Blog Archives

Colour Study: Red Blue Yellow Series 1 - Part 4

10/28/2022

Here we are at the end of this first series that we worked with a Limited Colour Palette of just a Red, a Blue and a Yellow. The paint colours used are Alizarin Crimson Hue (Liquitex), Ultramarine Blue and Cadmium Yellow Light (both Golden Paints).

To download the print ready pdf for the colour study click HERE

In the first video we used three colours to create 12 total colours that was painted on a tessellation.

1. Mixing 12 colours with Limited Palette,
Blog Post: HERE

In video 2 we explored how to make a Colour Value Chart using the 12 colours made in video 1.

2. 12 Colour Value Chart with Limited Palette
Blog Post: HERE

In the third video we took the three colours and using the Complimentary idea I mixed Orange, Purple and Green. Then went from Orange to Blue, Purple to Yellow and finally Green to Red.

3. Complimentary Colour Chart with Limited Palette
Blog Post: HERE

I am so excited to finally get on to the Colour Study! It took about an hour to paint this 13x18cm (5x7in) Rainbow Lorikeet. Don't be in a rush. You want to take your time so that you get all the info you need from this study.

I started with the beak...isn't this bird so much fun!

A colour study is just a quick way to see if the colours that you mixed will work well before you launch into a larger painting.

Building up the body. I love the fabulous colours on this bird. I can't wait to take more photos of them next time I am in Australia.

Note the 'sky' blue. It is value 9 with the Ultramarine Blue, then I lowered the chroma with a lot of the Neutral Grey in the same value.

The red eyes are amazing. I love when birds have red eyes. Do you know any other birds with red eyes? Leave me a comment below.

In the past I have painted Horned Grebes with their amazing red eyes.

Well doing the Complimentary Colour Chart I found all the necessary colours for the branches.

Taking the time to do all the preparatory colour mixing really helped on the colour study.

Step by Step I build up the painting.

Nearly done!

0 Comments

Mixing Complimentary Chart Limited Palette: Red Blue Yellow Series 1 - Part 3

10/14/2022

0 Comments

Now we are getting to the substance of what the three colours: Alizarin Crimson Hue (AC), Ultramarine Blue (UB) and Cadmium Yellow Light (CYL) can do.

Below is the grid with measurements on it to make your own Complimentary Colour Chart. The page size is 20x28cm (8x11in).

The first complimentary combo I started with is Orange to Blue. I chose to mix an orange half way between CYL value 9 and AC value 2. I mixed a value 5 which created an orange with a yellow bias. You might choose to mix a more red orange colour when you do this exercise. It is completely your choice.

Notice that there is 4 steps between the orange and blue. In each row step 1 is the pure mixture of paint, then adding white a bit at a time to create 5 more steps.

Now we are on to the Purple to Yellow complimentary mixes. I used 1 part AC and 1 part UB to create the purple. Interesting the lovely different colours that we are creating out of the same three pigments.

The last set is Green to Red. I used the CYL and UB to create a value 5 mix of Green. It is very easy to over power the green, which means I need to be very careful with the addition of the red paint.

Notice the the first little addition of red created a darker green. This is something to pay attention to. If you want to darken a colour just a bit, adding a richness to it, then you add in the complimentary colour. It works for any tube of paint. I have used this over the years with great effect.

See that didn't take long, but look at the amount of information we have now. WOW. We are ready to tackle our first colour study. Join me in the next video for the colour study.

0 Comments

Colour Study: Red Blue Yellow Series 1 - Part 4

Mixing Complimentary Chart Limited Palette: Red Blue Yellow Series 1 - Part 3

Shawna Lampi-Legaree

Archives

Categories