sketchbookTHE COLOUR
A dark emerald green leaning towards teal.
The name comes from the Latin word for
green: viridis.THE PROPERTIES
Viridian is an inorganic pigment made from
chromium oxide dihydrate. It has a high
permanence and tends to dry incredibly fast.THE USES
First created in Paris in 1838, Viridian was
initially used as a replacement to poisonous
Emerald Green. Though a seemingly unnatural
hue, it is highly versatile in the mix, blending with
Cadmium Red for a warm grey or Cadmium
Yellow for an autumnal green.EXPAND YOUR PALETTE
Discover a new colour every month
VIRIDIAN
BOOK OF
THE MONTHYou Can Paint Dazzling
Watercolors in Twelve
Easy Lessons by
Yuko Nagayama
This Japanese watercolourist’s paintings capture
natural subjects in an often-shimmering light, yet her
methods are rigorously organised despite this organic
fi nish. Across fi ve chapters (there is oddly no mention of
the dozen lessons inside the book), she uses complex
fl ow charts to decide background colours, breaks down
mixes into easy-to-follow sums, and crafts beautiful
step-by-step demonstrations.
Harper Design, £12.99Discover the painting techniques
of the world’s best artists
Dame Elizabeth Blackadder became fascinated by Japan in her later
career, visiting many times from 1985 onwards. 2011’s False Palm
(Shadow) and Kimono [above] not only depicts Japanese objects but
also demonstrates an Eastern approach to composition and a Zen-like
sense of space that we can learn from.
By avoiding the temptation to centre her composition on a single object
and cropping other elements, she encourages our eye to move around the
image in unexpected ways, adding further interest. The tall-and-narrow
portrait format further echoes ukiyo-e prints. If you struggle with
composition, try borrowing an existing layout from a painting or photo you
like and replace all the elements with objects or people personal to you.
Elizabeth Blackadder: From the Artist’s Studio runs from 29 March to 12 June at
Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery, Basingstoke. http://www.hampshireculture.org.uk
© THE SCOTTISH GALLERYELIZABETH BLACKADDER
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