The Power of a Limited Palette

'Spring Valley Color'                 8x10         pastel on gatorboard         ©Karen Margulis    

I like to keep things simple. In my pastel paintings I always choose the pastels I will use for a painting in advance. This ensures that I don't get carried away with using too many colors. It helps me keep the color in my painting harmonious. In the pastel above I used a selection of under 20 pastels sticks, some greens, blues, purples and yellows in various values. The painting is done on a homemade support that was toned purple.(this toned surface also helps to unify the colors)  If you struggle with color...try using a smaller selection of pastels and setting them aside before you paint. It really does help!

If it helps to have a limited palette with pastels than it makes sense that it would work for oils as well. I have completed 8 small oil studies this week using a limited palette and it is making the transition to oils so much easier. I am using Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Cad Yellow Medium, White and Black. The last time I tried oils I had too many colors on my palette and I made mud. Too many choices! I am doing some reading on oil painting this week and I find that many instructors recommend using a limited palette, among them is Kevin Macpherson.

Variations on my mini plein air study

'Valley Color'            5x7          oil on panel   available for $100 email

In his book 'Landscape Painting Inside & Out', Kevin discusses the color mixing process. One of the things he talks about is the 'Power of a Limited Palette'.

"A limited Palette is more liberating than limiting.  With a limited palette of three colors plus white, you can create all of the color and value relationships you need for a painting and you will truly understand the process"

I would rather be liberated than limited so I am embracing the idea of a limited palette in both pastels and oils. I was actually amazed that I could come close to my pastel colors in my oil study (above)  It is by no means perfect, after all I am learning, but I wasn't totally frustrated with the color mixing process either.

Some advice for the pastel artists reading this. We can limit our palettes in a similar way.  Start by choosing three or four colors in dark values. Now find a middle and a light value of each color. Choose warm & cool depending on your subject.  You should have a palette of 12-20 pastels. This is plenty to get a nice, harmonious painting. Give it a try! (I'll plan on doing a step by step demo in a future post)

Today's paintings are based on the mini plein air study I did at the Plein Air Convention.. I interpreted my small study both in oils and pastel.