Manganese blue

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Over the course of this past Winter I have worked on a number of snow scenes as it is a major atmospheric quality here in Vermont. I have transitioned from exclusively using cobalt blue and ultramarine for my snow palette to include manganese blue. At times I use this pigment straight out of he tube and it has an electric quality that can light up a watercolor. This pigment projects a great feeling of temperature on to the watercolor sheet. There are not too many pigments from my experience capable of doing this.

You can see some of the qualities of this color in the above watercolor detail. At times I contrast it with a warm gray as in a paved road or against sunlit snow which has some raw sienna it to provide variation. Against cool-toned evergreens it can seem downright cold yet increase warmth in the sunlit areas.

My palette has more blues than any other color. The colors I mix continue to evolve as we speak, but manganese is likely to stick around. 

I do not seek to promote nor discourage the use of manganese in your watercolor palette. However, as I experience Winter in Vermont I see how it can be valuable in conveying the landscape.