Color Palette: Vincent Van Gogh

 

In Vincent van Gogh’s 1887 oil painting titled “Self-Portrait,” he uses a limited palette in a robust way.  The prominent colors are a blue-green and an orange-red. They are complimentary colors so they create even more intensity by being next to each other. In studying his use of color, it was fun to see how he plays with these two colors. 

In the background, he livens up the blue-green color by adding brushwork dabs of orange-red. In his orange-red beard he creates his shadows with the blue-green color. And his coat is created by combining the two colors. Like the whole painting it retains a warmth to it. Van Gogh is a master of color. You’ll find Vincent van Gogh’s painting at the Art Institute of Chicago. Here’s a link to their site for more information. Enjoy!