Using black to really make your colours sing

[@user-vx6rv2wj1v]

Oh my gosh, exactly what I needed to see and hear right now! I'm a (self-teaching) beginner and love the olive greens, golds and bronzey tones, which always come out looking too bright and unnatural for me even when I mix them. I'm headed straight to my sketchbook after watching this, and for sure getting my black out! Thanks so much, Louise.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Also, try different blacks for different shades - so much fun :)

[@user-vx6rv2wj1v]

@@ThisPaintingLife Ok, I'm on it!

[@michellepearce7887]

Thank you Louise, this was a great learning experience in mixing paints & finding such a wide variety of colours in doing so - love it! Cheers, Michelle from Australia

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it! ❤

[@johanneBedard]

🤩Louise Fletcher, you make me feel happy each time I am listening to you or reading your posts. Thank you!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww thank you Johanne ❤

[@cherylhopkins5110]

Wow! I've been told by so many fellow artists not to use black. This is truly a game changer. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I'm self taught except for watching your incredible videos - thank you!!

[@debbieretzlaff2912]

Of course we need black! Agreed, no rules❣️

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Black is such an amazing color to work with. We should never be scared to try it out. ❤

[@juliebabb3365]

your enthusiasm always convinces me. The afternoon has turned dreary so what could be more fun than mixing greens?!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww so glad I could help to convince you to pick up that brush!

[@janinafisher101]

Interesting to see this show up in my feed just now. I'm in FYJ and have just been doing some painting based on the assignment of using 1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, plus black and white, and I absolutely love the combination of yellow with black. In fact I loved the muted colours this mix made so much that I did a couple of abstract paintings that I'm really enjoying. I usually paint with bright colours, but there is something so sensuous and grown up about these colours compared to my "childish" brights that I'm really really loving them!

[@judykane7682]

So much good stuff in this video! Thanks Louise!❤❤

[@susandelaney858]

Thanks!! I also find black in an abstract painting is anchoring.

[@stanapetrasek232]

Miss Louise, You're the best teacher ever! I've learned so much from you already and learn something every time I watch you teach us. : )

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Awww thank you so much for your kind words. ❤

[@naza7722]

Thank you for a full vindication of black in painting. ❣️

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Yes 🙏

[@sanaedvorjetz4809]

Hi Louise, Thank you for the useful tips for colour mixing with black. There are different types of black , such as Ivory Black, Lamp Black, Mars Black, and Carbon Black. I wondered which one you used for this video. 👍😊

[@christinewyndham-woodroffe9422]

Be fun to try out the different blacks to see what happens. 😊

[@ThisPaintingLife]

This one is Mars Black but that really doesn't matter - the idea would be to experiment with the ones you have to see for yourself what happens x

[@ingunnelverum007]

Love black now🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Me too! Glad you joined the dark side haha

[@artmel7395]

Beautiful tip Louise!!! Thank you 💚☘️💚🐸 Love from Bretagne 🌈

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kateveneroso5754]

You are right on the mark, my kind lady! I love black, but their are two blacks, cold and warm, but black is our friend! This is such a wonderful video, damn you have made me smile again! You are a hero of mine!

[@donnadold2448]

I always seem to struggle over greens so this is very useful...thanks Louise

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@maryweir2494]

I love these colour mix videos you've made for us

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Awww glad you are enjoying them Mary! ❤

[@kathrynmoon8793]

Your first combination of the fluorescent orange looked like lava! So many complimentary colors by simply adding black/white👍😃

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Right? It's so pretty together. ❤

[@philippaking1732]

Thank you, Louise, for these wonderful tips on using black. And yes, I always read your newsletters which are very helpful and encouraging. 💛🖤❤🖤🧡🖤

[@liseovery1413]

Thank you Louise …..

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome! ❤

[@learnrelearn]

Thank you, nice again for wonderful information, examples and enthusiasm!!!!

[@learnrelearn]

Whoops - once again. And it’s nice, too.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it! ❤

[@leslieharris9088]

I always used a black board when making interior design presentations to clients, because everything looked so much better.

[@ruthwatkins4901]

I love using black too. Thanks Louise

[@debbrown721]

Another helpful video,Thanks

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You're welcome!

[@marybalagia513]

Great information! Thank you!❤

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome ❤

[@emmadobson1108]

Thankyou louise

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@debtempleton9424]

Thanks Louise. Great video as usual. You explain things so well. Cheers.

[@margauxv25]

Great lesson. Thanks so much

[@ThisPaintingLife]

My pleasure!

[@ellenbrandson]

My favourite black is black gesso and I LOVE painting over parts of the black to a)intensify the richness of the colour on top & b) to show up as cracks between my colour blocks strengthening the value of the painting. 😃. Using for desaturation also works wonders, thank you Louise!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Yes for sure :)

[@sosleegs4783]

Love it!!!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@AnneWood-wn3hv]

Exactly! I love black too. Thanks Louise xx

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome Anne!

[@AnneDubber]

So cool..you are so practical-thanks!In my artclass I never did these trainings...

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome and I am glad you are enjoying them. ❤

[@windacollins29]

🖤🖤🖤

[@ElinorStudio]

Good video Louise!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thank you so much!

[@connieweber5817]

Thanks Louise. You really help all of us so much with all of your Sunday tips. Love them. Connie

[@ThisPaintingLife]

So glad you enjoy them Connie! ❤

[@irenapopiolek5141]

Fascinating, thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom, Louise.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@debbiegarland7124]

Thanks Louise, I can never get the greens I want, will practice this, cheers 😊

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You’re welcome 😊

[@JOHNOGRADY-un2ft]

Your posts are AMAZINGLY helpful,thank you.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

I'm glad you think so! ❤

[@grannyanri2521]

What black are you using today? Do you get similar results with say, Mars, Ivory, Lamp Black, Carbon Black?

[@ulrikejackson_kreativ]

Yes, let's break all these rules.🥳 I always love your earthy greens. Thank you, Louise!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you loved it and heck yes to breaking all the rules!! 😍

[@ulrikejackson_kreativ]

@@ThisPaintingLife 🙌❤️

[@patriciawhite4850]

I found this so enlightening! Very clear and helpful. Thank you. Great lesson. 🥰

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robertswift4678]

I learned more in 5mins with Louise than a year any other way. Game changer. THANK YOU!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Awww thank you for such kind words ❤

[@marasteiner4346]

That's Amazing!!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Awww thank you!

[@CamLek-x8v]

Very clear and useful! Thanks, Louise!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You're so welcome!

[@robinhorasanian9667]

Your videos always have great tips!

[@valerieallenart7266]

Thank you very much for this info on black. I usually use pyrrole red as an underpainting but now I'm wanting to use black for a change of pace.

[@elmomarilyn]

Thank you Louise, brilliant black!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thank you for watching. ❤

[@debcousins5077]

Wow! Thanks for the demo! I feel inspired to experiment afresh! 🎉

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching 😀

[@janetgoodwin9113]

Thanks, Louise. I did not know this. I will definitely do this.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad it was helpful! Keep me posted on how it turns out!

[@thompson_jules0]

Gorgeous colour swatches and such valuable information, thank you for sharing Louise🖤

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@rebeccacarina437]

Such an important process to understand and experiment with. Thanks!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Yes it is and you are so welcome! ❤

[@mos8756]

Thank you! I appreciate all I learn from you.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww and I appreciate you being here! 😍

[@mizdori]

Thanks for these great tips. Off to the studio to play with them now. 😊

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Have fun!

[@sallynicol4737]

I used black to make some collages sing and then mixed the most amazing green. I can remember my art teacher saying black was not allowed and she sat me down to paint a black singer sewing machine. It was a good exercise but I love black too.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

So many things can be done with black or shades of ❤

[@magnoliabird]

Thank you for this really fundamental lesson. I really don't know enough about colour mixing.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome! ❤

[@dellplummer5173]

You made all my favourites 😊

[@ThisPaintingLife]

😍

[@annebrunelle3305]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience !

[@ThisPaintingLife]

My pleasure! 😀

[@thaliasmusings]

This was great!

[@DebraMarchArt]

Very helpful Louise. This will greatly assist me in resolving a large landscape painting that needs a bit of zippity greenery.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad I could help Debra! ❤

[@LIFESaWONDER]

This is great, Thank you.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@cydengel]

Oh brilliant! And perfect to try before my travel to Italy with a very limited palette! Thank you so very much for such a succinct and to the point lesson…

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@priscillawrites6685]

always thinking outside the box

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Absolutely!

[@annieeatch9014]

That was interesting thank you

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it ❤

[@sarawelder1]

I have always thought that people who "never use black" are pedants. Like those who only have white wine with fish and chicken and red wine only with red meat. By sticking to these " truths" we deprive ourselves of so much pleasant variety in our lives.

[@tracyburcham7350]

Interesting and helpful!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad to hear it :)

[@margaretmcdonald8029]

Hi Louise brilliant content. Please do a video on lightening colours without them looking chalky on the work. Please, please

[@cynthiathomas262]

i really like your short video that onlt covers a small amount of info; it's easier to learn in small amounts.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it Cynthia!

[@FrL659]

Hello Louise. Thank you for this video. I had ended up feeling « guilty « using black in my paintings 😮

[@ThisPaintingLife]

~Now you can have fun with it!

[@MaureenMo71]

So interesting. Thank you. I do have a slight phobia about using black.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

But you shouldn't! Black is such a wonderful color to work with. ❤

[@MaureenMo71]

@@ThisPaintingLife Ok, I'll try it and look for contrast. Thanks for the encouragement!

[@Engelhafen]

Ugh I was always told to stay away from black - I prefer compliments

[@katerose8393]

Louise, do you use mixing white or titanium white usually? I got both because i get through so much of it, but i find that the mixing white isn’t actually great for very pale tints, i kind of end up with what looks like pva glue with a hint of colour! In fact i was wondering whether the mixing white is actually basically just medium?!

[@sarahlewis2172]

Thanks ….loved this lesson. What kind of black do you use ….is it always the same ?

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Honestly I use whatever I have laying around. 😂

[@audreylauwers8795]

❤🙏❤️

[@ThisPaintingLife]

❤ Glad you enjoyed it.

[@Engelhafen]

Your black probably has a blue base anyway

[@dalehiggins6322]

Black is a basic for me, I begin with black and I end with black and white!!! Rules Blah!!!!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Yes. Just say no to all the rules! ❤