The Challenge Day 12: Triad High Key 2 with secondary colors

Publié le 6 juillet 2018 par Désiré Herman

Here we are in front of a triad with a strong personality.

The colors are secondary and I used for that an orange, a purple and a green.

Why "High Key" because the colors all have an average value barely exceeding 70%, it's darker than those of the triad No. 11 but if you have to glaze you risk losing the transparency.

Indeed, if we put too many layers of transparent colors we get a semi-opaque result or opaque.

For watercolor with this triad "High Key 2" secondary colors I used;

Quinacridone Gold: PO49 (Yes it's still the old formulation)
Violet Quinacridone: PV19
Emerald green: PG18

To achieve this triad I used paintings by Daniel Smith.

High Key 2 Triad with secondary colors by Daniel Smith

The mixtures produce a lot of tarnished hues.

The orange produces with purple browns and brick reds, but not bright orange colors.

Purple with emerald green varies from an anthracite blue or peacock, petrol to a dull purple to end up with a darker purple but not neutral as would mix this green with a neutral red or slightly warmer.

The results of the mixing of quinacridone gold with emerald green produce tarnished tones ranging from slightly dark turquoise green to olive green ending in an olive yellow.

By mixing the 3 colors we get interesting neutrals but not black.

Here is the color chart made with this triad High Key 2 side

And as for the previous one, I added a black and white version of the color chart to see the value of colors and mixtures.

Values of the color chart made with the High Key 2 triad

The watercolor I made with this triad is a sketch of the Abbey of Fontefroide near Narbonne.

Watercolor of The Abbey of Fontefroide by Désiré Herman using the triad High Key 2

I wanted to put in evidence of the possibilities of blends of tarnished greens and the power of quinacridone gold.

The only regret, I could not get a tarnished blue mixture of purple with green, something that I could achieve with the secondary triad of Day 5 (WInsor Violet and Green Phtalo blue shade).

Tomorrow another High Key, but with different possibilities with low value primary colors. Is it a guarantee to get brighter watercolors?

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 water and brushes are good friends.