Mastering Color

[Richard Robinson]

Anything to do with the Mastering Color course goes here. Post your images up or ask questions - anything!

[Carole Russell]

My first attempt at mastering colour

[Carole Russell]

I used a limited palette of Phalo blue, yellow ocre, burnt umber, medium yellow and white. I tried to add "light" to the tree leaves and the distant land by adding sky colour

[terry clare]

Nice composition Carole. I suspect you are very happy with what you have achieved. Now you are thinking on how to improve. Go an extra step. Aim higher. Way to go. What I would do may not be want you are after. Anyway the next thing I would think of is hot against cold. You have achieved the dark against light very nicely. These two things are the main aspects to keep in mind. Now maybe orange green, in leaf highlights and blue green in the shadow leaves. You could even make the sky a tad darker and cooler to contrast the leaves, then your cliffs would stand out. Then the sea a bit darker and cooler to match, maybe darker at the horizon getting cooler greener towards the shore. Maybe the tree trunk could be a bit lighter as its dominant and not the center of interest, just a tad greyer maybe. Your cliffs would standing out more now. Now just a tad yellow orange brown in the rock. Add some dazzle in the sea reflection, making the strokes larger and further apart as the come forward would add interest to the figure. Gosh, don't change everything drastically, just add dabs over the existing nice work. Let's know if this is in your direction and show us your finished work, Terry

Carole Russell said:

I used a limited palette of Phalo blue, yellow ocre, burnt umber, medium yellow and white. I tried to add "light" to the tree leaves and the distant land by adding sky colour

[terry clare]

Gosh the only thing I would add to this is to mix the all the colours you are going to use beforehand the way Robbo does. It makes it easier to adjust them a bit later, and you can concentrate on using your imagination, pre visualizing or testing carefully before you dab. Walking back and forth, asking do all these colours relate well with each other, squinting your eyes and all that. An easy way if colours don't relate is to mix a bit of each one together, Terry

terry clare said:

Nice composition Carole. I suspect you are very happy with what you have achieved. Now you are thinking on how to improve. Go an extra step. Aim higher. Way to go. What I would do may not be want you are after. Anyway the next thing I would think of is hot against cold. You have achieved the dark against light very nicely. These two things are the main aspects to keep in mind. Now maybe orange green, in leaf highlights and blue green in the shadow leaves. You could even make the sky a tad darker and cooler to contrast the leaves, then your cliffs would stand out. Then the sea a bit darker and cooler to match, maybe darker at the horizon getting cooler greener towards the shore. Maybe the tree trunk could be a bit lighter as its dominant and not the center of interest, just a tad greyer maybe. Your cliffs would standing out more now. Now just a tad yellow orange brown in the rock. Add some dazzle in the sea reflection, making the strokes larger and further apart as the come forward would add interest to the figure. Gosh, don't change everything drastically, just add dabs over the existing nice work. Let's know if this is in your direction and show us your finished work, Terry

Carole Russell said:

I used a limited palette of Phalo blue, yellow ocre, burnt umber, medium yellow and white. I tried to add "light" to the tree leaves and the distant land by adding sky colour

[Carole Russell]

Thank you for taking the time to have a look Terry - much appreciated
:)

[Roena King]

Hello everybody, I have begun. I am waiting for a color ink cartridge and someplace to buy photo paper so I am improvising. I made wooden blocks (cut not so good--sob). I have gray scale wood blocks, every color of acrylic craft paint that I had made into blocks, I previously had made a 9 value scale. My first blocks paintings of seeing the values were hard. By the time I got to the 5 minute exercise I was getting tired, but I finished the 2 different color blocks (light yellow and darker red) before I quit for the day. I remind you that my blocks are not cut "square" so my paintings are not squared up either. "That is my story and I am sticking to it!" LOL Actually I was tired so I did not kill my self to square things up since the exercise was the value anyway. I made a value checker out of part of my 9 value scale (poked holes), and thougth I did much better in judging the values on the apple sighting every part of the apple for values.

[Roena King]

Hey Brandon.....I'm just now joining in. Way back in January you did the apple and a purple cube. I like them both very much. Well done. Ro

Jeremy Summey said:

Richard,

First off, thank you for sharing what you have learned as an experienced painter. It is my hope from standing on your shoulders that I may be able to reach my dreams.

Here are couple of the exercise I have completed from the Mastering Color Lessons. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated and reverently followed.

My best wishes to you.

[Roena King]

5 stars for you Terry.....those hand made color wheel/mask are really great. Ro

terry clare said:

Hi Robbo, Have been making colour wheel masks. About time I did a few block paintings and serious practise. Did a couple of 2tone studies, another Eakins model (didn't feel as happy with that. Might add a lighter background). Should be ready to paint small studies out doors as soon as the weather clears. I'm a bit of a sook in the wet. Might sell up and move to the northern coast beaches soon. Don't worry if I go quiet for a while, Terry Clare

[Richard Robinson]

Hi Roena, it's great to see you doing so well with those studies. Good luck with selling up and moving - another big job. I appreciate having you in this group as I'm sure do a lot of other people. If you are one of these tidy painters like myself who would love to break out I can recommend trying some of these exercises with just a palette knife, or a small sausage or a docile fish - whatever will make new and interesting marks on your canvas.
All the best,
Richard.

[Roena King]

I have one more that I did today. In between the 1st post, I read all the things on this page and looked at Richard's apple painting in the course. Think I was trying too hard! I also saw where Richard suggested a limited # of strokes.....each costing $50 and you have $2,000 to spend. This apple is better and looser! I lost count of the number of strokes. he he Richard, I love to paint with a palette knife. Good idea to do the apple with one. I am learning so much!!! Richard, we live in an RV motorhome and travel all the time. We have not owned a home since 1998. Ro

[Roena King]

Thank you Iwan, I appreciate your encouragement very much. I sure hope with Richard's help we will all reach our next level. I started painting years ago where there was not all the internet help you get these days. I would never have imagined having friends all over the world to help me. It is a great time for art. Ro

[Carole Russell]

Thank you Iwan, your comments are much appreciated
:)

Iwan Warega said:

Very nice painting Carol. The effects of light and dark are very pleasing to the eye. What really caches my eye is the person walking along the bend. The details involved like the back pack ,wrinkles and shadows are perfect. I'm only an apprentice painter who appreciates beautiful art. I hope one day to be able to paint like that. I will be working hard this year to improve my light and dark effects.

Carole Russell said:

I used a limited palette of Phalo blue, yellow ocre, burnt umber, medium yellow and white. I tried to add "light" to the tree leaves and the distant land by adding sky colour