Watercolor Banana Study In this still life piece, I experimented with subtle temperature shifts while keeping the value structure intact. It’s surprisingly challenging to add color variation without losing the overall lightness. In the second image, I’ve included a breakdown of how to paint bananas using different combinations of yellows and greens. If you're curious, read on! Banana Color Breakdown 1. Light and Shadow Zones The dominant color is yellow. For highlight areas, I used lemon yellow or cadmium yellow with plenty of water to keep things light and transparent (see top-left swatch). For shadowed areas, I added orange or a touch of brown to deepen the tone (see top-right swatch). Curious how different blues affect your green mixes? Check out the lower-left swatch block! 2. Water-to-Pigment Ratio The depth of color depends on water control. More water = lighter, more transparent wash (great for lit areas) Less water = stronger, more saturated color (great for shadow and form) How to Paint a Banana Step 1 – Prepare Your Palette Main colors: yellow, orange, and blue. Mix a few variants ahead of time. Step 2 – Sketch the Outline Use light pencil strokes to map the bananas. Watch the overlapping areas and try to keep proportions in check. Step 3 – Lay Down Color Start with a very diluted yellow wash for the light areas. Then, mix a slightly more saturated yellow-orange combo and place it into the shadow zones—blend carefully, following the light direction. Mix yellow + blue for subtle green tones in the cast shadows. While the paper is still damp, drop in stronger orange or brown to suggest spots, stem texture, or edge accents. 🌟 Tip: Every time you mix a color, check both your brush pigment load and paper moisture—it makes a huge difference in how the color behaves.