What If You Only Need 3 Colours For Every Painting?
The secret to more harmonious, confident paintings might be simpler than you think - it's all about understanding your "Colour Corners." You don’t need to buy every single colour tube displayed in the art shop, your box of paints doesn’t need to resemble an overflowing treasure chest from Davy Jones’ Locker and you don’t need to end up with a ‘muddy’ looking painting because of a chaotic palette. What if you only need 3 colours?
Colour Corners
Learners often ask me how they can choose a colour palette for a new painting. I advise them to take a good long look at the reference and if they want to get close to the colours they are seeing there they need to pick a set that will work for that.
We know that the colour wheel starts with the 3 primary colours of red, yellow and blue and that all the other colours can be mixed from that starting point. But red can be a number of different reds, the same with blue, yellow and the choice of a starting set of 3 will change how your painting looks.
In the example you can see how each mini colour wheel has a different feel because my choice of red, yellow and blue was different in each case. The first is quite neutral and has an earthy feel, the second more intense, vibrant and the third has a light-hearted fresh feel to it.
Each starts with a blue, a yellow and a red with mixes in between. I like to think of paint colours fitting into a "corner".
For example:
The red corner could be Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Red, or Magenta (and you can probably think of many more.)
The yellow corner could be Cadmium Yellow, Lemon Yellow or Yellow Ochre.
The blue corner could be Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue or Cerulean Blue.
And then of course there would be different results from changing the combinations. By keeping your initial choices to a set of one each of the corner colours, taking time to create a mini colour wheel or two, you should be able to avoid a muddy mess. It'll be worth it!
Choosing Your Perfect Three
The exciting thing about the "just three colours" approach is that you can create dramatically different paintings depending on which specific yellow, red, and blue you choose. This is where you get to express your personality!
Are you drawn to vibrant, energetic paintings? Choose a warm, golden yellow (like Cadmium Yellow), a fiery red (like Cadmium Red), and a bright blue (like Ultramarine).
Or maybe you prefer soft, atmospheric landscapes? Try a pale lemon yellow, a gentle crimson, and a muted turquoise.
There's no right or wrong choice - just different results that help express your unique artistic voice.
The Magic of Mixing
Once you've chosen your three colours, here's how the magic happens:
Your secondaries: Mix your yellow and blue to create greens, red and blue for purples, and red and yellow for oranges
Your tints and shades: Add white for lighter versions and a touch of complementary colour for deeper shades
Why Limit Your Palette?
You might be wondering why you'd want to limit yourself to just three colours when there are hundreds available. Here's why:
Your paintings will have natural harmony - All your colours share common pigments, creating an inherent unity
You'll spend less money on supplies (who doesn't love that?)
You'll make more confident choices when you're not paralysed by too many options
You'll develop your own signature colour style based on your unique primary selections
When to Expand Your Palette
Of course, as you grow as an artist, you might want to add more colours to your collection. That's perfectly fine! But I've found that even our Level 4 students often return to a limited palette when they want to create especially cohesive work.
In my own paintings of Norfolk skies and seascapes, I still frequently work with just three carefully chosen colours (plus white). This approach helps me focus on light and atmosphere without getting distracted by too many colour choices.
Ready to Simplify?
Next time you sit down to paint, try the colour corners challenge! Choose your yellow, red, and blue, and see what feelings and atmosphere you can create with them. I'd love to hear how it goes - email us a photo of your three-colour masterpiece, and we might feature it in our next newsletter!
Until next time, keep your palette simple and your creativity flowing!
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