“One of the questions that we hear time and again is – “How come I end up with the colour of mud on my palette?” Oh … how we sympathise, especially when we consider that this dilemma is totally unnecessary – all for the sake of being shown how to make colour mixing a pleasure, rather than it being a challenge.
The process of colour-mixing is every bit as exciting and fulfilling as the painting process, it is an elemental part of it. To become intuitive with your colours is to be at one with the painting that is developing on your easel.
By learning how to make graduated colour mixes on your palette, you will gain total control of colour matching. You will begin to more accurately identify the colours in your subject. You will ‘see’ the subtle changes of hues, tones and values that make up each element within your composition.
Yes, it is possible to produce virtually all of the colours you will ever need from this palette of six colours – a core set of two yellows, two blues and two reds, which I use for every one of my tutorials in oils, watercolours and acrylics. I even show you how to work with a limited palette of pastels, based on this same core of colours. For oils and acrylics, you will also need white – the nature of these opaque media requires this – the reason for which is explained in detail.
With understanding the Basics and Nucleus Palette [Series 1] – box-set of six videos – a comprehensive guide to the basics of working with six colours. Mixing secondary colours. Working with complementary mixes. Understanding hues, tones and values. With this set of videos alone you will be adding immeasurably to your painting experience. All of which is demonstrated in real-time, accompanied by my running commentary throughout.
But why stop there, when you can move on to a greater understanding of the role that colour plays in producing richer paintings – as demonstrated in another twelve, comprehensive, step-by-step painting studies and exercises which take you through the primary and secondary colours. These are to be found in the six subsequent box-sets of ‘[Series 1] Learn To Enjoy Colour Mixing with Paul Taggart’, covering the three Primaries - Yellow : Blue : Red and the three Secondaries - Orange : Green : Purple.
Detailed explanations of the nature of the colour and its role as a Primary colour and as a Secondary. How to create colour mixes in transparent paints and the same again, for opaque paints. How to mix a vast range of graduated colours, including dull secondaries and bright secondaries. The importance of complementary colours. Learning about Hue, Value, Tone, Intensity – all of which affect the outcome of your painting.
As with all of our tutorials, these videos are crammed full of hints, tips, techniques and more, all accompanied by running commentary throughout. Each box-set also features two detailed, step-by-step painting studies with which to practice colour mixing – one completed in watercolours (transparent paint mixes i.e. watercolours, fluid acrylics), the second in acrylics (for opaque paint mixes, i.e. oils, gouache etc).
With the Basics covered in Series 1, we have embarked on Series 2 – which will cover specific topics. The first in Series 2 is specifically dedicated to the role of Whites in oil painting – our eight-video box-set, Making Whites work for You in Oils.
Another confusing subject, which again need not be, because the whites in oil painting perform very specific functions – as becomes evident in the start-to-finish exercise in which whites dominate.
One of our earliest box-sets in ‘Learn to Enjoy Colour Mixing’ was produced in response to requests for tutorials on painting metal objects – our four-video box-set, ‘Learn to Enjoy Colour Mixing Metals’ – which features three detailed start-to-finish exercises covering Yellow metals (brass etc), Red metals (copper etc.) and White metals (pewter, silver etc.)
Click here to browse through the current catalogue of box-sets available in ‘Learn to Enjoy Colour Mixing with Paul Taggart’.
Click here to browse through the entire current catalogue of box-sets listed on our artworkshopwithpaul tutorials page.
Click on any poster to watch the trailer for the corresponding box-set.
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We look forward to your company and, as always, send best wishes, from Eileen and myself,”
Paul Taggart
Artist, Author, Presenter, Producer
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