Formulated by John Howard Sanden and used nationwide for over a quarter of a century by leading professionals, the Portrait Institute Color System colors are a professional, highest quality product for fast, accurate portrait color mixing. The system consists of ten specially formulated colors, thirteen standard palette colors, and white. The ten Flesh Color Spectrum colors are used in combination with the traditional palette of standard colors to produce a wide range of clean, exact, flesh tones.

The detailed full-color instructional booklet quickly teaches you how to create a full spectrum of 78 easily repeatable color combinations. Then use the 32" foldout color mixing chart to record the color mixtures for ready reference. Allows you to concentrate on creativity, knowing your flesh colors are right every time.

The system consists of three components:

A. Flesh Color Spectrum - ten specially-formulated colors.
B. Standard Colors - thirteen standard palette colors.
C. Permalba White.

A. FLESH COLOR SPECTRUM

These colors are not "crutches" or a "paint-by-number" shortcut. These ten colors are, in fact, simple, traditional flesh color combinations (see descriptions below), used by all portrait artists since the introduction of oil painting. For example. Light 1 is produced by the manufacturer by combining the ingredients of white, yellow ochre and cadmium red light. The resulting hue has been used by painters for the five hundred years of oil painting.

The Lights

Light 1. A clean, clear color for the lightest lights. Combines white, yellow ochre and cadmium red light.

Light 2. A basic flesh tone. Combines white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light and cerulean blue.

Light 3. A warm, pink flesh color for ruddy areas in light. Combines white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light and cerulean blue.

The Halftones

Halftone 1. A cool halftone, especially helpful as a starting point in painting receding planes. Combines white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light and viridian.

Halftone 2. Often used where light and shadow areas meet, this warm, rich color combines white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, chromium oxide green and cadmium orange.

The Darks

Dark 1. White has been added to the basic mixture of Dark 2.
Dark 2. A rich, dark mixture of burnt sienna, viridian and cadmium orange.

The Neutrals

Neutral 3. The light halftone. Combines white, black and yellow ochre.

Neutral 5. Precisely midway between black and white. A combination of white, black and yellow ochre.

Neutral 7. Positioned on a value scale of nine tones, this is a dark halftone, midway between value 5 and black. A warm, dark gray combining white, ivory black, and raw sienna or yellow ochre.

Boxed set, ten studio size tubes (1.25 fl. oz. each).
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B. THIRTEEN COLORS FROM THE STANDARD PALETTE

Cadmium Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Red Light
Venetian Red
Cadmium Orange
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Alizarin Crimson
Chromium Oxide Green
Viridian
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Ivory Black

Boxed set, 13 studio size tubes (1.25 fl. oz. each).
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C. PERMALBA WHITE

Permalba is the famous brand white oil pigment manufactured by Martin/F.Weber Company of Philadelphia, America's oldest manufacturer of artists' colors. The Martin/F. Weber Company has purchase orders in their archives from John Singer Sargent for this acclaimed product. Permalba White is preferred by artists for its delightful "buttery" consistency and "flowing" qualities. Sold in the large "pound" tubes only.

Pound tube (16 fl. oz.).
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D. COMPLETE PORTRAIT INSTITUTE COLOR SYSTEM (24 tubes of color)

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