How to Paint in Four Colors With Oils

Use primary colors for a limited palette.

Four colors is a very limited palette for an oil painting; however, you can approximate a full palette by selecting the right colors. Here, the superior choices are yellow, red and blue (the primary colors) along with white. This will leave the darkest end of the spectrum out, but you'll have access to a broader palette than with any other four colors. You can't create the primary colors by mixing. You must have these to start. By adding white, you'll have useful pastels on your palette. Once you have prepared the palette, paint normally.

Things You'll Need

• Palette
• Palette knife
• Paint brushes
• Solvent (mineral spirits)
• Pencil
• Canvas

Instructions

1. Squeeze around a tablespoon of each of the four colors onto the palette.

2. Mix one-third of the red with one-third of the yellow. This creates orange.

3. Mix one-third of the red with one-third of the blue. This creates purple.

4. Mix one-third of the blue with one-third of the yellow. This creates green.

5. Mix a small amount of the remainder of the blue and red together. Add a smaller amount of yellow to neutralize it. This will be a brownish dark color to use for shadows.

6. Sketch out your subject in pencil. Draw directly on the canvas.

7. Paint as you would with a full palette. Start with lighter colors, adding white to your premixed colors. The final result will be more muted because mixed colors aren't as luminous as rich hues from the tube, but it will have a natural color harmony.

References

• Color Matters: Color Theory
• Indiana University Southeast: Oil Painting
• "The Oil Painting Book"; Bill Creevy; 1999