You are an awesome person, even though you sell these, you still teach people how to make their own for free! I don't have any money to buy one so you are a life savior! Thank you!!!
Also no ads, and best of all no effing music. I have watched thousands youtube videos, the result being a hatred of ALL music. I now hate music I used to like.
Incredable , The Man Sells these Color Checkers but then he tells people how to make there own for FREE. This is a truly Honorable Man of the highest degree of integrity .
Thank you so much Mark for this great lesson. I live in Australia so will make one myself. All your videos and tutorials are just brilliant. You are so generous with your time and knowledge and a natural teacher. Much appreciated.
Mark you are amazing! I have been scouring you tube for quality painting teachers and finally I have found you! Thank you so much, it is my dream to become a successful painter 🙂
Some tips: 1. If you want to switch between large and small eyelets, you could get a bolt-based one with finer threads, and a skinny cylinder for that same size threads. Then drill a larger hole, and sink the entire cylinder and threads inside the wood, gluing it with epoxy. You should be able to easily remove eyelets and switch them out. Just make sure both eyelets are facing forward, and the paint holder at the end is half way in the eyelet, just like he explained. 2. Drill two holes for your fingers, like you're pressing a trigger on a gun. I suggest putting paint or ink on your index and middle finger tips, finding a comfortable way of holding it, then press your fingers in the wood. Then, get a larger drill bit, and drill two or three holes one on top of the other. Now you can put your fingers through and reduce uncomfortable holding of the checker. 3. Similarly, you could make a small groove for your thumb on the back of the checker so it rests there unobstructed. 4. Paint the front a bright vibrant color, but the rest a dark color. That way, random cops won't think you're carrying a gun. Just be careful when painting the part where the paint and color is checked. Bright colors along the edges could alter the color from your visual perspective. 5. Sand to a fine finish so all edges are soft, but also paint outside and apply polyurethane to make it smooth and protected. Avoid painting on the color check tag section. Might want to avoid painting the top of the checker device anything other than neutral gray, so it doesn't obstruct or pollute the color you're checking due to glare or hue pollution. Personally, I'd paint it gray and keep it matte.
Thanks for the informative video! Question: Why is it necessary to have the plastic at a 45 Degree angle? Wouldn't you want the plastic to be nearly vertical (to imitate the angle of your canvas)?
This is a great tool. I have made and used one with good success. I have found another version online used by an artist named Ben Lustenhower. He takes a regular cheap tablespoon, hammers it flat, drills a 1/2 in hole in the scoop part, bends it to 90 degree and and the handle to approx 30 degree and it works just like yours. Cost 25 cents in a thrift shop and 10 mins to make.
I have a friend who showed me your video and he would like one of these. It is not something that either of us can make is there some place that we could purchase one?
Can anyone explain to me why the color checker has to have the tip at an angle, in this case, its close to 30º angle instead of a 90º angle? I mean, my reasoning is that we want to paint in the canvas/board that is 90º upwards, so, in my mind, the color in the color checker should be also 90º to receive the same amount of light as the surface we are going to paint is receiving... to avoid value mistakes. I have tested this with a paint knife and If i hold it at a shallow angle, like 30º, and match a color that way, the colors turn out much darker in the painting in relation than those i see in my reference. Anyway, just a observation/curiosity of mine. Congratulations on the video and channel Mark.
I used to make mine from a strip of paper, a hole-punch and black marker - the paper bends in the middle so you can look through the hole (black marker around it) and position the end of the strip correctly. No wiping needed either - just tear off the end of the strip and use it shorter.
this is so helpful and generous of you, I am very grateful :) this would be very helpful to a lot of people, including me before I can get my hands on one of yours!! thank you very much for sharing this! :)
Im sure if you ask nicely and with a smile, in home depot they will help you out... Same thing if you go to college or know some1 that does, the art department or wood shop would most definitely help u out for free... I know that Mark used to sell a very nice metal version, but I made this one and it actually looks more comfortable to use... Good luck
Your light is going to be on top if your canvas and another light source on top of whatever your painting, to compensate for your arm beign stretched out, alas 45 degrees, since the paint is no longer under the light you need to adjust the angle to maximize the surface to the light... This is an amazing tool and I paint for a living and still use it for my underpainting, monochrome and color... really awesome tool to set up a solid color and value scheme...
thanks so much for your time on this , the color checker is so important to have. and I will be following your instructions to make mine , cant imagine there being too many art teachers out there that would take the time like you do to help people out in this way . thanks again.
Only difference is you have the eye to look through that will block out some of the other colors that could be distracting. Also you now have a separate tool so you can keep the knife for its usual job: mixing
Mark, thank you for your vid. It's an ingenious device and such a great training tool for color verification. Two questions---why is larger eye screw preferable to smaller (I'm thinking in skin tones, for ex, you would want to isolate diff colors/values/etc). Also, can the distance between screw and color sample be shorter, with a smaller device, or is it necessary to have that amount of space to judge properly? Thanks again!!
Hi Mark! I just subscribed to your channel. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color mixing tutorial you did early back. It has made color mixing MUCH MUCH CLEARER for me. I have a question. In my training it was always suggested that gray be the background color when comparing colors. For example, palettes should be gray; viewfinders should be gray; etc. so as not to interfere with color interpretation. Is there a REASON you paint yours black? Why not gray? Are my art professors making things up? Thanks for any comments you can give. I apologize in advanced if you have answered this already. I know it's been almost 9 years since you posted this.
Glad to run across your videos. I got hooked on the Learn How To Paint In Oil - Oil Painting Lessons, then went on from there, they're very helpful. Thank you for sharing. Now back to my normal day, after over an hour diversion :).
Hi I followed your steps except I used foam board with the sticky back from The craft section. When I get the saw I look forward to making the real thing. For now I could make it with the scissors whooo hooo! Thanks for all of the helpful instruction. I ordered my first bottle of Geneva Brush Dip and I can’t wait to get it!
Two tips. 1) if you want to use the thin ply, assuming it is a little thicker that your screw, you can get away with driving a screw that would otherwise split the ply if you put a clamp across the area with the hole. That way the screw will cut into the wood while it is well supported, and not split the wood when the screw is removed. Of course you need to drill the 85% hole to give it a chance, and use epoxy to fill in around the threads, as directed in the video. 2) A better bond than sanding shinny plastic is to take the to be glue side, hold it's edge with pliers, and run a lighter over the surface for a few seconds, just enough to make the surface dull. No melting or charring, there should not even be an odor. That newly dull surface has oxydized, and the epoxy can bond chemically with it, which it can't even to the sanded plastic. Not to say the sanded plastic won't work, but your better chance is an oxydized surface.
I'm trying to understand why the center of the screw eye must line up with the edge of the plastic bit. By tipping the end slightly, you can center it, right?
Hi Mark. Thanks for your tutorial. I just made a color checker for myself but i changed your plan a little bit. I kept the upper part of your sketch as it is in your video (shape and dimensions), but i changed the lower part so at the end the color checker looks more like a gun. No trigger of course but has a handle at the lower part that helps me hold it easier. So now i can "shoot" my colors. Thanks again.
I'm 23 and I've been painting since I was 8 years old...I always had this chaotic way of painting, my palette would look like a battlefield.I never checked colors,I just painted intuitively, eye-picking the colours, fast and without any technique, really.I am extremely happy to have stumbled across your channel , as it makes me want to have a more structured approach from now on.There is a lot to learn, for sure, but it will be worth it.Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us and for the inspiration some may have lost but regained watching your beautiful videos !
Tu canal es muy útil, desde el primer video hasta el último tu siempre intentas dejarle algo a quien lo visite. Eres una persona de gran corazón. Saludos desde Argentina
I made a change to the bottom of the color checker that replaced the stand up block of wood. It travels very nicely too. I cut out a 2 inch long by 3/8 inch high strip if wood from the front bottom of the checker. Then I drilled, countersunk, and screwed this piece back on with a flat headed wood screw at the center bottom of the slot to create a swiveling "T" brace. that, when swung out sideways, provides a stand to hold up the color checker. The color checker works the same way as it originally did when swung back in place.
Thank you! From your video, I learned a lot of useful! I regret that you will not see your vidio 15 years ago, when I first learned to paint. I want to thank you and good pictures! PS. Sorry. I do not speak English. Thanks to automatic translator.
Instead of plastic, affix a paper clip with the double curved end pointing up. Then affix a small square of your preferred paper to it and add color. Toss when done. (PS, make a boxful of paper nips so you don't have to pause working.)
You are an awesome person, even though you sell these, you still teach people how to make their own for free! I don't have any money to buy one so you are a life savior! Thank you!!!
100% hes a champion thats for sure
Also no ads, and best of all no effing music. I have watched thousands youtube videos, the
result being a hatred of ALL music. I now hate music I used to like.
Incredable , The Man Sells these Color Checkers but then he tells people how to make there own for FREE. This is a truly Honorable Man of the highest degree of integrity .
Thank you so much Mark for this great lesson. I live in Australia so will make one myself. All your videos and tutorials are just brilliant. You are so generous with your time and knowledge and a natural teacher. Much appreciated.
You're my best friend now, Mark. When space aliens arrive to ask what justifies the existence of Earthlings, I will refer them to Draw Mix Paint.
Mark you are amazing! I have been scouring you tube for quality painting teachers and finally I have found you! Thank you so much, it is my dream to become a successful painter 🙂
You're a really nice person, great artist and inventor of things. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for this device, I have struggled with color creation my entire life and this is going to make easy work of creating perfect color matches!
Some tips:
1. If you want to switch between large and small eyelets, you could get a bolt-based one with finer threads, and a skinny cylinder for that same size threads. Then drill a larger hole, and sink the entire cylinder and threads inside the wood, gluing it with epoxy. You should be able to easily remove eyelets and switch them out. Just make sure both eyelets are facing forward, and the paint holder at the end is half way in the eyelet, just like he explained.
2. Drill two holes for your fingers, like you're pressing a trigger on a gun. I suggest putting paint or ink on your index and middle finger tips, finding a comfortable way of holding it, then press your fingers in the wood. Then, get a larger drill bit, and drill two or three holes one on top of the other. Now you can put your fingers through and reduce uncomfortable holding of the checker.
3. Similarly, you could make a small groove for your thumb on the back of the checker so it rests there unobstructed.
4. Paint the front a bright vibrant color, but the rest a dark color. That way, random cops won't think you're carrying a gun. Just be careful when painting the part where the paint and color is checked. Bright colors along the edges could alter the color from your visual perspective.
5. Sand to a fine finish so all edges are soft, but also paint outside and apply polyurethane to make it smooth and protected. Avoid painting on the color check tag section. Might want to avoid painting the top of the checker device anything other than neutral gray, so it doesn't obstruct or pollute the color you're checking due to glare or hue pollution. Personally, I'd paint it gray and keep it matte.
A very nice little device! I can't wait to make one.
Thanks for the informative video! Question: Why is it necessary to have the plastic at a 45 Degree angle? Wouldn't you want the plastic to be nearly vertical (to imitate the angle of your canvas)?
This is a great tool. I have made and used one with good success. I have found another version online used by an artist named Ben Lustenhower. He takes a regular cheap tablespoon, hammers it flat, drills a 1/2 in hole in the scoop part, bends it to 90 degree and and the handle to approx 30 degree and it works just like yours. Cost 25 cents in a thrift shop and 10 mins to make.
Chuck Eelhart have you a link to the instructions please
Nice I'm gonna fabricate mine out of steel like you ones you sell . It's good to be a fabricator!
Lovely.:) I am going to make mine out of polymer clay. If It does not work I will have to buy one or get my talented Dad to make me one.
Already made one. You awesome Thanks
I have a friend who showed me your video and he would like one of these. It is not something that either of us can make is there some place that we could purchase one?
Can anyone explain to me why the color checker has to have the tip at an angle, in this case, its close to 30º angle instead of a 90º angle? I mean, my reasoning is that we want to paint in the canvas/board that is 90º upwards, so, in my mind, the color in the color checker should be also 90º to receive the same amount of light as the surface we are going to paint is receiving... to avoid value mistakes. I have tested this with a paint knife and If i hold it at a shallow angle, like 30º, and match a color that way, the colors turn out much darker in the painting in relation than those i see in my reference. Anyway, just a observation/curiosity of mine. Congratulations on the video and channel Mark.
I made one out of cardboard. Same process just free
Thank you boglake22!
“ Doesn’t have to be perfect “ .... commences to make it perfect..... thanks for the knowledge 🙏🏽
this is great. I'm just curious. is there a reason you need 2 part epoxy? there are gorilla glues that are super strong.
You could also use a piece of metal on the tip.
Thank you! thank you! thank you!
I used to make mine from a strip of paper, a hole-punch and black marker - the paper bends in the middle so you can look through the hole (black marker around it) and position the end of the strip correctly. No wiping needed either - just tear off the end of the strip and use it shorter.
Fantastic! A renaissance man you are :)
So I did it too :D just using Stodoys woodworking plans :)
Thanks DMP !!
this is so helpful and generous of you, I am very grateful :) this would be very helpful to a lot of people, including me before I can get my hands on one of yours!! thank you very much for sharing this! :)
Is the new one online metal or painted wood?
Im sure if you ask nicely and with a smile, in home depot they will help you out... Same thing if you go to college or know some1 that does, the art department or wood shop would most definitely help u out for free... I know that Mark used to sell a very nice metal version, but I made this one and it actually looks more comfortable to use... Good luck
Just discovered your blog, amazing stuff thanks Mark
Your light is going to be on top if your canvas and another light source on top of whatever your painting, to compensate for your arm beign stretched out, alas 45 degrees, since the paint is no longer under the light you need to adjust the angle to maximize the surface to the light... This is an amazing tool and I paint for a living and still use it for my underpainting, monochrome and color... really awesome tool to set up a solid color and value scheme...
Great video. I think I'm going to try make one using my kids' lego first :D If that doesn't work I'll break out the old hand-saw.
thanks so much for your time on this , the color checker is so important to have. and I will be following your instructions to make mine , cant imagine there being too many art teachers out there that would take the time like you do to help people out in this way . thanks again.
how is this colour checker different from just dipping your palette knife in the paint and holding it up to check the colour?
Only difference is you have the eye to look through that will block out some of the other colors that could be distracting. Also you now have a separate tool so you can keep the knife for its usual job: mixing
Mark, thank you for your vid. It's an ingenious device and such a great training tool for color verification. Two questions---why is larger eye screw preferable to smaller (I'm thinking in skin tones, for ex, you would want to isolate diff colors/values/etc). Also, can the distance between screw and color sample be shorter, with a smaller device, or is it necessary to have that amount of space to judge properly? Thanks again!!
Why is the color checker black? Why not grey since you'll be mixing your color on a middle ground?
man, i really want to buy this color checker and your paints, why is it that art supply sites never ships to my country -_-
Thank you, I'd rather spend that $87. on paint. 😉
Thank you Sachith, glad you find it useful :-)
I wonder why Sachith is the only one who got a response..........
It´s a very nice and usefull tool. Thank you for share it
Thank you so much for these videos. They are absolutely fantastic, so helpful and accessible.
You are really nice to show us all this. Thank you so much.
Total nightmare. It turns out there are a lot of different kinds of "hand-saws". And a mitre back saw is one that won't work.
Thanks for this handy tip, it's helped me a lot.
Thank you from Italy. Really appreciate your work.
Sorry..meant..TEACHING ..skills..not reaching skills
Hi Mark! I just subscribed to your channel. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color mixing tutorial you did early back. It has made color mixing MUCH MUCH CLEARER for me. I have a question. In my training it was always suggested that gray be the background color when comparing colors. For example, palettes should be gray; viewfinders should be gray; etc. so as not to interfere with color interpretation. Is there a REASON you paint yours black? Why not gray? Are my art professors making things up? Thanks for any comments you can give. I apologize in advanced if you have answered this already. I know it's been almost 9 years since you posted this.
Mark your my favorite! :)
WOW! Thank you! I had never even heard of this, and now I am dying to have one!
+A Schwengler You can make your own like I show in this video, but I also sell them now at genevafineart.com
Glad to run across your videos. I got hooked on the Learn How To Paint In Oil - Oil Painting Lessons, then went on from there, they're very helpful. Thank you for sharing. Now back to my normal day, after over an hour diversion :).
Suggestion. You can buy a nylon cutting board at the dollar store. You can do everything in one cut with no epoxy needed.
Hi I followed your steps except I used foam board with the sticky back from The craft section. When I get the saw I look forward to making the real thing. For now I could make it with the scissors whooo hooo! Thanks for all of the helpful instruction. I ordered my first bottle of Geneva Brush Dip and I can’t wait to get it!
thank you for sharing this great tool. It will be such an asset to painting.
Thanks
Two tips.
1) if you want to use the thin ply, assuming it is a little thicker that your screw, you can get away with driving a screw that would otherwise split the ply if you put a clamp across the area with the hole. That way the screw will cut into the wood while it is well supported, and not split the wood when the screw is removed. Of course you need to drill the 85% hole to give it a chance, and use epoxy to fill in around the threads, as directed in the video.
2) A better bond than sanding shinny plastic is to take the to be glue side, hold it's edge with pliers, and run a lighter over the surface for a few seconds, just enough to make the surface dull. No melting or charring, there should not even be an odor. That newly dull surface has oxydized, and the epoxy can bond chemically with it, which it can't even to the sanded plastic. Not to say the sanded plastic won't work, but your better chance is an oxydized surface.
In my first work I always used Stodoys plans.
I'm trying to understand why the center of the screw eye must line up with the edge of the plastic bit. By tipping the end slightly, you can center it, right?
Hi Mark. Thanks for your tutorial. I just made a color checker for myself but i changed your plan a little bit. I kept the upper part of your sketch as it is in your video (shape and dimensions), but i changed the lower part so at the end the color checker looks more like a gun. No trigger of course but has a handle at the lower part that helps me hold it easier. So now i can "shoot" my colors. Thanks again.
I'm 23 and I've been painting since I was 8 years old...I always had this chaotic way of painting, my palette would look like a battlefield.I never checked colors,I just painted intuitively, eye-picking the colours, fast and without any technique, really.I am extremely happy to have stumbled across your channel , as it makes me want to have a more structured approach from now on.There is a lot to learn, for sure, but it will be worth it.Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us and for the inspiration some may have lost but regained watching your beautiful videos !
Thanks dear, you are amazing and helpful
Tu canal es muy útil, desde el primer video hasta el último tu siempre intentas dejarle algo a quien lo visite. Eres una persona de gran corazón. Saludos desde Argentina
C'est vraiment génial! J'apprécie beaucoup vos explications. Merci beaucoup.
Cristinà
Thanks for your demo,great idea ,hope I get a lot of use from the colour checker. ( from Australia)
Thank you very much You are realy good and help us to peint correctly and in the better way
I am in France and for me it is very good your peintings
am i the only one who didnt understand the measurements?
Thank you sir for the knowledge you have given me through the years.👍
Thank you so very much. There are not words strong enough to convey my gratitude for all you are teaching me!
the only 5-minutes craft i respect
I'm going to make one and write your name on it as a tribute. I hope it lasts for years.
What paint did you use to paint it black?
hoy haré mi color checker
Como te fue? xd
Thanks I have your video this reminds to view it again love your painting good teacher
Thanks Mark. Very useful indeed
Thanks sir! You are so appreciated!
I'm making one out. looks like a good tool. really like the idea of the screw eye to focus your attention.
Thank you for your time and videos very informative 👍🏻😊
Very helpful! Thanks for sharing this whole new aspect!
Measurements at 3:24
I made a change to the bottom of the color checker that replaced the stand up block of wood. It travels very nicely too. I cut out a 2 inch long by 3/8 inch high strip if wood from the front bottom of the checker. Then I drilled, countersunk, and screwed this piece back on with a flat headed wood screw at the center bottom of the slot to create a swiveling "T" brace. that, when swung out sideways, provides a stand to hold up the color checker. The color checker works the same way as it originally did when swung back in place.
Thanks so much for this info. You are so kind and giving to do what you do for us artists.
I would like a paint tube storage rack of some kind.
Michael, can we use this color checker for acrylics too?
Excellent
Mark how much I wish had seen this when I lived in Houston..
Thank you! From your video, I learned a lot of useful!
I regret that you will not see your vidio 15 years ago, when I first learned to paint.
I want to thank you and good pictures!
PS. Sorry. I do not speak English. Thanks to automatic translator.
Would this tool work against an image on a computer screen, provided there is no glare on the screen? Or would that just be a bad idea in general?
It´s a very nice an usefull tool. Thank you for share it
Merci! I live in France and so appreciate your teaching!!
"And that's all there is to it."
So Fkn Cool!! Thank you Master
I'm going to make one of these this weekend
Hi Mark
Its a very productive instrument for a painter ....great work
sachith
Great channel you have mate! One question though, what can I replace the plastic piece with in order to work with water colours??
Instead of plastic, affix a paper clip with the double curved end pointing up. Then affix a small square of your preferred paper to it and add color. Toss when done. (PS, make a boxful of paper nips so you don't have to pause working.)
@@charlesbechtel9976 amazing idea! many thanks mate!
thank you so much for subthai
So generous to make this video!
Thank you, Mark you are a gift.
Thank you amigo.
you are amazing!!
Gracias, muy util y sencillo.
thanks for sharing these wonderful teachings.