This is the second post in a series about painting color charts for all of the paint colors you have on your palette. See the first post for all the supplies you will need to get going on your charts.

Richard Schmid, in his book Alla Prima II, describes the process beautifully and has cool photos to go along. I wanted to definitely give this a try and I’m sharing the process in case you would like to create your own color charts.

My basic palette colors from left to right are as follows.

Cadmium yellow light, cadmium yellow deep, Indian yellow, yellow ochre pale, cadmium red light, terra rosa, alizarin crimson, transparent oxide red, viridian, cobalt blue, and ultramarine blue.

The Yellow Family

Today’s post is all about the yellow family. I have four yellows on my palette: cadmium yellow light, cadmium yellow medium, Indian yellow, and yellow ochre pale. For each chart pictured below, the color in the upper left is the dominant color of the chart and has been mixed with every other color on the palette.

Here is the cadmium yellow light chart. Look how shiny the bottom left corner is compared to the other colors. Everything is relative!

Cadmium Yellow Light Color Chart by Beth Cole

Below is the cadmium yellow medium chart. Do you see how it is overall a little darker and richer than the cadmium yellow light chart? It’s fun to compare.

Cadmium Yellow Medium Color Chart by Beth Cole

Next up is Indian Yellow. This is a transparent color so it comes alive when it is mixed with others and especially when you add just a little white so you can see it in full glory. It is a great color for painting sunshine.

Lastly is the yellow ochre pale chart. Yellow ochre is an earth color and boy can you see the earthiness rippled through the other colors? Look how it grays down the reds and the greens. I like to use yellow ochre to mix greens so they don’t look artificial. Nature has a beautiful color scheme if we can look closely enough.

Yellow Ochre Pale Color Chart by Beth Cole

This completes our tour of the yellow family. The next post I’ll talk about reds, those charts were fun to paint.

Have you started on your charts yet?

Thanks for reading, take good care now.

-Beth Cole
Soli Deo Gloria

PS. There’s still time to register for my online painting class, The Painted Prairie! The doors open on April 24th. Here’s the trailer and more information.

PPS. Thank you to those who have bid on my three pieces at the MONA Spirit Auction, still open until noon on Friday, April 17th. Take a look at all the beautiful art!

Art + Such Blog by Beth Cole

Painting Your Own Color Charts, Part II

The Yellow Family