Dec 26 - The Pears in Acrylics Continued...

Check out how the color is developing on this 6 x 12 canvas now! I've started to add the warms over the underlayment of colors (look at yesterday's to see the initial layers) and it really is coming along.

By putting layers of more subtle colors UNDER the final layers, the painting develops a depth that is not possible any other way. Each one of the pears is starting to have a character now, and their shapes are interesting and hold the viewer's eye--even at this early stage. I have found that I don't need Yellow Ochre, but can mix a decent one from the cool burnt umber and the cadmium yellow--OK, it BREAKS THE RULES. But by careful manipulation, it still remains in the cool family.

So a limited palette can work with my Color System, yet it is not for the faint of heart. One must have a good deal of experience in mixing colors, and have an "eye" for the temperature inherent in the mix before moving out of the System for new expression. My visit to the MET museum really toasted my eyes for this, and I'm more than ready to stretch my wings!

Ah, only two more days here in New Jersey, then I head back to California with Sparky. My eyes are filled with the lovely greys of the winter here, and I'm sure that will enhance my paintings in the future. Today I walked in the rain over to the central part of Ridgewood, Sparky in his rain gear, and me without an umbrella, and took in all the wondrous sights of value and muted colros on this rainy, gray day. I think I may have to travel more!

The February three-day Color Boot Camp is OPEN now! Did you get a Christmas surprise that you'd like to use on that workshop? For a link straight to that page, click HERE.

And in other news, I'm enjoying my visit with my family, and had a wonderful Christmas with a whole bunch of them! Here's that Vermeer, "A Maid Asleep" that I didn't know existed before my visit to the MET....

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Color System information can be found HERE.
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