Tuesday 23 April 2013

Colour Choices and the Elephant

Well.... having decided to paint subjects where I feel I have strengths I have had a productive couple of days. Today I am hoping to paint for most of the day and am sticking to an animal theme, as part of my efforts to build up a themed collection. I don't want to be known solely as an animal painter but have been having a lot of fun with the birds I have painted recently and decided to work on this elephant this morning.

I do know people say they recognise my work and I think that is partly because of the colours I use so decided to step out of the box today and use a combination I have never used before... not a hint of purple in sight!! I used my colour planets to check out my ideas and liked the look of the colours I chose... a bit random but somehow they worked, so the colours were

Perylene Green (of course!!)
Helio Turquoise
Burnt Sienna
Alizarin Crimson
Raw Sienna (tried quin gold but that didn't seem to give me the feel I wanted)

I could have used any colours, as you will know from some of my previous posts, as long as you don't fiddle and let the colours mix happily on the page, lots of unexpected combinations will work for you and create unique and interesting work. There are so many colours we can try... forgot to use Perylene Marroon on this, I think that would have worked well too.

I know a lot of artists stick to a very limited palette of say about 12 colours and that works really well for them...... I guess they understand how these paints work and get to know them "intimately" but I prefer to have lots of colours and treat it as a challenge to find a combination which works and is appropriate for my subject. What I do however is stick to a limited colour choice for each painting rarely using more than 5 or 6 colours in any piece and often less. That way I get a harmonious feel to the painting with the colours echoing around my subject. It's a long time since I painted an elephant apart from the xmas one and I will do more as I have enjoyed this one... no drawing by the way... that part seems to be finally getting better!!




15 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Peter... am always drawn to colour though I know it is tone which makes a painting work...so I try to work with both.

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  2. No drawing! Wow!

    Gorgeous - I love the speckles of white around the ear.

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    1. I like them too though I have to say the were accidental, but hey am allowed happy accidents... just wish they would happen more often!!

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanks Lorraine I may try one or two more as am liking how this one turned out!!

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  4. Elephants are so nice for paintings!

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    1. You are so right Catharina... the trouble is I have so many subjects I want to paint and when something turns out well I just want to do more of them!!

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  5. Replies
    1. Thanks Elaine delighted you like... always a pleasure to hear from you!!

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  6. Wonderful - and even though you didn't pick up a purple, you made your own version of it :) I like it!

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    1. Yes I did didn't I? But more of a browny purple done by picking up the crimson, turquoise, and burnt sienna on the brush and adding it straight to the paper so mixing on the brush in this case. I find I am doing more and more of that these days... I then dilute with water on the paper .......am such a lazy painter!!!

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  7. Hello Judith:) I love this elephant! The colors are beautiful and nice to see it from his side. Mostly they are painted in front. I think you did a great job!xx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Renate.. I do have another elephant image to paint which is a full front view...will use a different palette next time.

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  8. Super elephant, Judith. Nice warm colours and highlights.
    Very pleasing to the viewer.
    Mike.

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