Color, the Very Life of Painting
Color depicts and describes your subject, but it also conveys mood and portrays light, depth, and perspective. In many ways it’s the lifeblood of the art; even those painters who favor a subdued palette of mostly muted colors and grays are as beholden to the mysteries and the magic of color as any exuberant Impressionist.
You could spend years figuring out what color means to you and how to best use it in your work. Or you could get a big jump on the subject through videos created by artists who have done that work and are now sharing their mastery with others.
Artist John Pototschnik teaches a color system that is so effective that it can completely change the way you paint. The most popular offering on color that we have, Unlimited Color with a Limited Palette is a video and book combination set. In the video, John guides you on how to use his simple color system that has taken years to develop.
John Pototschnik
After going through this teaching, you can create any mood, harmony, or flow in your artwork by using John’s color system. The best part is that you can do all of this with just 3 colors + white. Even though you’ll be working with a limited palette, you’ll be painting with unlimited color.
The book comes with a clear palette so you can mix colors right over those shown in the book. This is like a gourmet cookbook for paint artists who wish to expand their world of color.
Thomas Kitts
In Sorolla: The Color of Light, Thomas Jefferson Kitts elaborates on the importance he places on the light that plays across his subject and how he has devoted his life to capturing it in oil. He prefers to work from life for its honesty and immediacy, incorporating many alla prima techniques developed by master artists such as Sargent, Sorolla, and Zorn.
Tim Deibler
The secret to beautiful color? Many say it’s gray. Bright colors truly sing when they’re supported by beautiful grays – instead of being drowned out by too much bright color. In What Color is Gray? Tim Deibler defines this “colorless color” and shows how to make colorful grays to strengthen any painting. Whatever your style or subject matter, this video will give you one of the foundational tools to instantly improve your work.
For the deep dive, check out Johnnie Liliedahl’ two-volume master class on understanding color and color relationships.
VERA KAVURA: PAINTING THE FLOWERS OF UKRAINE
Painters love flowers- perhaps it’s that color is why we love them both. If painting flowers seems daunting, Vera Kavura’s DVD Painting the Flowers of Ukraine makes it a lot simpler.
Her style is captivating. Her teaching is inspiring. She has fans of her work around the world and now is your chance to get instruction directly from her to take your painting to the next level.
