Struggling with Greens?

I think greens get a bad rap.

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of artists struggle with them.  Maybe what you’ve mixed looks washed out, instead of full of light?  Do all your mixes end up muddy and without life?  Or maybe you end up just going straight from the tube, and they’re too vibrant and unrealistic?  I’ve seen folks avoid certain subjects just because they’re full of greens!!  Or dull them all down to almost-greys so they don’t have to fuss so much with color.

I empathize. Greens are nuanced and highly variable.  What we call “green” takes up about the same amount of space on the color wheel as yellow, orange, scarlet, maroon, brown, yellow ochre, and more… combined!  Different trees and shrubs have different kinds of greens too.  And a lot depends on light!

I remember someone telling me that green paintings don’t sell, or that folks don’t hang them on their walls. Right then, in my bullheaded way, I knew this was a subject I wanted to excel at. And so I’ve spent the last 7 or 8 years trying my best to master them. Its a mad, crazy-making love affair. It’s a spring that never runs dry. The world is full of beautiful, joyous greens that open the heart. I want to celebrate that, not hide it away.

I’ve had people ask me to teach a class on greens for a long time, and I’ve decided it’s time to offer a 1-day all-day workshop by zoom. The inaugural class direct from my home studio to students! :) I’ve set things up to run it next Saturday, August 27th. Some of it will be technical (about pigments, and technique, and mixing and the color wheel) but a lot is about seeing, and comparing and understanding how we create light by juxtaposing “this” warm color next to “that” cool color.

If you’re interested in learning more, and studying with me in the future, be sure to sign up for my Art Learners list. I’ll be sending out notifications as new classes are developed. Follow this link- https://www.subscribepage.com/c1b3n2

I’ll be posting a more full-throated post on greens this Saturday, the 20th, introducing a lot of key concepts, so stay tuned!! And I’ll be doing a free zoom demo on Sunday the 21st all about greens as well. I’ll set that up and share the link on Saturday’s post. Then I’ll open up the sales cart on Monday for people who are interested in participating in the more in depth, paid class. I hope to talk to more of you on Saturday. I’ll be reading your comments for sure! :D