Gray Day, Bright Triad

 

2/3/22 Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle pencils in Hahnemuhle sketchbook

After a few days of a much-needed, “partly sunny” reprieve, our weather has reverted to a normal, gloomy gray. To brighten my studio window view, I’m trying a new Caran d’Ache primary triad. I’m still using the same CMYK-based Lemon Yellow (240) and Purplish Red (350), but I’ve replaced Phthalocyanine Blue with Permanent Blue (670). In its dry state, Permanent Blue looks close to indigo, but water activation turns it into a warm, vivid blue that can be almost too intense if you’re not ready for it.

In each of these sketches, I put the largest block of color in the sky, which really changed the mood, don’t you think? To keep the color intense, I didn’t use my usual “licking” method for the sky, so the blue got a bit messy. But I’m going to keep going with this triad for a while – it pulled me right out of an overcast gray funk!

Are you tired of this view yet? Be grateful that I’m not still sketching apples as my primary triad tests. 😉

Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle primary triad:
Lemon Yellow (240), Purplish Red (350),
Permanent Blue (670). 

I keep a paper towel on the left side of my desk to
clean and dab excess water from my waterbrush.
After a few months, I change it, and I was about to,
but I snapped a photo first for those of you who like
to see how the sausage is made.