This was a study with a limited palette, using colors I don't normally use. It was basically a Zorn palette, but I added Ultramarine Blue as well. I used Yellow ochre for my yellow, and normally I rarely use ochre. I prefer Indian yellow for its vibrancy and transparency.
I also used Alizarin Crimson, which is a color I've disliked for a long time. Alizarin Crimson is preferred by most painters, to the point where it is considered almost sacred! I can definitely paint without it. It's a muddy red, quite fugitive, and as such it does not mix well with other colors. I much prefer Permanent rose.
I also used black, which I refused to use for many years. But I'm actually beginning to like it as I grow older. Maybe because I am getting lazy. It's easy to create a cold dark, but a warm dark is a bit harder. Black makes it simple.
At any rate, using a limited and rather dull palette set the stage for what I was trying to create in this study, which was basically an old world look, like stepping into a drawing room of the late 1800's.
It's good to experiment with different palettes and techniques, and I feel like I've grown a lot since the days when I refused to put earthy ochre, ugly old black and muddy alizarin on my palette!
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