Painting Tips and Tricks with Marianne Vander Dussen – Page 3

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How to Paint Realistically with a Limited Palette

Think you need dozens of paint tubes to create realistic art? Think again. In this post, I’ll show you how painting with a limited palette can actually make your work more cohesive, expressive, and professional - while saving you time. I’ll break down what a limited palette is, why it works beautifully for realism, how to choose the right colors, and share examples from my own practice as a professional artist. Whether you’re a beginner or refining your process, this guide will help you paint smarter with less.

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How to Paint a Landscape with a Limited Palette: Step-by-Step Tutorial (Oil or Acrylic)

Want to simplify your color mixing but still create a stunning landscape? In this step-by-step tutorial, you'll learn how to paint a full landscape using just four colors. Ideal for both oil and acrylic painters, this guide walks you through the process of mixing, blocking in, and building depth with a limited palette. Perfect for beginners or anyone looking to master color harmony with less.

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The Top 5 Acrylic Color Mixing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

If you’re an acrylic painter who’s frustrated by color mixing, trust me when I say you’re not alone. After over a decade of working with acrylic paints, I’ve seen firsthand the unique challenges of color mixing with acrylic. Some of the reasons you’re struggling may be really obvious, while others might surprise you. So today, I’m sharing the top five color mixing mistakes I see with acrylic painters and how you can fix them.

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