There is always a shade in between

What happens when you try to make a painting with one or two colors? There is always a shade in between. Do you fall short of colors or more specifically of shades? Are you not able to give the required effects that you plan to give? Just remember “there is always a shade in between”.

In the making of the painting, “Serenity”, only two colors black and white are used and rests are the shades in between. While making this painting there was a worry that how on earth will I get the required gradation of shades and the effects desired if the color palette is so limited.

One thing is for sure, nature is always abundant, whether you seek for blessings or for shades in case of painters. The challenge of using just black and white became an interesting adventure when there combination gave endless shades. Yes, you heard it right, there were infinite shades in between black and white; infinite shades of grey to be precise.

All that was required was to vary the quantity of white and black and the different shades were available. In fact, there was always a shade in between such that if I ran out of a shade on my color palette; it was difficult to remix the same shade as another new shade was produced to surprise me.

Although I started with just black and white and called it a limited palette, it indeed was an unlimited palette. It was just a matter of mixing in different proportions and voila, a different shade was formed.

Please note that here one of the color was white. However, if you plan to use two colors which are not white, you might end up getting a different color on mixing which you don’t intent to use. In this case, you can always use white to lighten or colors like prussian blue to darken and get a newer shade in between within the same family of colors.

Lessons that I learned working with limited colors and realizing there is always a shade in between:

• There is always a shade in between. You can never run out of shades.
• It’s a good idea to mix one shade in sufficient quantity as per expected need. Remixing to get the same shade could be a challenge.
• Going with the flow can also work well for you. Don’t be too stubborn to get a particular shade. Perhaps the shade that you got accidentally is a better choice than the one you visualized. Have fun with your art.
• Try to have separate brushes for different shades or else start with a new shade only when you finished using one shade.
• Even if there is minute difference between two shades, they can work wonders for your painting. It’s that subtle gradation that can make your painting stand out.
• Know what you are aiming for but don’t ignore changes that can be helpful. It’s paradoxical but it works.
• Lastly, don’t panic thinking you can’t bring about the required effects with limited colors. Remember there is always a shade in between to help you out.

Time to take action:

Take up the challenge. Go ahead and try making a painting in limited color palette (but unlimited shades in between). It’s an experience worth having!