Challenge 14: The last of the High Key triads (4)

Publié le par Désiré Herman

This triad is very close to the previous one, but with this difference, we can get darker colors without getting very dark blacks.

The advantage of the Triads "High Key "is that they are transparent and produce bright colors. Their disadvantage is that you can not create a lot of contrast with them in a watercolor. Certainly, it is a handicap if we limit ourselves to these 3 colors, but by adding a blue or dark red one can face this problem.

 

For this last Triad "High Key 4" I used:     

  • Yellow Azo: PY151 (Good alternative to Aureoline Yellow)     
  • Quinacridone Magenta: PR202 (Same name as Blockx but other pigment composition)     
  • Manganese blue: PB15 (Less green than Daler & Rowney and darker) 
Triad High Key 4: Yellow Azo - Quinacridone Magenta - Manganese Blue by Daniel Smith
Triad High Key 4: Yellow Azo - Quinacridone Magenta - Manganese Blue by Daniel Smith

The mixes behave like those with the Triad High Key, but we see that the blue and magenta are slightly denser and produce more pronounced shadows.

 

In yellow mixture and Magenta, we observe that orange and red are less bright than with the previous Triad. This gives tones closer to the colors called "Earths", more neutral and duller.

 

Mixes of blue with magenta produce beautiful neutral blue, purple, lavender and mauve, but darker than with the triad High Key 3.

 

The blue-yellow mixture produces less natural greens than with the previous triad, so you have to add a little bit of red to the mix to create shades of natural green.

 

As for the mixture of three colors, we observe that we obtain neutrals well defined and if there is a dominant, and Umber and Siena like hue that are very natural (without granulation and very transparent), but it is very difficult to obtain a completely neutral shade.

Triad High Key 4 Study of mixtures and color chart
Triad High Key 4 Study of mixtures and color chart
Triad High Key 4 Monochrome Study of Color Chart Values
Triad High Key 4 Monochrome Study of Color Chart Values

As I have blue tits nesting under the roof of my house and they are already at their second nest, I had the opportunity to well observe. These small birds, so active and so tender colors, are an ideal subject to be painted with this subtle triad. So I show you the 3 most relevant stages of this painting :

First I painted the shadows and darks of a mixture of blue and magenta

Triad High Key 4 first step of the watercolor - Painting the shadows with the mixture Magenta & Blue Manganese
Triad High Key 4 first step of the watercolor - Painting the shadows with the mixture Magenta & Blue Manganese

Second stage : Painting first glazes

Triad High Key 4 second step of the watercolor - Painting the first glazes from light to dark. First the yellow, then the reds and at least the blues...
Triad High Key 4 second step of the watercolor - Painting the first glazes from light to dark. First the yellow, then the reds and at least the blues...

Last stage: adding details and contrasting

Challenge N°14 watercolor painting by Désiré Herman : "Blue Tit"
Challenge N°14 watercolor painting by Désiré Herman : "Blue Tit"

Tomorrow, I enter the dark, finished bright colors, bright and welcome shadows and heat.

 

If you want to see my achievements day-to-day but not commented, visit my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dezire.herman or the page of my Facebook group All about watercolour, tests, brands, techniques (ask to join because it is a closed group) on which I give more explanations ...

 

See you next time and do not forget the water and brushes are good.

Publié dans 1_paint_day

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