A Very Limited Palette:
With relativity in mind, I do most of my work with a limited selection of colors. Starting with a base palette of a warm, a cool, and white, I develop value and temperature relationships that approach the effect of local color. The result is an arrangement of neutral grays with a few warm or cool notes. For certain subjects, this may be all that is needed.
When a painting calls for more color, I find that a gradual introduction works well. Color is most powerful, I think, in small doses. Beauty is a subtle thing, and using color subtly is a good push towards beauty. What's more, it is in an environment of subtlety that a bold note of vibrancy is most effective.
(In other words, when a color does not seem colorful enough, it may be due to a colorful surround, which dulls the effect. See Relativity.)
"Self Portrait Nude at Twenty-Four" (pictured at right) was painted with a limited palette of Ivory Black, Burnt Sienna, and Titanium White. Adding a bit of Cadmium Yellow (Med.) to the lights pushed the painting towards local color, and helped, by contrast, to strengthen the cool middle tones.
Color and Value share an interesting space in the painter's vocabulary. While value can exist without color, color cannot exist without value. Every color, no matter the hue, is either darker or lighter than another color, thereby placing itself on the value scale. An interesting paradox is that value, alone, can sometimes stand in place of color. Consequently, a neutral, at the right value, can be used to carry the eye between notes of color.
The useful thing about this limited palette is that it allows you to paint a picture made up entirely of neutral tones, which unifies the whole (pushing you toward the effect of local color). Because these neutrals balance so delicately between warm and cool, it doesn't take much effort to move them one way or the other.
"Shards No. 1" (pictured at left) used a variation of the same limited palette, where Ultramarine Blue was used instead of Ivory Black. The result is a cooler neutral tone, which is generally lighter, but still capable of strong darks. Again, Cadmium Yellow (Med.) was introduced to approximate local color.
Working with so little, in terms of color, has helped me to gain a tremendous understanding about the colors I see in things around me; Allowing me to continually introduce more color.
(Thoughts about a Full Palette, coming soon...)
(09/25/08)