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Writer's pictureJayne Tricker

Using 2nd split primary pallette for students with some experience of colour.


Hi Guys,

Todays post is to introduce putting yellow ochre into our split primary pallette and is for those of you joining me who have some familiarity with using and mixing colour.

Those of you who have been painting with me and following me for a while will know that when I start to introduce people to using colour I do so with a split primary pallette of two reds two blues and two yellows. So when starting out these are your 6 primary colours

Vermilion or Cadmium red

Alzarin Crimson

Ultra marine blue

Pthalo blue

Indian yellow

Lemon yellow

Well for those of you who have been painting for a while you will know that Lemon yellow can be made by using the smallest amount of Pthalo blue [see last post] and by introducing Yellow ochre as your second yellow , this adds a new raft of interesting usable greens to your palette. So this being said means that Lemon yellow is a convenience cool yellow and is important when first learning how to mix colour, but the true second yellow in the split primary palette is Yellow ochre.

So this means our source palette of primary colours looks like this concentrating on the colour not the makes of paint. Names and makes are a guide for you but looking at the colour of the paint is a better one to rely on.

This is an example of first split primary palette.

This is split primary palette with the addition of Yellow ochre.

I have added a little white to intensify and show the colour better on the colours coming out of the circle and have named these as some of you will recognise them and will see where they sit in the wheel and how you are able to mix them from source primaries.

So, why have all these different colours already mixed up in blends in tubes? I here you say to yourself ie Cerulean blue

Cobalt blue

Naples yellow

The simple answer is CONVENIENCE and it saves mixing time and as long as we know where they sit on the wheel and how to mix them there is nothing wrong with that.

Well for those students I have been waiting to deliver this to, enjoy having a go mixing this and adding it to your painting process and that includes all of you who join me here each time and arent able to join me in class. I would also like to say a big thank you to Mary Gilkersohn who has helped me think more deeply about colour and how I use and teach others about it.

I would be happy to hear from you, until I post next time, have a great week...much love


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