Paul Wang and I have discussed reducing the colours in our palette – in essence, to go on a colour detox. It is like going on a colour diet, going back to basics, revisiting colour mixing and challenging yourself with limitations. He recently set up a little kit for himself and I am doing the same.

So here is my colour detox palette…

• I am trimming down from 16 to 4 main colours – a primary triad (Hansa yellow med, carmine, French ultramarine) plus a ‘burnt sienna’.

and then I have 4 additional colours that I can rotate as I feel like…

• Quin Gold is just so useful for mixing greens help keep my yellow clean! yellow
• Cerulean Blue for neutral greys for white objects and the Australian blue sky
• Green Apatite and Indanthrone Blue… for a special reason that will be revealed later.

Using a pillbox from Diaso – I think those lids are going to get in the way but hope that they will keep my paint moist which is what I want.

BTW I am using my green sailor a lot these days for sketching and painting first before line…but note to self: writing with it is a little too unpredictable.

And here is the first sketch I did with this small kit… It was fun and I only really missed one colour – cobalt turq light… I can see that the green apatite is under threat already!!!!