Crotons in Blue and Brown (2023)Oil painting
by Eliza Kołodziej

This piece is a testament to the discipline of painting and the power of a strictly controlled palette. It was created using only two core pigments: Burnt Sienna (Brown) and Ultramarine (Blue), supplemented by Titanium White. To transparently show the building blocks of this work, I have included reference samples of these raw colours in the bottom left corner of the canvas. Crucially, no black paint was used—a rule I follow in my general practice, but one that is strictly enforced here.

The decision to severely limit the tools is a deliberate way to challenge and hone intermediate painting skills. It necessitates a deep understanding of color theory, specifically the principle that two opposite hues on the color wheel, when combined precisely, will mix to a perfect, neutral gray.

The true challenge of this work was precision. I had to mix the paint expertly to stay strictly in the middle of the hue spectrum, never leaning too warm or too cool. While I used Titanium White to modify the value, sculpting the bright and dark elements of the plant and its pot, the balance between the two primary pigments had to remain perfectly neutral. For me, maintaining a high technical level is a core principle of my artistic path, but tasks like this are also genuinely enjoyable. It's an opportunity to rediscover a medium I have used for years, finding new depth and complexity within simple limitations.

The painting will be delivered in secure, multi-layered packaging, insured and tracked to ensure its safety during transport. Each work comes with a hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity, confirming its originality.

Materials used:

Oil paint on paper

Details:

• Oil painting on Paper
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 11.5 x 24 x 1cm (unframed)
• Signed certificate of authenticity
• Style: Expressive and gestural
• Subject: Flowers and plants

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