Picking Colors For My Watercolor Palette - 2024

[@SusanChiang]

I'm curious, how do you go about selecting colors for your palette? (No wrong answers here, of course!)

[@rebeccapage4411]

Thank you for sharing your palette decisions and thought behind each one. A fun watch! I consider your insights valuable because I love both your style and subjects. I used a slightly different method for my everyday palette because I wanted the properties of certain pigments as much as the color. Thank you again for this video--it's a gem!

[@SusanChiang]

Adding in consideration for the *properties* of the pigments is a whole other level - I love that you did that too

[@Monardadidyma-g5q]

Really interesting. Well-described, too.

[@SusanChiang]

I’m glad you found it interesting too, I know I did when I learned about it.

[@Saahrish]

This is super helpful and informative. And it makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing all this and all the links as well

[@SusanChiang]

You're so welcome! And of course, happy to provide links to great resources that I've learned from!

[@maryalgar8779]

I always enjoy learning artists picks when it comes to colours, brushes etc. I had been eyeing that Monte Amiata, but think I can do with my current yellow/gold one. It is easy for me to fall into temptation of wanting more colours, so I have had to remind myself that more is not always better.

[@SusanChiang]

I love seeing what other artists use as well - but it can definitely be easy to fall into that temptation of buying more colors (I have fallen into that trap many times!) What color are you currently using out of curiosity - if you don't mind sharing?

[@maryalgar8779]

@@SusanChiang I have Daniel Smith's Quin Gold (and I believe the original formulation before they changed it). That is my warm yellow.

[@SusanChiang]

@@maryalgar8779 Oh yes, well that is a wonderful color - and I believe no longer available, so quite a prized pigment you have! I never used it - but I've heard!

[@maryalgar8779]

@@SusanChiang Most of my colours are M. Graham as these were more readily available and somewhat less expensive. M. Graham paints are honey-based (as you no doubt know) and the pigments are intense so a little goes a long way. When I first delved into watercolour, I was watching The Mind of Watercolor with Steve Mitchell and he was raving about M. Graham.

[@wynngwynn]

your color wheels aren't using the same colors t hough. Like the magenta on the 2nd one is a lot brighter than the first magenta. Same with green etc.

[@butacrafts]

Ahmmaaayyyziiinngg!! Now it all makes sense. I’ve started my palette following your last palette update. Guess it’s time to review and refresh!

[@SusanChiang]

I'm so glad it makes more sense to you too now! Hope you have fun refreshing your palette ;)

[@reedebrown6006]

Great video. Clearly explained and and demonstrated using the updated colour wheel. Really like the fact it shows you where the pigments lie on the wheel. Very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

[@SusanChiang]

Thank you - I'm glad that it came across clearly. And I agree - I really like the color wheel with the pigments mapped on it!

[@JoseGonzalez-wq5jd]

I’ve learned a lot on KZbin and Pinterest to be honest 😂 I like Jane Blundell’s starter suggestions, which she does in 3 colors, 4 colors, 5 and 6, I believe. The four color one probably suffices for hand picked tubes (py97, po71, pr122, pb15 red shade). I would add lunar black/mars black for texture/granulation and leave ultramarine out for a later discovery. I also like a set by you on Pinterest with ultramarine, rose and lemon yellow and three other colors. That’s a very good non toxic palette to start with. Most limited starter palettes are usually safe. I can’t remember my college tubes but I remember my color wheels had very moody near-black purples. My first professional set was over ten years later after I had quit art for years and that was Daniel Smith essential 6 and I’ve been obsessed with watercolors since then.

[@SusanChiang]

KZbin and Pinterest and the internet is full of information - lots to learn...too much sometimes! Jane Blundell is amazing too (I know I didn't mention her in the video but totally agree).

[@lindahigham5317]

Hello 🤗 Susan Thank you for sharing your Colour Palette Hope you don't mind but I took notes of it I really appreciate your videos Thank you Hope you have a Wonderful Week ☺️🌹💌🖌️🎨📚🦄🤗🩷🩷

[@SusanChiang]

Hi! You're so welcome - I put it here so that it could be of use for anyone who needs it :)

[@byronbest6368]

Wonderful presentation and explanation, Susan! This has led me on a new discovery related to color theory and use. I am relatively new to painting, with watercolor as my passion. Time to go through my paint supplies and analyze my palette.......but more importantly, to PAINT with my palette.!

[@SusanChiang]

So glad you found it useful! Lots to discover about colors - I am still learning as well...but as you mentioned - it's more important to actually use our paints :)

[@HeyLauraVan]

Wow! I learned SO MUCH from this video! I’d never heard that colors lose saturation when you mix them - but it makes what I’ve been seeing (and didn’t question) make sense! I learned so many things. FANTASTIC!

[@SusanChiang]

Yes! I feel like we know/see that colors lose saturation and are more dull but we don't often stop to think about it being an actual physical characteristic/result of paint mixing. If you're interested, highly recommend looking into the curved mixing paths of paint pigments (The Color Disk explains it well) My mind was blown when I found out you can actually estimate the path two colors take when mixed together!

[@ILoveFountainPensCdn]

This is EXTREMELY helpful! Thank you! I’m just beginning to learn. I’ve heard of colours having a warm or a cool bias. Out of curiosity, are the yellows, blues and red/magentas a combination of cools and warms or just one or the other? I really love bright paintings too and colours that stand out. I love the second colour wheel that you created with the additional secondary colours to make the brighter tertiary colours, so now you have a wider range. Thanks!

[@SusanChiang]

I'm glad you found the video helpful! And great quesiton about the warm/cool bias...I hadn't actually sat down to take a close look at this! My yellows are both warm, my blues and reds/magentas are a combination of both.

[@durgasarvepalli2355]

Thank you so much Susan for explaining color theory so beautifully...this has helped me to better choose and use the Colors in my pallete..

[@SusanChiang]

Oh my goodness thank you for such kind words - though I'm sure there are others who explain it much better than I did! But I'm very glad it was helpful!

[@nadinevandenhende8999]

Very very interesting!!! Thank you

[@SusanChiang]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sarajamal799]

Nice!

[@SusanChiang]

Thanks!