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Here are the beginning primary and secondary colors. It is amazing how many beautiful paintings can be painted with these colors alone.  Secondary colors fall between Primary Colors:  Colors most frequently added:  Expanded color palette There are endless variety of wonderful colors and the below may seem like a lot, but it's only scratching the surface of what is available. However, these are basic colors that if you paint long enough you will accumulate.  Comparing Color Vibrancy They below illustration demonstrates why you would not want to highlight a subject with white and shade it with black. Noticed the column on the left is shaded with black-and-white. Notice how dull the colors appear. Then notice that the column on the right is vibrant with color.  Are there cases where you would want your colors to appear dull. Absolutely. But as the painter, you need to know the distinction so you could choose when to use either.
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Here is a Cezanne painting as you would may see the actual painting in a museum:  Here is the same same painting as seen online. The one seen online appears to be much better—brighter! Why is that?  Here are the two main reasons 1. Our modern eyes have become accustomed to intense color in our environment. Neon lights, LED billboards, backlit screens, and colorful children's toys. What we see daily didn't exist 100 years ago when great masterpieces were painted. So when someone says paintings by Monet, for example, have wonderful color, you have to understand that statement in context to history. 2. Today, we have colors that are more saturated and brighter than colors they had 100 years ago. For example, we commonly use Phthalo Blue, Quinacridone Red, Phthalo Emerald, and Dioxazine Purple. So, while the Impressionists of the late 19th century were known for their brilliant colors no one had seen before, their colors pale by comparison to the colors we have today. Here is what a famous Monet painting would look like in a museum:  And here is what the same painting looks like online:  Here more reasons Printed reproductions are often enhanced. Publishers frequently increase saturation, contrast, and brightness so paintings look more vivid on a page or screen. They are not calibrated to match the original painting. Museum lighting is intentionally low. Many paintings are displayed under relatively low light levels to protect pigments and varnish from light damage. Dim lighting makes colors appear less vibrant. Aged varnish can yellow. Many older paintings had varnish that has yellowed over decades, muting colors and making the overall painting appear warmer and duller. Conservators sometimes remove old varnish, but not always. Impressionist technique. Monet, for example, often used broken brushstrokes and subtle color relationships rather than highly saturated pigments. Seen live and up close, the colors can seem doll. Reproductions often exaggerate these effects. Here is what a van Gogh painting would look like in a museum:  Here is what the same van Gogh painting looks like online:  So the next time you are disappointed when seeing original paintings in a museum, try to imagine how the paintings were absolutely astonishing in their day.  Painting in monochrome helps artists focus on the fundamental aspects of visual structure without the distraction of color. It strengthens understanding of value relationships, contrast, and light distribution. This approach improves control over tonal transitions and spatial depth. It also enhances accuracy in rendering form, volume, and perspective. By simplifying the visual information, monochrome painting allows for clearer analysis of composition and balance. It is an effective method for studying texture, edges, and brushwork. Additionally, it serves as a strong foundation for later color work, ensuring that the underlying value structure remains stable and consistent in more complex paintings. I highly recommend doing a monochrome painting sometime. Noticed the below images do not have bright highlights or super dark shadow.         Visual Color Memory Before I discuss the chart below, let's discuss visual color memory. Being able to create the exact color you want for a painting is a wonderful challenge and good skill to have. The first step is to know what colors you already have. And by "knowing" your color, I am saying can you see them in your mind without looking at them physically? You can probably see in your mind the difference between blue and red. But can you envision the more subtle difference between Cadmium Red Medium and Cadmium Red Light? When you look at the colors on your pallet, look at them with the intention of remembering what they look like. There's nothing special you have to do, just give the colors your attention for a moment and you will be committing them to your visual memory. Make Your Own Color Chart It can be helpful to make your own chart that has the colors you own. Next to each square of color, have the same color with some white added. That way you will see the pure color plus each color as a tint. Do this with each new color you buy to increase your visual vocabulary, and soon you will easily see in your mind, for example, the difference between Ultramarine Blue and Phthalo Blue. Or between Quinacridone Red and Quinacridone Magenta. The Color Mixing Guide The chart below (brought to my attention by one of the painters in my program) can help you, if you are new to color mixing. It shows all of the basic colors and what they look like mixed with each other. I found this chart to be very useful for my students. However, I must add one caveat. While the color mixtures are accurate on the chart, what the chart does not tell you is that there is a little bit of white added into each mixture of color. Nevertheless, I am recommending this chart as a very useful color matching aid. I believe it will help you on your journey to master full color matching. Where to Buy I found this chart on Blick Materials website for around $14. There are other cheaper charts that look similar, but they don’t have the same level of detail as this one.  |
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Patrick Howe, Artist, Author and Educator Seattle, WA. Contact: [email protected] |
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