Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ocean Color--Original Seascape Painting

Most of the time when I paint water, the colors feel exaggerated. After all, I live in the Pacific Northwest where the sky is often gray and rain visits often. We don't have water that is ultramarine blue or any of the other available blue paint that I own. Since I can never seem to get the color right, I've abandoned painting seascapes for some time now. But, then I remembered a little exercise from the past and tried it on this little 5x7 inch oil painting. My palette is limited to Chromatic Black, Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, and Yellow Ochre. The trick is that there is no blue, but the shades of gray take on the appearance of blue. Finally, the color of the sea off the Pacific Northwest Coast! It was a good reminder that an artist can do a lot with a limited palette.


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6 comments:

Ross Lynem said...

I like this one. The texture in the painting is terrific. That style greatly appeals to me. Nicely done!

Nancy Merkle Fine Art said...

Thanks, Ross. I'm glad you find it appealing!

Unknown said...

I not only find the painting wonderful, but the limited palette is incredible. No blue, yet I see blue all thru your wonderful painting! Great job!!

Nancy Merkle Fine Art said...

Thanks, Beth. The limited palette is definitely a trick for the eyes. Seems like blue to me, too.

Lori Bonanni said...

Great job without using blue - very effective. I'm going to have to try this as my seascapes are always too blue.

Coral Barclay said...

Interesting about the blue, I also live in the NW and paint lots of water, but i love blue so much i paint it anyway, Yours is much truer to the real colour of the water of northern water.