When approaching a new painting, I start with a limited palette of colors and select tools that allow me to capture the essence of my subject. In this lesson, I’ll walk you through the colors, brushes, and techniques I rely on to bring my artwork to life.

Setting Up My Palette: Essential Colors for Depth and Vibrance

Every color on my palette serves a specific purpose, allowing me to create a rich, harmonious painting. Let’s go over each of them and explore why they’re essential.

Titanium White: The Foundation of Light

Titanium White is my go-to for adding light and dimension. Among the various shades of white, this one stands out for its neutral tone—it’s neither too warm nor too cool. I love its thick consistency, which adds a solid foundation to mixes without altering the color temperature. Titanium White is definitely the tube of paint that I go through the fastest!

Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue: Bright, Safe, and Versatile

Don’t be alarmed by the word ‘cadmium’ here - whenever you see ‘cadmium hue’, it means that paint has been formulated to mimic the color cadmium provides without actually containing dangerous heavy metal. I often turn to cadmium yellow pale hue for vibrant highlights. This bright, cool-toned yellow can really enhance highlights, especially when painting elements like a sunlit horse’s mane, where I need a touch of brilliance.

Watch my MasterDemo to learn more.

Cadmium Yellow Deep Hue: Richness for Bold Highlights

Sometimes, a scene calls for intense, unapologetic warmth, and that’s when I reach for Cadmium Yellow Deep Hue. It’s one of the few colors I might occasionally use straight from the tube, especially for bold sunspots or dramatic highlights. This vibrant orange can bring a unique intensity to a piece.

Cadmium Red Hue and Alizarin Crimson: Building Warmth and Depth

For reds, I keep both Cadmium Red Hue and Alizarin Crimson on hand because each offers a different quality. Cadmium Red is opaque and warm, whereas Alizarin Crimson is cool and transparent red. Different areas of the painting call for different paint transparencies, and I like the flexibility that having both of these paints available gives me.

Burnt Sienna: My Go-To Earth Tone

Burnt Sienna is indispensable for me—I use it to prime my canvas, providing a warm, earthy base that helps set the mood of the artwork. For subjects like horses, especially sorrels and bays, Burnt Sienna is essential. Having an earthy color like this on your palette can be a lifesaver when you know how to use it.

French Ultramarine and Prussian Blue: The Balance of Subtlety and Boldness

I rely on two different shades of blue: French Ultramarine and Prussian Blue. French Ultramarine is a classic true blue, and when mixed with Alizarin Crimson, becomes the deepest shadows in all of my paintings (I never use Black paint!). Prussian Blue, however, is much more intense and leans almost teal, which is ideal when I want a particularly vibrant pop of blue. A little Prussian Blue goes a long way, and just a touch here or there can help push your colors to right where you need them.

Sap Green: The All-Purpose Green for Natural Scenes

Sap Green is the only green on my palette. Its warm, organic tone is perfect for landscapes, foliage, and backgrounds. Even though I may not use it in every painting, when working on scenes with trees, grass, or greenery, Sap Green is essential for capturing the natural depth and hues of vegetation.

Tools of the Trade: My Palette, Medium, and Brushes

With my colors ready, the next step is choosing tools that complement my style. Each tool serves a unique purpose in my workflow, from mixing to application.

Glass Palette: Easy Maintenance for Clean Colors

A glass palette is a must for me due to its ease of cleaning. It’s a smooth surface for premixing my paint, and it’s very easy to clean off with a razor scraper even if the leftover paint has dried. For artists who paint frequently, glass palettes offer an efficient and practical way to maintain a clean workspace.

Terpenoid as My Medium: Keeping Texture Rich and True

For medium, I only use a dash of odorless Turpenoid, which allows me to thin the paint slightly without losing its integrity. While many artists use and love oil based mediums, I like the texture and thickness of paint straight from the tube. This approach allows me to maintain bold brushstrokes and rich, impasto textures that would be harder for me to achieve with paints that have been diluted with medium.

My Brush Collection: Minimalism Meets Versatility

When it comes to brushes, I keep things simple and purposeful. Here’s a breakdown of my favorites and why I rely on each one.

Brights (Square Brushes): Clean Lines for Defined Edges

Brights, with their square shape, are fantastic for creating clean, straight edges. I use them often for subjects like the mane of a horse, where precise strokes can suggest the direction and texture of the hair. They’re especially useful for areas that require defined, bold lines.

Filberts (Oval Brushes): The All-Purpose Workhorse

Filbert brushes are my go-to because of their versatility. With their oval-shaped tips, they can handle both broad strokes and more refined areas, making them ideal for organic shapes and curves. I rely on Filberts for almost everything, as they allow me to transition smoothly between different areas without switching brushes constantly.

Rounds for Detail: When Precision Counts

For finer details, I have a few round brushes. While I try to avoid over-detailing, sometimes a small round brush is essential for adding intricate touches, like a horse’s bridle or tack. These brushes give me control in tight areas but are only used sparingly to maintain a bold, expressive style overall.

Keeping Colors Pure: The Art of a Clean Brush

A key part of my process is keeping colors clean and distinct. Oil paints can easily become muddy if you’re not careful, so I make a habit of wiping my brush frequently—sometimes after every stroke. This approach lets me control each layer’s purity and avoid unintended blends.

Building Rhythm and Momentum in My Painting Process

In Alla Prima painting, rhythm and momentum are everything. By preparing my colors and tools ahead of time, I can maintain a steady flow, focusing fully on the painting itself rather than on repeated setup. I also prefer using a printed reference photo rather than a screen, as colors can appear different on a backlit device, making the mixing process much more frustrating than it needs to be.

Each choice in my setup—color, brush, palette, and medium—serves a purpose in helping me stay focused, efficient, and true to my vision. With my palette and brushes laid out, I’m ready to dive into the creative process and see where this painting journey takes me.