a flesh colour for lightening something I'd want to know which version the person used as it could be completely different to the one you have (and not just in colour). As well as that, what you mix something into is just as important; mixed paint is not just 'a colour', it's a mixture of pigments, and two different mixes - even if they are of similar colour - can work well or poorly, depending.

My basic recommendation for lightening greens (same deal with reds BTW) is always to try white first, if it doesn't give you the colour you want then try a mix of white and yellow. If this gives a colour that's too brilliant for your taste then you can try a mix of white and Yellow Ochre or similar.

You can also try adding something else to tone down the yellow + white - a dot of red or an earth will usually work fine. Using flesh to highlight that's basically what you're doing - adding a mix of white, yellow (or ochre) and a little red (or red earth).

The look I would like to get is to create a warm pleasing look, not necessarily true to colour theory .

I'm glad you mentioned that since it's important to always use our eyes and judge colour for our own tastes, especially in context on the figure - sometimes a mix looks good on the palette but doesn't work on the model.

Einion

 

[Mike S.]

Keep in mind that green vegetable dyes used prior to aniline versions developed in the middle of the 19th century (1856 to be exact) either began with, or quickly faded to, a decidedly yellowish shade of green. It is one of the more fugitive of the natural dye colors.

The darker "Imperial" blue/green found on such garments as Napoleon's Chasseurs of the Guard was created with heavy ratios of indigo or wort dyes, both producing a very greenish, "Prussian" Blue that was quite color fast, but leaning more toward blue than a true green.