I use BU all the time, but I’m not an outdoor painter. I paint portraits 90+% of the time. Thus, the BU I use is always part of a mix of colors and generally not the main or only color used. I like it because it tends to promote drying of others colors mixed with it. If I were going to paint a large, dark passage, I would probably mix a dark with other colors rather than using too much BU. Since BU tends to go flat (dry out quickly), some artists oil out their BU passages to keep them from sinking in.

Good Morning Lisa

I do carry the burnt and raw colors into the field BUT find that…

-naples yellow (sometimes with a bit of cadmium to really make it pop)
-yellow orche
-sepia
-and lastly sometime paynes grey/neautral tint, but more often deep violets and blues

…make for a more successful painting (in my personal style & opinion) :thumbsup:

The problem with a color like Burnt Umber is it’s sort of a mid-dark, neutral tone. It requires the brush to be REALLY loaded with paint to stand out. Unless placed to a light or bright color, or “white of the paper,” it’s easily lost value wise. Also, if you place it next to another mid tone or darker wash you risk the whole painting “muddying.” Burnt Umber is also a little granulated making it difficult to life, and even more so to wipe off quickly outside. And though it’s listed as none staining, I find Winsor Newton’s to leave color behind in my experience :smug:

In my opinion, Burnt Umber is better left for studio work where you have time to plan and avoid those sorts of pitfalls

Hope that long explanation or my experience with it is of any use. If you want to use the color I would consider confidently painting it in with some real value contrast other than black/greys,

-Nick

Edit: Sorry Lisa, I took a look at your website and it appeared you were working with oils :confused: I think some of the Burnt Umber info is still pertinent, but please disregard any regarding watercolor.

Nick . . . take another look. Burnt Umber is a dark red.

If you take a look at my profile you’ll see I”m red/green colorblind

However I do paint plein air most weekends, and I hope my experience with Burnt Umber based on values (darks & lights), might still be of use :thumbsup:

-Nick

I love burnt umber and use it more than any color except ultramarine blue and titanium white. However, I mainly use it for mixing. It makes a nice grey mixed with ultramarine and white. It makes a near black mixed with ultramarine. Add a little yellow, and it makes a very dark green. I often use it to sketch in the composition on a new canvas. It’s a great color for mixing grays in rocks, tree trunks, sand and oil. As others mentioned, it also speeds drying.

As far as sinking in goes, it is more prone than many colors. However, you can alleviate that by adding more medium when mixing colors, or by oiling out after the painting dries.

BU is great for greying down blues and in other mixes as is raw umber. I use it in oils, acrylics and watercolours (along with a lot of transparent colours).

I like Griffin Alkyd quick drying oils – all colours dry at the same rate

MY WEBSITE:http://vivienblackburn.com MY BLOG:http://vivienb.blogspot.com/ ETSY for original paintings http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6150568

Burnt umber is good for making black and dropping chroma. A little bit goes a long ways.