Monday, March 21, 2016

Her Beach


Her Beach, 20x20" oil, Diane Mannion REVISED (third version)

Alizarin and Viridian

Have often avoided viridian because I've seen so many horrible, livid greens created by beginning artists in my classes.  I've always warned them to avoid it until they can mix yellow and blue, toned down with pink, sienna, or yellow ochre to make a more natural green. 

But lately, I've allowed viridian back on my palette and have been pleased with the neutral mauves it makes with alizarin crimson.  Useful for flesh tones, and with burnt sienna or black added for shadow areas.  Cadmium red light and yellow ochre for light flesh, toned down with the shadow mixtures.

One of these days, I need to get around to making those color charts! 

Alizarin and viridian make purple... what a surprise.
******Made a few revisions, here's the old version:
 Original first version, didn't like color of sand.
Added more sunlight on sand, enlarged blanket, simplified background, and added reflected light to HER.  When is a painting finished, anyway?  After listening to my respected critics and looking at the thing for several days... decided these changes would make a good painting even better.  Sometimes, it takes guts, at least for me, to change what is "good enough" to something a bit better.
Second version... a lot bothered me about sand color and blanket.  Finally pulled out some plein air beach studies to check sand color.  Should be called Three Strikes and You're Out!  Happiest with third version above and will let it be!  Time to move on to something else.

2 comments:

juliefordoliver.blogspot.com said...

Yikes - what a FABULOUS job of those fresh tones in the light and shadows. Not easy and they are perfect! Love, love, love her hair!
I hardly ever use viridian, but I better get it back on the palette.

Diane Mannion said...

Thank you, Julie Ford Oliver. Color is such a mystery! I have to keep telling myself to calm down... it's only red, yellow, and blue afterall!