First Green Lake Color (and Fresh Fall Palette)

 

9/16/24 Green Lake

As mentioned a few days ago, I have embraced the coming of fall, and what better way to do that than to check out my favorite sweet gums at Green Lake? They were only just beginning to show some yellow and orange at their very tops, and the mid-afternoon light caught them well. In another month, they’ll be at their peak.

Color notes: Also as mentioned previously, it was time to freshen my watercolor pencil palette, especially since I hadn’t been using it much with my minimal-color comics approach lately. Instead of the CYM triad I’ve been in love with the past couple of years, I chose a more traditional primary triad as well as a secondary triad with two greens – one warm, one cool. I don’t need to mix much with this complete rainbow, though I did mix the secondary triad to see what it’s like.

The pencils are all Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelles plus a couple of Derwent Inktense. I had gotten a little too dependent on my go-to colors, so it was fun to shake things up by changing every watercolor pencil in my usual palette. I’m a little uncertain about the warm green I chose – Inktense Olivine (1340) – which isn’t as warm as my all-time favorite Museum 245. But it’s good to shake things up  – even in the more traditional direction!

New fall palette