Painting a Still Life with a Limited Palette

Blue Cups and Citrus (c) Mary Hubley

Painting with a Limited Palette

Too much color spoils the pot .. er, painting.... A limited palette makes the best soup.. er, painting.


Old masters had to limit; all they had were blue-black, venetian red, yellow ochre, and white to mix most colors. I generally only use basics, too - white, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, and burnt umber.

In art supply stores, my job is easy. I go directly to my basic five. But my students are CRAZY.

They find every color but the ones I recommend: pearl, raindrop, ballet slipper, carrot, and chipotle... Are these colors?

Why do they look sheepish when I ask them, is more better? Their faces drop. I could tell they really wanted glow-in-the-dark, metallic flake, and neon paints.

That's when I introduce a new concept: Limited Palette. Such groaning.

My students actually have enjoyed learning it. This is the class they learn to mix. This is the class their paintings really come together, and their paintings start to look unified.

Still, they revert. One came in yesterday with something called "poodle skirt" .... Looks like pink to me.

Genre: Still Life
Painting Name: Blue Cups and Citrus
Size: 10" x 8"
Media: Acrylic on Canvas


-- Mary Hubley