SHADES OF AUTUMN

| gaiainaction

The colours of the autumn season, in all their different browns have all got beautiful and inspiring names I think, as inspiring as their shades  differ in hues and in the energy they emanate. I guess we associate browns very much with the mellow and misty autumn season, the shades of amber, ochre, sepia, chestnut, burnt sienna, russet, bronze, copper, and tawny to name only a few can usually be found in a variety of autumn leaves, a beautiful pallet.  Many painters have used browns to good advantage, among them Caravaggio of whom I recently admired two original works in the cathedral in Valetta. He very effectively used browns to create his wonderful shadows.  Anton Van Dyke used browns also, he used a brown called Cassel Earth, it was made up mainly of decayed vegetable matter. Iron oxide though is the most common ingredient in brown pigments, but also manganese oxide.

I read a fascinating book last year about colours, about the origins, their historical uses and much more. The book is called “Colours: Travels through the paintbox” and is written by Finli Viktoriya. It sure takes one travelling, and also back into history, a great read.
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19 thoughts on “SHADES OF AUTUMN”

  7. Fall is my favorite season!! And when I was Kid, I didn’t like brown, but now!!!!!! I love it. Right now Ochre is my favorite colour (together with purple taht is!) The picture of the stone, combining bluegreys with ochre is really my favorite! Thanks for sharing this must-read tip!

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  8. There isn’t much evidence of autumn round here yet. Interesting to see so many names for shades of brown as you have listed them, Agnes.

    The book by Finli Viktoriya sounds like one I would enjoy.

    Happy autumn!

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