ICD2023-2 "Frank J. Reilly and the Controlled Palette" with Tristan Elwell (SVA, New York)

Tristan Elwell (School of Visual Arts, New York): “Frank J. Reilly and the Controlled Palette“. Frank J. Reilly was one of the most influential figurative art teachers in mid-20th century America. In his classes at the Art Students League, and later at his own school, he taught a highly systematic approach to drawing and painting, which generations of students-turned-teachers have carried on to the present day. One of his most important and influential innovations was his controlled palette, which adapted the Munsell system to figure and landscape painting, allowing complete and independent control of hue, value, and chroma. This talk will cover Reilly’s background and influences, the details of his color mixing system, and how it has been preserved, modified, and extended by artists and illustrators today. Tristan Elwell was born and raised in Manhattan and now lives in the Hudson Valley of New York State. He graduated from New York’s School of Visual Arts in 1990 and has taught drawi