Some months ago, I mentioned my use of a watercolour secondary palette of six paints in preference to the apparent dogma of a split primary palette. But my well-used Cotman Sketchers’ Pocket Box has 12 compartments. So what do I have in the other six compartments? (I know this is a popular discussion subject on Internet forums such as Wet Canvas.)
As supplied and after shuffling paints around to make the top/far row the secondary palette, the Pocket Box would then contain Sap Green, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber and Chinese White. Of these, I keep all but the Lemon Yellow and Chinese White.
Even though it seems a little weak, the Sap Green is a good starting point for mixing other foliage greens in landscapes. I like all the earth colours and use them frequently, even though other people have criticised the pigment load of the Burnt Sienna. They suit my way of working.
My current replacement for Lemon Yellow is PY129, called Green Gold by Winsor and Newton, and available by different names in other ranges. (Van Gogh have it as Azomethine Yellow.) It is a darkish green-yellow, and I thought it would be useful for mixing more landscape greens.
I couldn’t see the point of including Chinese White as a palette colour, as you would use white gouache if you needed to paint white areas, surely? Therefore, I have replaced it with Payne’s Gray to provide a convenience dark paint. But I rarely use it. At least it is there in case…
Up to now, my few paintings have used no more than a maximum of ten different paints on each, nor have I needed a colour that I have not been able to mix. This probably says more about my subject matter rather than the suitability of my palette, but it has worked for me so far.
