Don’t Be Afraid of the Darks

February 1, 2021

Kim Minichiello shares some classic combinations that you can use to create interesting darks.

Ultramarine Blue + Quinacridone Burnt Orange = warm grays and an almost black

Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Phtahlo Green = warm dark and a black

Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Ultramarine Blue = dark purples, both warm and cool

Quinacridone Burnt Orange + Ultramarine Blue = a rich variety of grays and darks (and if you add more water, you can get a nice light gray as well)

Kim Minichiello’s Watercolor Paintings

watercolor figure painting of geisha — “Maiko’s Misedashi” (watercolor, 24 x 24 in.)

watercolor figure painting of Japanese warrior — “The Way of the Warrior” (watercolor, 32 x 24 in.)

watercolor floral painting — “A Different Perspective” (watercolor, 20 x 20 in.)

watercolor painting of a Japanese gate — “Mayan Gate” (watercolor, 21 1/2 x 14 in.)

“Both my love of travel, and the opportunities that I’ve had to live and work in Paris, France and Hong Kong working with Disney, have brought me full circle as an artist back to my true passion of painting,”says Kim Minichiello. “I draw inspiration from the amazing people and cultures I have had the pleasure of experiencing and living among. Whether visiting a temple in China or Japan, or many of the astounding museums in Paris and Europe, I have absorbed and studied the rich cultural heritage of these places that profoundly influence my work. Spending many hours outdoors growing up in rural Indiana, my work also reflects my love of nature and our natural world.” Her work is in numerous private collections in the U.S. and abroad. She currently lives and works in Windermere, Florida with her artist husband and feline studio assistant.