Let's Talk Limited Palette

I have been using a limited palette for well over a year, plein air painting in oils on a regular basis now. I like to keep it simple. I keep it simple because I believe that using a limited palette results in a more sophisticated look to the art. I use one yellow, one red, and one blue, along with white. If I am using a larger panel size with a busier scene, I may increase my colors to a split primary palette: a warm and cool version of each primary color. Occasionally, I add ivory black to create shades. The limited palette makes the painting more harmonious as far as color goes. I lean towards tonalism, minimalism in color, and even minimal subjects in my paintings. One thing that I have learned is that color theory is very complex. I have a long way to go to understand color theory. Oh my! A variety of color wheels, color mixing, harmony and analysis, color symbolism, color science, color contrasts, and value use. Whew! You could go down a deep rabbit hole for years studying Aristotle, Ptolemy, Grosseteste, Alberti, da Vinci, Newton, Goethe, Munsell, Albers...the list goes on and on...it's mind-boggling! And no, I have not studied all of these people in depth—just mentions of them in books or on the net. So, I will just keep it simple and change the combos of blue, red, and yellow to suit my mood and the weather. Now, get out there and paint, and see what you can do with your limited palette!

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