4 PAINT FROM the tube

Get used to handling saturated colours with Hashim Akib’s simple exercise

THE BENEFITS

If you’re afraid of strong colour, try using paint straight from the tube. It will give you a better understanding of how colours behave – and how to balance them.

THE PROCESS

Start by laying out a range of cool and warm colours. As well as the primary colours, it would help to have an earthy shade of either Yellow Ochre or

Burnt Sienna, a white, and a dark tone – in my example, I used a

Phthalo Green. I began by laying down my pure primary colours straight from the tubes to establish strength.

Only then should you work in other colours – light tints (a colour plus white) for highlights and a couple of mixed colours to link various elements, like Yellow Ochre mixed with Burnt Sienna for the tabletop. Immediately the pure pigment zings while the dark tones anchor the colours. Some details can be implied but try to avoid over-working as you’ll begin painting over those lovely rich pigments. Practising this exercise will also help you learn how to counterbalance rich colour with neutrals.

The other valuable lesson is discovering how well the colours work from a distance, as it is too easy to remain too close to your canvas. www.hashimakib.co.uk