I speak often of using a limited palette when painting. It can be a useful tool to help select colors and create harmonious paintings.

What is a limited palette?

A limited palette is a phrase used to describe a restriction of pigments, usually 3-6 pigments, in a single painting, plus white and/or black. In using fewer pigments, mixing colors is an important aspect of the process, which will require combining pigments into secondary, tertiary, and neutral colors. A limited use of pigments can be employed in any medium such as watercolor, acrylics, oil, pastels, etc.

Selecting the correct pigments is a key factor in determining the outcome of a piece.

Pigments selected will determine the mood and feel of a painting. To select a limited palette, I typically begin with a version of each primary color: A red, a yellow, and a blue. For example, in the above painting, I desired a bright spring-green meadow. To accomplish this, I chose a blue and a yellow that, when mixed, created a vivid green (not all blues and yellows, when combined, make vivid greens). A red-based pigment then needed to be selected to warm up and mute the bright green where necessary. I created small studies of mixes to find the best red for the job. By carefully choosing those limited pigments, I was able to mix the bright greens and subtle neutrals in Spring Song (above).

In this way, all secondary colors are mixed from the three chosen primary colors. If a purple is needed, you simply mix the red with the blue, and perhaps add a dash of the yellow to mellow it out.

This creates a wonderful sense of harmony throughout the painting, since each of pigment will be in almost every area of the painting. 

I use a limited palette for every painting, whether acrylic or watercolor, choosing colors to create mood, emphasize expression, or focus on a certain aspect of the work. I find that this creates harmony and mood in each piece, such as French Glen, Oregon (above).

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