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Build a useful starter palette
Learn to build a compact painting palette that can mix a broad range of colour.
Start here
Learn to build a compact painting palette that can mix a broad range of colour. The aim is not to create one rigid rule, but to give you a dependable starting point you can test in your own practice.
The working principle: make the simplest useful decision first, then add complexity only when it improves the work or the business.
Practical checklist
- Choose warm and cool versions of key primaries when budget allows.
- Include a strong white and learn how it changes saturation as well as value.
- Mix colour charts once; they save enormous time later.
- Avoid reaching for black automatically—mix darks from complementary colours too.
What to do next
Try the advice on one real piece of work rather than redesigning your whole practice at once. Record what changed, what it cost and whether the result was genuinely better.