Greens in light and shade

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

I am working on trying to pop my pictures out more and have been experimenting with juxtaposing complimentary colours rather than mixing them - somewhat like the impressionists - which I have discovered actually helps the drawing look more accurate. I have done away with browns at the moment and am using a grey of burnt sienna mixed with a deep blue - any seems to do - and some white, and then working wet on wet, adding a cadmium yellow, or orange or c.y. and alizarin crimson, which brings warmth into the shadow but the grey remains. This seems to give a glare that, in life, comes from looking at something in bright light - i.e your eyes see a bluish haze in the shadow when looking at the light areas because the pupils don't adjust for the shadow simultaneously.

My question, though, is about reflected light and what green to use or mix, so that it ends up not looking like green, but light. Do you use green, anybody? Or blue, or both? Or just look at the face you're painting and let your hand and mind go and see what you end up with? Not being a landscape painter I am really a bit of a dunce when it comes to greens!

Thanks.

Thomasin