In my previous post, I mentioned my three-color palette. I'm really in love with these three colors—yellow ochre, burnt sienna and Prussian blue. Together, they can mix a good range of muted colors, with the blue intense enough to punch things up a bit. I thought I'd share a color wheel made from these colors and also a second painting made with them. (I used Gamblin colors for this.)
It's hard to get into trouble with this palette. Yellow ochre and burnt sienna harmonize so well. And Prussian blue, when mixed with them, yields everything from an olivey green to an almost-neutral grey. But better yet, if things start seeming too sleepy, you can let the Prussian blue sing a little louder.
Prussian blue, by the way, is a wonderful color for Southwestern skies. Here's a Grand Canyon painting, done in the late afternoon as thunderstorms rolled in from the North Rim. Reds, oranges and yellows dominate; and the little patches of blue add a welcome note.
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| Rain Over the River 14x18 Oil by Michael Chesley Johnson A Grand Canyon Painting Available at a Special Price for a Short Time |
