Mulvihill Cheat Sheet - Post This on Your Easel!

Squint !!!

First Pass – Cover the Canvas

To mix a color for each color spot, squint and ask:

Hue

Is it warmer or cooler?

Chroma

Is it brighter or duller?

Value

Is it lighter or darker?

Second pass - Relate or compare color spots that are next to each other in terms of hue, value and chroma.

Third pass – Relate within the entire canvas. 

Compare like hues.  Of all the blue shapes, which is the warmest, brightest, darkest? Of the reds? Of the greens?

Compare like values.  Of all the light values which are the lightest and darkest?  Of the mediums?  Of the darks?

Set the chroma range.  On the entire canvas, which color spot has the highest chroma?  Which the lowest?

Set the value range.  On the entire canvas, which color spot is the lightest?  Which is the darkest?

Final pass - Only when all of the relationships are correct:

Push the focal point by manipulating relationships

Add Details

Edges (hard versus soft)

Highlights (lightest lights)

Accents (darkest darks)

Copyright Mary Mulvihill 2011