As we close winter and begin to enter spring, I wanted to note some slight changes I made to Winter Palette 2 throughout the season.
Changes from Winter Palette 2
- Reds (-2, +2): Winter Palette 2 had two cool PV19 reds (DV Perm Rose + Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone), which were very similar. I consolidated them to DS Quin Red, another PV19 that’s hue-wise in between the two, and used the extra space to add DV Perylene Red (PR149), a semi-muted scarlet.
- Blues/Violets (-2, +1): I dropped Phthalo Blue Red Shade (PB15:1), feeling it is too similar in hue to Cobalt Blue and Ultramarine Blue, which are better uniquely suited for winter. I also dropped Carbazole Violet (PV23) because I never use it. I typically make violet with PV19 + one of the blues. I used the extra space to add Payne’s Gray, a convenience blue-black, plus add more room to the earth section.
- Earth Colors (-1, +2): I replaced DV Raw Sienna (PBr7) with Holbein Yellow Ochre (PY42) to give myself more range in the yellow part of the spectrum (as RS is a bit orangey, too similar to TRO). I also added an opaque PR101, WN Venetian Red, which I’ve come to appreciate more lately. It makes nice earthy brown mixes and also dilutes to a muted coral which can substitute for the absent Quin Coral in a muted sunset. I’m on the fence about including this one or the more common Indian Red, also an opaque PR101, which doesn’t do the coral thing but makes nicer pink-undertoned browns which are great for pine bark, or Caput Mortuum Violet, a third opaque PR101, which is even more violet-toned and mixes intense darks with blues.
- 9 colors are exactly the same (Titanium White, Imidazolone Yellow, Indanthrone Blue, Phthalo Turquoise, Rich Green Gold, TRO, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Cobalt Turquoise).
Some other stuff I tried, but didn’t stick
- Removing PB29: although overreliance on Ultramarine can get me into trouble, I missed it when I didn’t have it, especially when mixing darker shadows than Cobalt Blue can make, or for sky zeniths.
- Removing PB28: I do think Cobalt Blue is probably currently my most expendable color, but it’s just got a nice wintry feel and looks nice in soft skies.
- Removing PG50: Also expendable but occasionally desired. PB16 is a more versatile turquoise as it has more range and mixes gorgeously (especially for non-neon greens and turquoise-and-purple snow shadows), but Cobalt Turquoise does some unique stuff that is sometimes desired. It also has a wintry look to me.
- Adding Perylene Maroon or Perylene Violet: I repeatedly attempt to love these colors, but I just never do. The mix of PR179 with Quin Rose/Red for an alizarin hue just looks kind of bizarrely muted and separated to me, where Perylene Scarlet or PR206 just look better. Perylene Violet is even worse. I do like the way Perylene Violet mixes with blues to make indigos, but I’d rather just have an indigo (or indanthrone) on my palette.
- Adding Nickel Azo Yellow: Too similar to PY129, which I tend to prefer, especially for green mixes of all sorts.
Conclusion
Given the timing, this has got to be where I leave things for winter this year, but I also think there are some lessons I can take into my spring palette. One thing I’ve noticed about the way spring creeps in is that you start needing to add bright colors, but you also still need a lot of muted, earthy colors for contrast. Early spring is just winter plus a few pops of floral color. I’ll try to keep that in mind as I design my spring palette!