"Soothing Blue"

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"Some days require soothing blue." It seems to be true that some colors have more power to calm and heal than others. I think blue is one of those colors.

In this piece, I got much more intentional about the way I laid down the color and paid much closer attention to the shapes of color. However, to make it much more interesting, I tried to slightly change the color with each stroke. This actually helps to make a solid color image have more depth. It also helps to change the direction of the stroke. 

Division of space is much easier with a landscape. What does help is to select images that include trees with exposed branches. Those branches do help to further divide the space and break up the solid green and fall colors. That's why landscapes at this time of the year have a bit more contrast since some of the trees have already lost their leaves. So it is a very good time to go out and take some good photographs and even take some time to paint outside. 

Again, I want to emphasize the importance of painting with a limited palette. It creates color harmony and also saves you some money. If you are interested in a single primary palette, the three primaries that are basic are Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Med. and Cad. Yellow Light and a tube of Titanium White. I use these colors but also include Cad. Yellow Med. rather than Cad. Yellow Light and Lemon Yellow. I also like Phtalo Blue and Alizarin Crimson. This gives much more of a range, especially for landscape painting. The Phtalo Blue is extremely helpful in achieving dark greens. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.