Newsletter July, 2005 A Free Newsletter for Those Who Love to Paint

Color of the Month

Paynes Gray

A cool gray color which many people use as a replacement for black. However, I find it too boring to put on my palette. I rather mix my own grays using other colors that I have on my palette which keeps color harmony alive in my paintings. Remember that opposites on the color wheel when mixed usually create a gray: blue and orange, blue and brown and yellow and purple are some of my favorites. So if I am using cerulean blue and burnt sienna in my painting I will mix these two together to make the gray to use on that canvas. Try mixing your own grays and add some extra flavor to your paintings.

Tool of the Month

Tee Shirts

In addition to being comfy to wear while painting my tee-shirts have several lives beyond a piece of clothing. I use an oversized one sometimes as a 'smock' to protect better clothes while I paint. When they are past their prime I cut them up to make great rags of different sizes. The sleeves I cut off and use as small rags to wipe my brush during a painting session. These I toss as soon as they get filled up with paint. I cut larger rags to use when cleaning brushes after a session and for wiping off my hands. Just as the soft knit fabric absorbs sweat to keep you comfortable when it was a shirt, it absorbs paint and thinner well. So put your tee's to work!

No White Clouds!

It's true - clouds are not white! They are very pale most of the time with white highlights. But if you paint your clouds white you cannot highlight them. Look at some classic landscape paintings and you will find golden or blue or purple or pink or even orange clouds.

Sunrises, sunsets and storm conditions give you very dramatic colors for your clouds. Compared to 'white' sunny day clouds these are easier to paint since you can easily see the values and different hues. 'White' clouds on the other hand are trickier. Instead of starting with pure white be adventurous and start instead with a very pale blue or pale gold. For the blue you can mix some of your sky color into your white, for the gold use some yellow ochre or Naples yellow - nothing too bright.

To give form and depth to your clouds you will also need some shadows so mix up a cool pale shadow color using a purple or cooler blue. My favorite purple to use is a mix of ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson. If your sky is a cerulean or cobalt you could use the ultramarine as a cool contrast as a shadow. If you want a grayer shadow mix in some burnt sienna. This is a complementary color to your blue and will give you an interesting shade of grayish blue. The more burnt sienna you add the grayer it will become so just add a little at a time. Which white you use will also determine how your clouds will turn out. Titanium is very opaque (you cannot see through it) so it makes your clouds stand away from the sky. You need to brush it on thinly to keep the clouds from looking pasted on. Try zinc white instead. It is transparent (you can see through it) and by using it you can more easily create soft clouds.

Add color and value to your clouds to keep them light and fluffy. You don't want your clouds to look flat or pasted on. By using at least three values, several colors and a light touch your clouds will come to life on your canvas.

'Hillside' by Jackie Stacharowski

Sample Palette

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