How Luc Tuymans Uses Complementary Colors: Palette and Color Study of 'The Rabbit'

In this video I explore the contemporary artist Luc Tuymans's enigmatic painting 'The Rabbit', and use it to show how two-color mixing can be used for complementary colors by mixing the palette and producing a Color Study.
Along the way we will see what a great painter Tuymans is, and how his work shares surprising similarities with Cezanne in his brushwork, color choice and way of laying down paint.
The palette I use is quite small:
- yellow ocher
- burnt sienna
- ultramarine blue
- phthalo blue
- titanium white
but this is enough to mix a wonderful range of subtle, shifting grays and browns. I also explain the place of complementary colors in Color Theory, and how to work out which colors to choose for the gray that you want mix.
I hope you enjoy this! Please don't forget to subscribe and like, and as always I will be sure to respond to any observations or questions that you leave in the Comments section.

[@outtour7518]

Brilliant videos, as a art student at uni this channel really expands my mind and my painting, thanks so much, also can’t wait for the Lucian videos, his palette has always escaped me..one of my favourite painters.

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

Thanks for your comment. I am so pleased you are enjoying and learning from them. Have a good Xmas

[@retromodernism1799]

Fascinating and deeply satisfying to watch you mix your colours !

[@ianellis9115]

Thanks for such a encouraging comnent

[@elizabethpadua1381]

Hi Ian! Thanks for showing how to mix grays with burnt sienna and blues. Really nice grays!

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

Hi Liz
Good to here from you. Thanks for the positive comment.
I look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future

[@wendyjackson270]

Thanks so much am really into trying to mix subtle colours and so helpful to know how to arrange the palette. Look forward to learning more. WJ

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

It is a pleasure. Have a good xmas
Ian

[@robcap88]

So helpful and inspiring! Thank you!

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

thanks robcap88

[@joannelamb9908]

Thanks again for another really interesting tutorial.
Will have a go.
All best over Christmas.xjo

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

thanks Jo
I hope you enjoy your xmas
.It’s been a tough year for you and us all so I am glad you are enjoying my videos

[@user-tc1ii7wl6u]

Thank you🙏🙏

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

It is a pleasure

[@flisjohnstone]

I am enjoying your videos and finding them tremendously helpful. When you use the term 'liquid' are you referring to straight linseed oil or linseed oil mixed with turpentine or just random medium in general? Can you discuss mediums in your demos if it is applicable to the artist? I find mediums very confusing and complicated. Can address how these great artists used mediums in their work?

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

Hi Sherry,
Traditionally the two mediums used to thin paint are linseed oil and turpetine. They are used to creatte a finish. If you just use turps the painting will dry matt and the colours will fade. If you just use linseed oil the painting when dry will have a gloss finish and the quality of the colour is retained.
Most painters, including myself prefer a sheen fonish with the same kind of sheen as skin orvegg shell.To have this finish you need to mix turps with the linseed oil with 3 parts oil and one part turps.
I now use Zest-it istead of turps. As Zest- it is stronger than turps
, to get the egg shell finish you need 5 parts of linseed oil with I part Zest.
Any medium you use is used the same way as a watercolourist will use water.
See my Cezanne video as a example of how important the medium is.
i hope this is clear and I will talk about this more when doing the videos.

[@christophedevos3760]

I think he uses a more runny paint. He does watercolor studies before his paintings if I understood correctly.

[@ianellis9115]

Yes I agree. If I did it again I would use a bit more linseed oil mixed with the paint
Thanks

[@audratolbert-martin1973]

❤

[@Musique750]

Thanks a lot Ian for sharing this constructive video ! It s very helpful and instructive 🙏🏻 Tuymans palette was a clue to me ! Do you think you could be interested in explaining Josef Albers squares ? I find them fascinating ! F.T

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

Hi Flora,
I add Albers Squares to my list of videos. I will be setting up on line art classes soon if you are still interested.

[@Musique750]

@@GreatArtistsSteal Hi Ian ! Thanks for your quick answer! I am excited about it ! Yes I am still interested :)
Have a nice evening !

[@BeautyIsSkinDeep8]

Could you do a tutorial on skin tones is there a simple way to differentiate different skin tones?

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

Hi Sam
I think I should cover this when I do the old master palette videos. Good tomhear from you. Merry Xmas.

[@BeautyIsSkinDeep8]

@@GreatArtistsSteal thankyou, Merry Christmas

[@joannelamb9908]

Hi! Ian. Hope all is well. Could you email me. Thank youxxx

[@stephengambello24]

Your pronunciation "color" sounds a lot like "killer"...just saying...

[@GreatArtistsSteal]

you are not the first person to say this but it maybe to do with the sound of the film being a bit sharp. No one has said this to mebwhen I am teaching