What’s the best blue watercolor for the sky? (Galaxy Brain Edition)

Three years ago, I took on the question What’s the best blue watercolor for the sky? and came up with the simple answer “Phthalo Blue Red Shade.” Ha ha! What a naively simple answer from a newbie painter!

Since then, I’ve cycled through a bunch of other answers.

Intermediate Answers

It depends (observational)

There are so many different colors the sky can be, depending on a number of factors (where in the world you are, climate, season, weather, time of day, etc.) Even a “blue sky” is a different set of blues in different circumstances, and the color of the sky tends to grade between different shades from zenith to horizon (more or less dramatically depending on those other factors). Rather than ask about “a (generic) blue sky” you need to closely observe the specific sky you are painting. Preferably in person, because cameras lie, and the blueness of the sky is one of the things they’re least trustworthy about.

It depends (perceptual)

You do not need to the paint the sky the color that it actually is. You are not a camera; your job as an artist is to express your personal perceptions, impressions, emotions, and unique outlook on the world. To that end, rather than faithfully reproducing the color that you see, you might instead exaggerate whatever features you find notable. For example, if the sky zenith appears to you more than usually violet because it is just so huge/clean/cold/whatever reason, you can exaggerate that by painting the top of the sky straight violet, even if in reality it’s not that extreme. 

It depends (contextual)

You do not need to paint the sky the color that it actually is, or even the color that you perceive it to be. You can choose any color that works for the design of your painting. For example, if the focal point of your painting is orange rocks, you may wish to choose a complementary blue to oppose them, or a muted blue for chroma contrast. If you are using a limited palette, you may want to choose your blue based on another factor, such as its ability to mix the greens or shadow colors you need.

Galaxy Brain Answer

While technically more nuanced, there’s something I find deeply unsatisfying about the answers above.

Specifically when talking about color, I’m a little over the line of thinking that says “You don’t have to paint things the color that they are,” as if it’s pedestrian and naive to care about color. Suppose I want to paint the color of the sky because I love the color of the sky! It’s not silly to want that – or to at least want to know how, even if you don’t do it all the time, or for every sky.

Let’s leave aside this specific question, though. This could be any number of equivocal answers to any number of art questions. The reason that these answers are so unsatisfying, especially to beginners, is because there is no information in them.

I think you need to know your audience. Some people may be looking for mindset shifts rather than information. For an intermediate painter, maybe someone who’s been over-relying on their chosen sky color for a long time, it may be useful to re-examine the complexities of seemingly simple questions and generate new, creative approaches.

But for beginners, I think it can be throwing in too many variables to think about, like heaping extra balls on a beginning juggler. These “think again” answers presuppose a fairly robust knowledge of supplies, technique, and standard practices. You need to understand the available options before you can make informed and creative choices based on specific observations, feelings, or design goals. When a beginner asks about paint, they really want to know about paint. They just need somewhere to start. Responding with a zen koan can be frustrating.

So yeah, “Phthalo Blue Red Shade” is a fine answer.