The three-primary palette

Mixing colours and balancing tonal values is a fundamental part of painting. Whether you prefer to match the colours you see or create your own colour scheme, the ability to achieve the colour you want is an essential skill to learn. There are many different theories relating to colour palettes and in this series I’m going to cover three basic variations for landscape painting in oil.

Basic palette

A basic three primary palette has some distinct advantages for landscape painting, from making your kit lighter when you are outside painting to helping achieve a harmony across your work. It’s also a great way to focus on colour mixing and the effects of colour theory.

Artists often select three primaries that sit in the middle of their range on the colour spectrum. Different paint manufacturers will have their own advice on which colour in their range is closest to that perfect primary. However, rather than focus on the perfect selection, select the colours