TRIADS Part 1: Plein Air Experiments

James Gurney explores the possibilities of three-color palettes

- James Gurney

Limiting your palette to just three colors plus white is a great way for beginning painters to step into the universe of color. It's also a helpful method for experienced painters to break old color-mixing habits and to gain more experience with the properties of unusual pigments. Any painting created from three colors will be unified and harmonious. In this article we'll try out a few different color triads in real-world settings.

CHALLENGE 1: HIGH-CHROMA STILL LIFE IN SUNLIGHT 

1 Choose at least four colorful objects and arrange them into a still life. Set it up outdoors or in a sunny window.

2 Measure and draw the main shapes with a watercolor pencil or graphite pencil.

3 Choose a palette of colors that has intensity where you will need it.

4 Lay in the big tones of paint transparently with a large flat brush, covering most of the surface. Use colors transparently as long as possible before mixing in the white.

5 Paint it again with a second pass, painting more opaquely. Add in details where you want them.