If you are just starting out painting you probably are aware of the array of color selections available in the paint section online and art stores. Really you only need the three basic colors, yellow, red and blue plus white, to mix any color you need. If you are a seasoned painter you know the benefits of a limited palette, an overall sense of color harmony and fewer paint tubes to deal with.
I really like the limited palette but with two added colors to make it easier, burnt umber ( medium brown) and burnt sienna (reddish brown). With these 6 colors I have found a nice limited color palette to paint landscapes, cityscapes, still life’s etc. I enjoy trying to match the colors that are in front of me with these 6 colors. Now master artists can take this to endless lengths but for the amateur painter this technique is perfectly acceptable and fun.
For those who don’t know or have forgotten here is the basic color chart.
Yellow
Red
Blue
Yellow + Red = Orange
Yellow + Blue = Green
Blue + Red = Purple
Add a little white to any for additional color variety.
Now with the extra colors umber and sienna
Yellow + Red + Umber = Yellow Ochre
Yellow + Red + Sienna = Brick/Clay i’m in North Carolina 🙂
Yellow + Blue + Umber = Dark Green for tree shadow/evergreens
Yellow + Blue + Sienna = Mid-tone green for afternoon trees in sun
Yellow + Blue + Sienna + White = Tree and grass sunlit highlights
Blue + Red + Umber + White = Gray/Silver for rooftops/roads/silverware etc.
Blue + Red + Umber + White + Sienna = Sunlit roads/sunlit concrete highlights
Blue + Umber + Red = Almost black/very dark but with hints of color
Umber + Sienna = Tree trunk/light pole/wood brown
Umber + Sienna + Yellow = Sunlit tree/pole brown highlights also bricks in sunlight
Blue + White = Sky/white in shadows/glass reflecting sky/snow shadows
Blue + White + Sienna = Gray/Blue Sky great hot summer/stormy looking skies
Blue + White + Yellow = Turquoise green/spring green
Adding a little white and/or the amount of each color will give endless varieties of colors. As a rule of thumb use small amounts of blue because it is really strong. The rest use more or less equal amounts of color. Try using a paper plate and mixing colors to see for yourself. You will be amazed at how many different colors can be made from these 6 colors.
Paint.Relax.Repeat.
until next time
JeffreyJBowers