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EXERCISE 1:
Finding the Vibrant Grays

Sometimes I paint with only three colors.
A good way to simplify the process and unify the painting.
The three acrylic primaries used here are
Hanza Yellow Medium, Napthal Red Light and Ultramarine Blue.

START WITH THE COLOR WHEEL.  PUT THE THREE PRIMARIES IN PLACE.
NOW MIX THE SECONDARIES AND TERTIARIES.
USE A PALETTE KNIFE AND CLEAN IT OFTEN.

WE NOTICE SEVERAL THINGS.  ACRYLICS DON'T COVER VERY WELL.
THE SECONDARIES AND TERTIARIES ARE NOT AS INTENSE OR SATURATED
AS THE ONES WE CAN BUY.  COMPARE OUR DULL GREEN WITH
THALO GREEN, FOR EXAMPLE.  ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN WOULD
WE NEED INTENSE COLOR IN A REALISTIC PAINTING?  NOT VERY OFTEN!

IN FACT, FOR LANDSCAPES, PORTRAITS AND ANY PICTURE WHERE
REALISM IS IMPORTANT WE ARE USUALLY MUCH BETTER OFF USING LESS INTENSE COLOR.
ANOTHER NAME FOR LESS INTENSE COLOR IS "GRAY".  COLORS CAN BE GRAYED
BY MIXING THEM WITH BLACK AND WHITE, OR EVEN BETTER BY MIXING A COLOR
WITH IT'S COMPLIMENT.  THOSE ARE THE GRAYS YOU WANT TO PAINT WITH.  AND THAT
IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXERCISE...TO FIND OUT WHAT GRAYS CAN BE MADE WITH
THESE THREE PRIMARIES. 

NOW FILL IN THE CHART.  IF IT'S HARD TO TELL WHAT THE COLOR IS
USE A TOUCH OF WHITE, JUST ENOUGH SO YOU CAN SEE THE
COLOR IDENTITY.  THIS IS ENOUGH TO GET THE IDEA.  YOU COULD
MIX MANY MORE GRAYS NO DOUBT.

IN THEORY COMPLIMENTS SHOULD, IN THE RIGHT PROPORTIONS,
CANCEL ONE ANOTHER AND MAKE A NEUTRAL GRAY.  INSTEAD WE GET AN INTERESTING
BROWN.  EITHER THE COLORS WE HAVE CHOSEN ARE NOT TRUE PRIMARIES,
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR COLOR WHEEL, WE DIDN'T MIX
THE SPECTRUM COLORS VERY WELL OR ALL THREE.  FOR PRACTICAL
PURPOSES IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, BECAUSE BY COMPLETING THE COLOR CHART
WE HAVE DISCOVERED MANY INTERESTING GRAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE USE OF
IN OUR NEXT PAINTING.  AND THEY ARE ALL RELATED TO EACH OTHER
BECAUSE THEY ALL CONTAIN THE SAME THREE COLORS.