More Reasons to Love the Best Black

  This entry was originally posted on Monday, March 5, 2012 

There are so many reasons to love the mixture of French Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna for your blacks.

One is that you can vary your black between the warm and cool and give it life.

This can be seen in the window behind the portrait of Harold.

If it were just black, it wouldn't be as interesting and it would look like a black hole.

Harold

My greys in the wood are also done with the US combo.  

Another reason to love this combination is that both French Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna granulate and push and pull each other. I love that!! 

Knowing this, I can use it in places where I want texture.

For instance, I use it for rocks like below.

 

The Best Black becomes the Best Grey

   This entry was originally posted on Saturday, March 3, 2012

Now that you know how to mix a good black, you can make an even more fabulous grey.

Just add water to your US (French Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna) mixture and you now have grey.

To make it a warm grey, add more of the brown (burnt sienna).

To make a cool grey, add more blue (french ultramarine)

Mixing The Two Must Have Colors

Illustration of Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Blue

For this illustration, I chose to have my hand painted and the brush and colors to be the photo.

Here is the painted version:

Here is the photo: