<p>Do you remember if it was referring to a specific technique (such as oil painting) or pigments in general? </p>

<p>It could be the <a href="https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/palette4b.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Velázquez palette</a>*. This is a limited palette consisting of a blue, an ochre and a yellow pigment (with optional black) - for example ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and yellow sienna. With these pigments it's possible to mix a large number of hues (browns, greens, yellows, blues), enough for example to paint naturally looking landscapes. The lack of bright reds might be a limitation for some subjects, but I'd say you could made do if necessary. </p>

<p>I don't know whether these pigments were sold in sets, but at least both siennas should be really cheap, as it's basically a fancy clay.</p>

<p>The only other named palette I associate with apprentices would be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grisaille" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Grisaille</a>, which is a grey/sepia monochrome that was used for value studies and underpainting.</p>

<hr>

<p>*The linked page is sort of broken; Handprint still uses frames so it's not possible to link to the page properly. Here's the whole <a href="https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/paletfs.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">palette page with sidebar</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-29T13:23:42.157Z
It was oil painting specifically, yes.  I don't think it was specifically the Valzquez palette, but that certainly has limited colors and would be worth exploring
Michael Stachowsky
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T01:08:21.403Z
Can you provide more info than a link? What is the Velazquez pallet?
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T10:40:26.397Z
@rebusB thanks for the prompt, I expanded the answer a little.
corvidism
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T10:58:48.063Z
@MichaelStachowsky I did some more research and can't find anything. Do you remember what context have you heard/read it in? 16th century would still be the heyday of studio painting, where apprentices would work on the same pieces as the masters, so having a named palette of pigments for them seems odd to me. Not impossible though! Or it could be a art historian label instead of contemporary one...
corvidism
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T11:24:52.527Z
I only remember that it was composed of Earth tones, black, and a white. Perhaps you are correct though and a contemporary historian just named a common set of colors...
Michael Stachowsky
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T13:35:32.263Z
@MichaelStachowsky hm, that *could* actually be Grisaille! Check out the Wikipedia article, they mention its popularity in early Netherlandish painting, which fits your century. And apprentices would certainly start with it before progressing to a full palette.
corvidism
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T14:23:36.433Z
Grisaille is monochromatic, though. It's not really a palette, since it comes in a several different colours, but always the same one (the name coming from monochromatic preparations  in grey made for printing).
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-30T20:44:33.617Z
Those three colors sound like they would also be used for underpainting.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-29T08:37:04.127Z
2019-05-30T10:39:58.347Z
2019-05-30T10:39:58.347Z
corvidism
<p>I remember reading about a very limited palette of colors that apprentice painters would use in the 16th century ishly.  Apparently, it was made of readily available, cheap pigments, which is why an apprentice would use it.  However, lots of color was possible by intelligent mixing.  I can't think of its name and now any googling turns up nothing.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-01T14:44:10.853Z
If you were just asking about what colors might be in that palette, or how to replicate your own for everyday use, this would be topical. However, art history is not a topic that we accept questions on.
Erica
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-01T21:12:45.813Z
Yes I'm trying to create that palette for my own use
Michael Stachowsky
<paint><color>
What is the name of the palette that apprentice painters would use?
Michael Stachowsky
# What is the name of the palette that apprentice painters would use?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-24)

I remember reading about a very limited palette of colors that apprentice painters would use in the 16th century ishly. Apparently, it was made of readily available, cheap pigments, which is why an apprentice would use it. However, lots of color was possible by intelligent mixing. I can't think of its name and now any googling turns up nothing.

**Tags:** paint, color

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If you were just asking about what colors might be in that palette, or how to replicate your own for everyday use, this would be topical. However, art history is not a topic that we accept questions on.  
> **username_0**: Yes I'm trying to create that palette for my own use  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-05-29. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Do you remember if it was referring to a specific technique (such as oil painting) or pigments in general?

It could be the [Velázquez palette](https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/palette4b.html)\*. This is a limited palette consisting of a blue, an ochre and a yellow pigment (with optional black) - for example ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and yellow sienna. With these pigments it's possible to mix a large number of hues (browns, greens, yellows, blues), enough for example to paint naturally looking landscapes. The lack of bright reds might be a limitation for some subjects, but I'd say you could made do if necessary.

I don't know whether these pigments were sold in sets, but at least both siennas should be really cheap, as it's basically a fancy clay.

The only other named palette I associate with apprentices would be [Grisaille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grisaille), which is a grey/sepia monochrome that was used for value studies and underpainting.

---

\*The linked page is sort of broken; Handprint still uses frames so it's not possible to link to the page properly. Here's the whole [palette page with sidebar](https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/paletfs.html).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It was oil painting specifically, yes.  I don't think it was specifically the Valzquez palette, but that certainly has limited colors and would be worth exploring  
> **username_3**: Can you provide more info than a link? What is the Velazquez pallet?  
> **username_2**: @username_3 thanks for the prompt, I expanded the answer a little.  
> **username_2**: @MichaelStachowsky I did some more research and can't find anything. Do you remember what context have you heard/read it in? 16th century would still be the heyday of studio painting, where apprentices would work on the same pieces as the masters, so having a named palette of pigments for them seems odd to me. Not impossible though! Or it could be a art historian label instead of contemporary one...  
> **username_0**: I only remember that it was composed of Earth tones, black, and a white. Perhaps you are correct though and a contemporary historian just named a common set of colors...  
> **username_2**: @MichaelStachowsky hm, that *could* actually be Grisaille! Check out the Wikipedia article, they mention its popularity in early Netherlandish painting, which fits your century. And apprentices would certainly start with it before progressing to a full palette.  
> **username_4**: Grisaille is monochromatic, though. It's not really a palette, since it comes in a several different colours, but always the same one (the name coming from monochromatic preparations  in grey made for printing).  
> **username_3**: Those three colors sound like they would also be used for underpainting.  

---

