How to Keep your Colours Vibrant

I’m often asked how I select my colours and keep them so bright, so here are a few pointers for any budding artist out there:

1. I lay any transparent colours I want to shine onto a white background; otherwise, you have to add white for them to show, and of course, white turns the colour into a pastel colour

2. I try and keep my colours separate on my palette to avoid cross-contamination if you get a hint of blue into my orange, I’m going to de-saturate it, and it will lose its vibrancy

3. Always have clean water and brushes. I try and change my water on a regular basis to ensure the colour of the water doesn’t contaminate my paint

4. In this particular piece, I laid a ground colour of pink; I then created contrast with hints of blue

5. Often, colours pop when laid next to the right one, so for example, if I want a red to stand out, I may lay it next to a toned-down green

If you’d like more tips on colour and other aspects of painting, be sure to subscribe from the link in my bio, or if you’d like to view the piece on my site again, it’s in the bio.

Happy painting!